Kevin Durant reflected on his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, sharing his pride in the franchise’s journey and looking back at the early-2010s core featuring himself, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden.
In an interview for ESPN’s E60 documentary “The Oklahoma Standard,” Durant expressed deep appreciation for his eight seasons in OKC and helping kick-start the franchise alongside his teammates.
Kevin Durant Wished They Were The Ones Who Gave OKC Its First NBA Championship
However, Durant wished that group could have captured a championship together in Oklahoma City, noting that seeing the franchise eventually win its first title in 2025 felt like the full evolution of what they started.
“I wish our [Thunder] team could have been the one to do it because we were young and we showed we could,” Durant said. “But I felt the sense of pride of being an alumni of the Thunder, seeing this team win as well, because I felt that’s the evolution of what we did. I felt like Sam Presti hit his final form and figured out the best way for him to be. And Shai and Jalen Williams, I just felt like they all hit that mark, and we kind of laid the foundation on what it meant to be successful young players in this league, and they built upon that.”
“It’s one of the most special things that I can say I’ve been a part of, man. You don’t get to be at the infant stages of a lot of things and to see it blossom to where it is now.”
Durant’s tenure with the Thunder lasted eight seasons, establishing the foundation of both his legendary career and the franchise’s identity.
Drafted second overall by the Seattle SuperSonics in 2007, Durant won Rookie of the Year just before the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008.
Alongside a drafted core that featured future MVPs Russell Westbrook and James Harden, “The Slim Reaper” transformed the young expansion market into an immediate NBA powerhouse.
During his time in OKC, Durant won four scoring titles (2010–2012, 2014), led the Thunder to the 2012 NBA Finals, and claimed the NBA Most Valuable Player award in 2014.
However, his blockbuster departure for the Golden State Warriors in 2016 caused significant, lasting heartbreak for the Thunder fanbase.
In 2025, the Thunder took down the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to win the franchise’s first NBA championship, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way.
Nearly two years since that championship, the Thunder remain one of the top contenders in the Western Conference.
Kevin Durant Is Proud Of The Current OKC Thunder
Durant takes pride in being part of the Thunder’s winning tradition during its infancy years.
“To see that culture still going on today, on top of winning a championship and having a good opportunity to keep winning championships?,” he said in the same interview. “Like I said, I have a sense of pride, man. I really, really am grateful to be an alumni of the Thunder and to help kickstart this thing off with a lot of my teammates. It’s amazing to see … There’s still a little side of me when I play against these guys, I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for that state.”
Durant, now part of the Houston Rockets, will face the Thunder multiple times in meaningful games until the end of his NBA career.
Durant Reflects on What Could Have Been With Westbrook, Harden and OKC Thunder