When the Houston Rockets visited the Oklahoma City Thunder on opening night, the stage was primed for drama. Thunder fans, fresh off their 2025 championship celebration, welcomed back a familiar face — but not with open arms.

Kevin Durant, making his first appearance with Houston after an offseason trade, was met with deafening boos the moment his name echoed through Paycom Center. Rather than shrink from hostility, Durant leaned into it, smiling as chants rang through the arena during OKC’s ring and banner ceremony.

Having missed the ceremony by staying in the locker room “to let them enjoy their night,” his later entrance only intensified the crowd’s response.​

Durant Fires Back With Humor and Composure

In a moment that instantly went viral, Durant turned toward the crowd and laughed, mockingly booing back at the fans who jeered him. “Boo to you too, m—,” he shouted with a grin, leaning fully into the villain role that’s followed him since his 2016 departure to Golden State.

After the game, Durant downplayed the exchange: “It’s all love. They’ve earned their cheers, I’ve earned my boos. That’s basketball,” he told reporters postgame.

His ability to spin animosity into motivation reflected not bitterness, but a sense of peace with his complicated OKC legacy. “I know what we built here, and it’s respect on both sides,” he added.​

From Boos to Basketball

Amid the playful tension, Durant delivered a steady debut performance (23 points and nine rebounds) but his Houston Rockets fell short in a 125–124 double-overtime thriller. The crowd roared when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drew Durant’s sixth foul late in the second overtime, sealing a poetic win for the reigning champions.

Still, the 17-season veteran showed flashes of his old brilliance, quieting the jeers with smooth mid-range jumpers and clutch plays throughout the game.

For Durant, the boos are no longer a burden. They are part of a legacy he’s embraced, one that continues to evolve each time he returns to the city that helped make him a basketball icon.