'This team is scary' | Recap: 2026 Houston Rockets media day

Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets spoke with the media ahead of the 2026-27 season Tuesday afternoon.

Check out all the best quotes, news and notes from the Houston Rockets’ media day Tuesday with our live blog coverage.

All-Access: Inside Media Day in Houston

Key takeaways from Rockets Media Day:

Players and coaches spoke to the press, discussing their thoughts and expectations for the 2026-27 NBA season.

Watch the full press conference here

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Major themes included the return of Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams, the signing of Marcus Smart, the experience gained by the young core last season, the team’s depth and the new contracts for Amen Thompson and Tari Eason.

Coach Ime Udoka said the team was looking to deepen its rotation this season, lessening the load on Thompson and Kevin Durant, who were No. 1 and No. 2 in total minutes played last year.

Start at the beginning of the day by clicking here.

SEPTEMBER 22 / 2:54 PM

Eason seeks to earn it

Tari Eason said he worked on his body and his ball-handling this offseason, upping his diligence and attention to detail as he prepares to return for the Rockets under a new deal.

Eason signed a five-year, $81.5 million contract extension with Houston over the summer.

“What spurred the new focus? New money,” said Eason, noting he wanted to prove that he was worth the investment. “Clear mind. Just everything — being able to go into this offseason with a clear mind, healthy.”

The team’s new veteran presence should provide poise at times, Eason said, while Smart can help captain and build the defense.

SEPTEMBER 22 / 2:47 PM

Reed and the Rockets are ready to roll

Reed Sheppard, shining in a 1970s-style shag hair cut, said he was never alone in the gym in Houston this summer, as he and his teammates prepare to build on last year’s Playoff experience.

He spent time in the weight room, working on his body, and continued to build on his game, joining a refreshed group of guards.

With Fred VanVleet and Marcus Smart in the fold, his role may change, but Sheppard said he was ready to supply whatever the team needs.

“I’m all for Freddy. He’s had a great job getting back to where he is, and he’s looking really good,” said Sheppard. “I’m happy to see him out there, and being able to get out there and work out with him again.”

In the new season, Sheppard said he was hoping to handle the bumps better and stay on his line, both defensively and offensively.

SEPTEMBER 22 / 2:33 PM

Sengun’s growing with the team

Last year’s Playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers provided valuable experience for the Rockets’ young core, Alperen Sengun said.

“Just the experience beat us, I would say… They knew what to do. They were calm in the clutch times,” said Sengun, noting his years of camaraderie with Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. “It was good to be fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with brothers. Being with them for four, five years… we wanted to get in this position, and we were all there. We failed, unfortunately, but you fail to win. We come back for this season stronger.”

The team went down 3-0 and battled back to force Game 6, Sengun said. Over the offseason, he reviewed the games, trying to get better and build on the experience.

“It was really good for Jabari to step up like that. I tried to step up. Amen stepped up. Reed had an amazing Playoff series, which was his first,” said Sengun. “Just showing up like that, we all know everybody has a big heart out here.”

Adding VanVleet and Adams will only make the team better, he said.

SEPTEMBER 22 / 2:15 PM

Bruce enters the Association

Bruce Thornton, the all-time leading scorer at Ohio State, said he planned to keep asking questions in his rookie season, as he navigates the new world of the NBA.

Thornton said it was an experience to play with Kevin Durant for the first time.

“It was definitely insane. I called my friends — I was like ‘yo, there are definitely levels to this,'” said Thornton. “On defense, I’m playing, I almost caught myself just watching, like ‘is this guy going to miss?'”

Teaming with Fred VanVleet, Durant and others, Thornton said he planned to be a “sponge” as he picks up tips from the veterans.

“There are no stupid questions,” said Thornton. “If you don’t know, always ask.”

Noted for his solid physique, he said the food in Houston has been “fire,” including a taco spot near his home.

SEPTEMBER 22 / 2:01 PM

Durant: ‘Excited for the first day’

Kevin Durant is ready to get some buckets in this season, continuing his longtime love for the game.

“Excited for another opportunity to get on this horse, ride on the journey with this team and see what happens,” said Durant.

"I'm always hungry to play."

@KDTrey5

discusses his mentality heading into Year 20 and bouncing back from injuries at

@HoustonRockets

Media Day 😤

pic.twitter.com/OFNaaoBfpl

— NBA (@NBA)

September 22, 2026

Fred VanVleet and Marcus Smart add ball-handling and shooting ability to the squad, taking pressure off of everyone else, Durant said.

With additional experience, he said the team should be better prepared for the new season, both young players and veterans.

“You can see the effort in everybody,” said Durant. “We’ve got to come to work every day and really show up, and can’t wait for that.”

