Rockets Hot Shot Expects to Reap Rewards Playing with Kevin Durant

The Houston Rockets were bound to enter the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season as a favourite to challenge for a top seed in the Western Conference again, following up on a similar accomplishment achieved last season. However, shipping away Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks for Kevin Durant almost assuredly didn’t only make the Rockets a top seed favourite, but also likely propelled them into legitimate contenders to emerge from the West altogether. One player who will be in the spotlight for another Houston run is Rockets guard Amen Thompson, who recently expressed his excitement about playing alongside Durant and hopes his game will be all the better for it.

Rockets Hot Shot Expects to Reap Rewards Playing with Kevin Duran

Houston Rockets’ Amen Thompson is more than ready to team up with NBA champion Kevin Durant

Durant may be about to enter his 18th season in the NBA, but he certainly hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. Durant is as reliable an offensive threat, even more so now, as he was back in his Oklahoma City Thunder days. He remains a sure-fire bucket machine every night, and his defense is still fairly solid for someone in their 18th season. He draws the best defenders, can read defenses like the best of them, and he’s one of the most brilliant offensive forces the NBA has ever seen. It’s for these reasons, and many more given Durant’s experience and skill set, that make Thompson eager to play with him.

During the Summer League recently, Thompson chatted with Vanessa Richardson of Space City Home Network while supporting Houston’s squad, where he spoke about his excitement to play alongside Durant, and praised the two-time champion for his greatness, while also speaking of the work ethic he and Durant bring to the table.

“He’s going to make my life a lot easier. He’s one of the greatest players ever, one of the best scorers ever. … Definitely going to be passing it to him a lot. They’re going to be double teaming him, so I’m going to be cutting off the back of it,” Thompson continued, “I just hear his work ethic is different. I feel like I have a different work ethic, too. Combining that, I think it’s gonna be fun.”

Houston’s young talent in enviable position playing with Durant

While Durant was brought in to help push Houston over the top and compete for a title right away, there’s also a massive opportunity for the Rockets’ young players to watch and learn from Durant along the way. Thompson isn’t the only talented young player on Houston’s roster. Others, like Tari Eason, Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Şengün, will also have a front-row seat to Durant’s incredible game.