When Kevin Durant signed with the Houston Rockets earlier this year, there was a role that fans and analysts had envisioned for him. With his future Hall of Fame-level experience, KD could be the perfect mentor for the rising young team.
Since joining, Durant has done exactly that. KD is still playing at the highest level at the age of 37, but he is also helping some of his teammates by sharing his experience and knowledge of the game, so that they can be great, too.
As a result, the Rockets have won 20 games so far and are tied with the Denver Nuggets for the third-best record in the Western Conference. One of the youngsters benefiting from KD’s mentorship is Jabari Smith Jr.
After the recent 126-119 win against the Indiana Pacers, KD was asked about Smith Jr.’s brilliant run in the last few games. He had 21 points and 10 rebounds in the game, while KD went for a 30-point game.
“Me & Bari have talked a lot about us taking the shots we want to take, not letting the defense dictate what we do out there, using our length and our size to get shots off,” Durant said.
Kevin Durant on Jabari Smith Jr:
“Me & Bari have talked a lot about us taking the shots we want to take, not letting the defense dictate what we do out there, using our length and our size to get shots off…”
Truly cool that Bari is learning from KD. pic.twitter.com/D8BjrLpNox
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) December 30, 2025
Smith Jr. has had six straight games with over 15 points on each outing. The 22-year-old is benefiting from the advice that KD has given him so far, and the veteran seemed proud of the run the power forward has been on.
While Smith Jr. is slowly making a name for himself in the league in his fourth year with the Rockets, KD is completing milestones and registering his name in the history books of basketball.
Kevin Durant Reached 31,000 Career Points
Earlier this month, when the Rockets played the Phoenix Suns at home, Durant dropped 28 points in a 117-98 victory. Heading into the game, he was only four points short of reaching another career milestone.
In the first quarter, KD made a jump shot and reached 31,000 career points, becoming only the eighth player in the history of the league to reach that milestone. Other players already on the list include Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, and LeBron James.
“As you’re coming up into the league, you look at these guys as heroes and you put them on pedestals, and you look at their accomplishments as sometimes unreachable,” KD said. “Guys like Wilt, Michael, Kobe…I’m missing so many guys, they just set a standard that I try to reach every day.”
While KD is inspired by the greats of the game, he has only focused on becoming the best player that he can be, and everything that he has accomplished in his career has been a result of that focus and dedication.
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