The Houston Rockets are in a terrific position after acquiring Kevin Durant in the offseason.
After all, even without Kevin Durant, the Houston Rockets finished as the second seed in the Western Conference last season.
Now, adding KD to the mix, the Rockets are one of the top contenders to lift the illustrious Larry O’Brien trophy in the summer of 2026.
As good as Durant is, there are still some who doubt if he can lead the Rockets to an NBA Championship, primarily because he’ll turn 37 years old soon.
Rockets star Alperen Sengun recently sat down for an interesting interview with the Anadolu Agency. During which, Sengun addressed a plethora of things about the Rockets ahead of the new season.
This includes the 1x NBA All-Star addressing whether Durant, turning 37 soon, will be a hurdle in the Rockets’ 2026 championship aspirations.
“I’m excited to play with Durant. Everyone is excited to play with him. It doesn’t matter his age. Ultimately, he’s Kevin Durant. I have no doubt Durant will bring a lot to the team,” Sengun said.
The Rockets star added: “He’ll help us all. He’s very experienced, and we have some very young players. I think he’ll open up the game for us.
“He’s incredibly effective both defensively and offensively. We’re excited to play with him.”
For context, Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game for the Phoenix Suns last season.
While Durant’s arrival is exciting, a star cannot lead the team to a solid season without the presence of an excellent head coach on the sidelines.
Sengun believes the Rockets have nothing to worry about in that department, thanks to Ime Udoka.
“Ime is one of the best coaches in the NBA. He was the best coach in the NBA who could fit our team. He came in and changed so many things. He changed the organization,” Sengun stated.
“He brought so much to the players. Ime was one of the best things that could have happened to us, and he did. He actually helped me a lot mentally, too. He made everyone mentally stronger,” he concluded.
Udoka’s win-loss record backs Sengun’s statement as the Rockets have gone 93-71 since the former Boston Celtics coach arrived in Houston.
With Durant now on the roster, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Udoka-coached Rockets finish the regular season with at least 60 wins.