Durant said he didn’t want his minutes diminished solely because of his age — he trains to play 48 minutes and be available for the long haul.

“I get the concern, but if the game needs me to be out there, I want to be out there,” said Durant.

SEPTEMBER 22 / 1:45 PM

‘Get to the rainbow on the other end’

A native of Flower Mound, TX, Marcus Smart said Houston felt like the best fit in free agency, where he reunites with former Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka.

“Damn, this team is scary,” said Smart. “Damn, we’re going to give some teams some problems.”

Smart said he’s excited to play alongside Kevin Durant, add his voice in pressure moments and hopes to teach Amen Thompson how to pick his spots defensively.

Smart said he hadn’t thought about throwing his body around as a young player. Now, the physical toll has caught up with him. He’d like Thompson to be able to perform at a high level for a long time.

As a former player, Udoka understands what it takes to succeed in the NBA, Smart said.

“He doesn’t sugar coat anything,” said Smart. “Everything is straight up with you, and it allows you to grow.”

Smart said last season’s Rockets went though a series of challenges similar to the teams he grew up on in Boston, facing injuries, with their reputation boosted by a hot start.

“You have to go through those battles, those storms, to get to the rainbow on the other end,” said Smart.

SEPTEMBER 22 / 1:30 PM

Amen aims to ascend

Amen Thompson said he wants to make the All-Defensive Team every year, building on his two-way focus on the floor.

“I want to be a premier defender,” said Thompson. “It definitely was motivation (to miss it last season), especially with Ausar making it.”

Thompson said he’s comfortable taking midrange jumpers, having worked on it over the summer. He focused on “a little bit of everything,” including his shooting and handle.

The Rockets’ faith in him, rewarded with

a five-year, $208 million contract extension

, means a lot, Thompson said. He’s locked in on bringing a championship to Houston.

Marcus Smart brings savvy to the squad, Thompson said — he’s hoping to pick up a few things.

“Having another guy I can learn from like that, and a Defensive Player of the Year at that, it’s going to be really good for me,” said Thompson. “He’s got the tricks — he knows the defensive tricks. I’ve got to learn some of those — I just play.”

SEPTEMBER 22 / 1:16 PM

‘It’s flying, isn’t it?’

Entering his fifth season, Jabari Smith Jr. said he was trying to improve his overall game, as well as add strength and the ability to play at a faster pace.

“I feel like I need to speed up my feet, speed up my fluidity overall,” said Smith Jr. “I’ve definitely been working on that… I’ve just been playing a lot, putting bodies on me… Putting yourself in uncomfortable situations, I think has been working for me.”

Smith Jr. said he kept the intensity of the Playoffs in mind as he worked over the summer, noting that, with such a deep team, players will have to find their niche on the floor. He wants to be more vocal at this point, sharing his experience and comfort in Ime Udoka’s system, and aggressively intentional on the floor.

“Trying to get on that All-Defensive team,” said Smith Jr. “I’m going to be a lot more physical.”

SEPTEMBER 22 / 1:07 PM

‘You just need to play the season’

Steven Adams is, of course, confident in his team’s abilities, but is watching to see how they’ll adapt over the varied course of a long NBA season.

“I’m pretty confident with our group,” said Adams. “We’ve got a lot of good veterans here, a lot of young guys that are a little bit older — I’m not sure they’re smarter, mate, hate to tell you guys, but they should be alright.”

Adams said the team had missed Fred VanVleet last season, noting his importance to the team’s culture.

“He’s aggressive, dude,” said Adams. “Floor general.”

"No questions? Sweet!"

@RealStevenAdams

has jokes to begin his presser at Rockets Media Day 😂

pic.twitter.com/jGk9IFGie2

SEPTEMBER 22 / 1:04 PM

KD dons the new threads

Kevin Durant is ready for takeoff into YEAR 20 🚀

pic.twitter.com/s8otszQd3e

SEPTEMBER 22 / 12:57 PM

This team can be vocal

Jae’Sean Tate, the longest-tenured Rocket, said this team seemed comfortable calling each other out and holding each other accountable, unlike past squads.

Tate’s entering his seventh season in Houston. Over the years, while his vertical has waned a bit, he said he’s gained leadership skills and remains ready to contribute when his number is called.

“I’m just trying to help the guys around me,” said Tate. “I can genuinely say I love my job… This isn’t work for me. I love it. I love Houston… and at the end of the day, I think we can win.”

He’s looking forward to the team’s new “ketchup-and-mustard” jerseys — a welcome change from their steady red look.

The new uniforms add a little bit of “flavor” and “spark” to the team’s look, Tate said. People are going to want to come see it, he said, along with fresh, blacked-out seats in the Toyota Center.

