There’s only one person in NBA history who has never lost a 1-on-1 matchup, and that is Father Time. As great as Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant continue to be, it’s clear their days in the NBA are numbered. Durant, in particular, voiced that he senses the end of his career is coming sooner rather than later.
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It has become incredibly difficult to imagine a version of the NBA without Durant. After all, KD has been a premier player in the league since he entered in 2007. Historically, once players reach 35, their production begins to decrease as their bodies can’t keep up with the rest of the competition; unless of course they are Kevin Durant
The 37-year-old remains as impactful as he was during the prime years of his career. Durant is currently averaging 25.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game on an efficient 51.7% shooting from the field. This level of production at this stage of his career is unheard of.
At this rate, it seems that Durant could keep playing for another five years. The Houston Rockets star hasn’t ruled out that possibility. At the same time, he feels the walls closing in faster than he imagined.
“There’s gonna come a time when it’s not my place, and we’re creeping closer to that,” Durant said on Boardroom Talks. “And it’s crazy to think about as the season winds down.”
Kevin Durant speaks on retirement
“There’s gonna come a time when it’s not my place, and we’re creeping closer to that. And it’s crazy to think about as the season winds down… This is what I spent all my life doing, every day. This is a part of my routine. This is what I… pic.twitter.com/GJHcsjPe0L
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) March 22, 2026
This is the last thing Durant fans want to hear come from the two-time NBA champion. These comments come shortly after the 16-time All-Star surpassed Michael Jordan on the all-time scoring list. He has proven in this season alone that there’s so much he can continue to provide in the league.
Surely, if it were up to Durant, he would play basketball till kingdom come. Regardless, he has to keep things realistic, and that comes with preparing himself for what’s to come in the next chapter of his life.
“This is a part of my routine. This is what I center my life around, is the game. So, to know that, having a handful of years, hopefully, left to do this, gotta start getting prepared for that next phase,” Durant said.
Don’t worry, Rockets fans, Durant’s main focus remains on leading the fourth-seeded Rockets to a deep postseason run. However, he has to be mindful of positioning himself in an ideal place for when it is indeed time call it quits on his playing career.
On behalf of the entire basketball community, hopefully that day is still far away. The NBA is just better with Durant is on-the-court.
