The Houston Rockets couldn’t imagine they would be without Fred VanVleet this season. They were ready to go for it all, with VanVleet acting as the prominent voice on the court and in the locker room. But with his season-ending injury, players have to shuffle. Naturally, Kevin Durant, being the senior-most player, would command the respect of the locker room.

But he isn’t the traditional leader. When Charles Barkley said Durant doesn’t drive the bus, it isn’t entirely true. He just doesn’t expect the team to rely on one man. “If we’re going driving across the country, I’m not driving that motherf—– by myself. I’m going to need five or six in this car and we’re going to switch this shift, and we going to get there. That’s how I ride,” he said on Netflix’s Starting 5.

The Slim Reaper isn’t against being a leader. As a veteran, he is going to offer guidance. But basketball is a team sport. Having an imposing locker room leader is good, but Durant prefers to make an inclusive environment, one that encourages players to share their thoughts.

“You want to know my leadership? I’m just one of the guys. And one of the guys is supposed to speak up when they see something. We playing team sports. We trying to go to the same place. You know what I mean like I need you to lead me sometimes, tell me what I need to do sometimes,” Durant added.

KD is a seasoned NBA professional. Likewise, his inputs come from a place of experience and instinct as opposed to the latter alone. But this will also be his first season with the Rockets. It’s a team with rapidly developing young players who are carving their own identity. Disrupting that process by becoming a vocal leader may hamper the team’s progress.

The Rockets would rather have a group effort.

Kevin Durant and the Rockets don’t need a singular leader

It’s understandable to imagine Durant being a mentor. The Rockets have players such as Amen Thompson and Tari Eason who could really benefit from his expertise. However, they also have the liberty to make mistakes and learn from them. So while KD isn’t against contributing to the Rockets when needed, he doesn’t believe in a system ruled by one voice.

“I never looked at basketball that way. Yo, get on my back I’m going to teach you and tell you everything you need to know. Don’t say nothing, don’t do nothing just follow me. What? I don’t even operate in life like that. And if y’all want me to operate like that, I’m sorry go get somebody else,” he bluntly said.

VanVleet was vital because he was the first player to lay out what needs to be done in order to win a championship. The Rockets gained that experience last season, finishing as the second seed in a congested Western Conference. It resulted in the team building an identity relying on relentless drive and grit.

And Steven Adams is also a key leader for the Rockets. His seamless integration into Ime Udoka’s rugged system was pivotal in Houston’s 52-30 breakout campaign and their gritty seven-game first-round tango with the Warriors in 2025.

Now, locked into a savvy three-year, $39 million extension (declining to $11.9 million by 2027-28), Adams enters 2025-26 at age 32, fully healthy and primed to elevate a young core gunning for Western Conference supremacy.

Adams’ leadership isn’t the rah-rah type; it’s forged in the paint’s brutality, where he sets bone-crushing screens, boxes out like it’s personal, and mentors without ego. Last season, he finished second in NBA Teammate of the Year voting (behind only Steph Curry), a nod to his locker-room alchemy- turning raw talent into resilient winners.

Kevin Durant doesn’t need to try and shoulder such a load in his first season with the Rockets. Alperen Sengun just led Turkey to a silver medal at EuroBasket 2025. His inputs can be just as valuable to give the team some direction. Moreover, Ime Udoka also commands attention when he speaks.

What they need is to come together as a team. They have a stunning roster that can wreak havoc in the West. In such a scenario, it’s best to let Kevin Durant be himself rather than molding him into something he isn’t