The NBA title race is somewhat wide open in the 2025-26 season. While the OKC Thunder are favorites to repeat, there is no guarantee. After all, the Celtics were favorites to do the same in 2025 and were instead eliminated in six games in the ECSF. The Houston Rockets are among those who could overthrow Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company due to a single addition: Kevin Durant.
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A man who’s currently in KD’s corner to win MVP is Kenyon Martin. K-Mart has remained fair over the years in his assessment of the best players in the league.
“Giannis is the new LeBron. He can be in the MVP convo every year,” Kenyon had said a few years ago. A couple of years before that, he had stated, “I think Stephen Curry can play in any era.”
The ever-positive Martin continued this tone on Iman Shumpert’s All In show. When the topic of the 2026 MVP came up, he immediately forced the conversation in Durant’s direction. Though he does have one stipulation for KD, at age 37, to win the coveted award.
“If people stop hating on him, I’m going Kevin Durant,” said Kenyon. Given the Suns’ putrid 36-46 record last season, Durant wasn’t awarded a single MVP vote despite averaging 26.6 points on near 50/40/90 shooting.
The last time KD even finished top five in MVP voting was during the 2015-16 season, where he ranked fifth in votes. Can this be considered “hating” KD? Perhaps.
At the same time, context is imperative here. Since 2015, he has had a tumultuous journey, with highs, too. KD was on a stacked GSW team where superstar responsibilities are shared. He then tore his Achilles tendon and missed over half the season in 2020-21 for the Nets. And of course, his Phoenix years weren’t good enough to get him anywhere close to hoisting up the Michael Jordan Trophy.
Martin thinks the Rockets can compete big-time
“I think Houston’s gonna do something, bruh. And he’s gonna drive that s*** dawg,” continued Martin with Iman chiming in and agreeing.
Despite Fred VanVleet’s ACL tear, the Rockets are fairly stacked. A ‘big three’ of KD, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson is enough to make noise in the top four of the Western Conference.
It should be noted, however, that Kenyon’s first choice wasn’t KD. Off the bat, he spewed out Luka Doncic’s name first before collecting his thoughts.
With LeBron James in his 23rd year and taking a backseat to Luka, the narrative, big market, and sheer ‘player quality’ all combine. This could lead to an MVP-esque campaign for Doncic.
