Throughout his 17-year career, Kevin Durant has played for five franchises: the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Golden State Warriors, the Brooklyn Nets, the Phoenix Suns, and now the Houston Rockets. Despite this, much discussion surrounds his ability to impact any roster, yet little is said about his leadership skills. For this reason, a 2021 NBA championship winner spoke about this topic, offering a surprising opinion.
“I think that’s what makes him so great is that he can elevate teams. You know how I feel about Kevin Durant, I think he’s one of the best players ever, but I don’t think he has the ability to take a questionable team and elevate them dudes to a certain level,” Jeff Teague said, via Club 520 Podcast.
While Teague chose to criticize Durant, Mike Budenholzer, in his tenure as the Phoenix Suns’ head coach, opted to commend Kevin’s leadership style. “I’ve been blown away with Kevin as a practice player… He goes hard, he goes hard in everything he does. I think that’s probably the most important thing to leadership, leading by example,” he said as reported by AZ Central.
Not only Mike, but also his former offensive teammate Devin Booker came out to refute criticism of his lack of vocal leadership. “He’s one of the greatest to ever do it… He’s more vocal than what people say he is, but he also leads by example every day. He’s the loudest one in practice and first in every drill. The pace of his individual workouts is second to none.”
Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns looks on while playing the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 12, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
Over his long career, Kevin Durant has dismissed the notion that he lacks leadership, asserting that true leadership comes from setting an example through dedication and performance, traits no one can deny. With the Golden State Warriors, he exemplified this approach, leading them to two NBA championships while earning two Finals MVP awards. Although not the vocal leader, Durant’s impact on the court spoke volumes.
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In a revealing 2017 interview with GQ magazine, Kevin Durant candidly discussed his unique leadership style. He stated, “I’m not a leader. I’m bad at saying, ‘Stand behind me and follow me.’ No. I’m one of those guys that’s just like, ‘Let’s do this shit together. Let’s just work everybody together. I don’t mind being on the front line with you, but let’s come and do it together.’ That’s my way of leadership. I’m leading by example.”
Throughout his career, Kevin has demonstrated that leadership does not require shouting and that multiple leaders can coexist on the court, each with a unique style. As a veteran, he joins the Rockets with no need to prove anything—he has already surpassed expectations and fulfilled his potential. Now, with his extensive experience, he has the chance to significantly impact a franchise that has lacked a figure of his caliber to elevate them in the postseason.
