Kevin Durant isn’t feeling sentimental about Oklahoma City. When asked by a reporter if there were any people or employees he looked forward to seeing when he returns to play for the Thunder, the former MVP kept it blunt and gave a one-word response.
Reporter: “Going back to OKC, are there any people in the arena, employees, anyone that you’d like to see when you go back to the arena?”
Kevin Durant: “No.”
Reporter: Going back to OKC, are there any people in the arena, employees, anyone that you like to see when you go back to the arena?
KD: No pic.twitter.com/mwkng8RDr3
— Steven Adams Stats (@funakistats) October 18, 2025
Playing your former team can be a humbling experience for some players, but not Durant. Even almost a decade after he decides to leave, he feels nothing playing the Thunder. While harsh, this squad is unrecognizable from the team he led to the Finals years ago, and Durant now has a limited connection to the organization despite his historic tenure there.
Initially, Durant spent nine years in Oklahoma City after being drafted by the franchise in 2007, back when it was still the Seattle SuperSonics. During his time there, he established himself as one of the league’s biggest stars, winning an MVP, four scoring titles, and leading the Thunder to the 2012 NBA Finals. Over his full time with the franchise, he averaged 27.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
Durant was a hero of the city, and all was well until he pulled the ultimate betrayal in 2016. By joining the Warriors that summer, he effectively left the Thunder in the dust, and his relationship with the fanbase was fractured beyond repair.
Most notably, he severed his connection with Russell Westbrook, his Thunder teammate and co-star for years. They became rivals overnight, and things have never been the same since.
Today, while Durant has no problems with the organization itself, he holds no desire to return to the Thunder. He has no ties to this team anymore, especially with the way their fans treated him after the 2016 decision.
Tuesday’s game on opening night will soon be Durant’s latest stop in the city, but he won’t be swayed by images of the past. As a member of the Rockets, Durant’s loyalty lies with Houston now, and he’s fully locked in.
The question is, what are the odds he’ll finish his career where it started? At 37 years old, Durant’s time is almost up, but he still has plenty of gas left in the tank. Since he’s on an expiring contract, he’ll be a free agent in 2026, and it’ll give him the power to choose his next (and potentially final) destination.
A return to the Thunder would be a fitting finale, even if in a reduced role. He could play out his career on a true title contender while securing a storybook ending to his career. Best of all, he could form a connection with players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren.
Still, knowing Durant, sentimentality may not be part of the plan. His legacy is already set, and his focus remains on competition, not nostalgia. If this really is the final stretch of his career, Durant will go out chasing wins, not memories, and that’s exactly how he’s always been wired.