SEPTEMBER 22 / 12:51 PM

Capela: ‘This team is different’

Clint Capela, a familiar face in Houston, noted the team’s added experience and confidence this year.

He noted the impact that he and Steven Adams have on the glass, noting that not many other bigs can match it. He said he lost about four percent of his body fat this offseason, adding to his quickness and explosivity.

“We’re excited. We know that we have everything we need in our locker to do it,” said Capela. “It feels great to have some abs looking good.”

Along with the growth of its young talent, Capela said the team could mesh to make progress, chasing the 2018 squad that reached the Western Conference Finals.

SEPTEMBER 22 / 12:44 PM

Bogdanović bolsters the squad

Re-joining former teammate Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanović adds scoring punch and verve to the Rockets’ bench.

Former teammates reunited in H-Town 🥲

@LeaderOfHorde

and

@CapelaClint

go way back… new Houston addition Bogdan Bogdanović explains at Rockets Media Day!

pic.twitter.com/UhxwfwWhgj

“I think I can fit perfectly, and bring a lot of shooting, playmaking,” said Bogdanović. “I’m just here to do my job, whatever it is, bring whatever I have… They have great chemistry, they have a great team, a mix of young and veterans and experienced players, Hall-of-Fame players, role players, so I really like where I’m at.”

Bogdanović said he can help particularly when other players are trapped in the pick-and-roll, attacking numbers in the half court.

SEPTEMBER 22 / 12:34 PM

VanVleet back on his feet

The former NBA champion and All-Star said he had a tough last season, as he recovered from his knee injury, but he’s eager to get back on the floor and play with Kevin Durant, Reed Sheppard and others.

VanVleet said he’s enjoying everything as the team prepares for the new campaign, taking things in with a new perspective. His knee is still recovering, as he awaits game reps and returning to NBA speed.

“I’ve been progressing nicely,” said VanVleet. “I feel really good. It’s going to be a process still, so I’m sure what you guys see won’t be the finished product, but I’m in a really good spot… I’m just really grateful and excited to get back out there on the court.”

"To be where I am right now… I feel really good."

@FredVanVleet

on his recovery and upcoming return to the court at

Media Day!

pic.twitter.com/PytwjWNu2w

Adding Marcus Smart — an “ultimate competitor” who “always shows up in big moments” — will add defensive intensity and better the team’s will to win, VanVleet said, reminiscing on the hard-fought Raptors-Celtics series in the 2020 NBA Playoffs.

To become a championship contender, the team will need to take it one step at a time, instilling good habits and staying hungry, as they have been over the summer.

“You start chipping away at it. Our daily habits, our focus, and deciding who we want to be is more important than the end goal,” said VanVleet. “We’ve got more than enough talent on this roster to contend for a championship, but that’s a long way away.”

SEPTEMBER 22 / 12:31 PM

Freeing up Amen Thompson

With the additional rotation pieces, Amen Thompson will play off-ball more, allowing him to give additional energy on the defensive end, where he can be elite, Udoka said.

Thompson can still be a major threat pushing the ball in transition, Udoka said, and gained versatility by changing roles in his first two seasons.

He and Reed Sheppard should be able to make more of a complementary impact by playing off of other creators, Udoka said.

“We will play more people. It’s easier said than done to play a 10-man rotation, but there are a lot of deserving guys,” said Udoka. “We want to get Amen and Kevin’s minutes down.”

SEPTEMBER 22 / 12:29 PM

‘We want to make some real noise’

Udoka said the team plateaued somewhat last season, noting they had won 52 games the year prior as well and bowed out in the first round again.

The team regularly lost double-digit leads during the regular season, he noted.

“Decent regular season, due to circumstances, but it could have been a lot better,” said Udoka. “We’re not here to just make the first round. We want to make some real noise. I think everybody’s hungry for that.”

SEPTEMBER 22 / 12:25 PM

Addressing the offensive balance

Stone said that the team was slightly “under-skilled” last season, leading to turnovers and sporadic inefficiency in the half court offense.

The return of Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams, as well as the addition of Marcus Smart, should help address the flow, Stone and Udoka said.

Stone noted Adams’ ability as a screener, as well as his knowledge of the offense, while Udoka noted that additional ballhandlers should allow for more comfortable distribution.

The team’s emphasis on offensive rebounding will remain a focus, they said.

SEPTEMBER 22 / 12:22 PM

GM Rafael Stone on Kevin Durant

Stone said that management will sit down with Kevin Durant, who has a player option for 2027-28, to get his thoughts after the season, as they did this year.

Durant said he was happy after last season, Stone said — “the one thing he wanted to make clear was how much he enjoyed it, and how much he wanted to be here.”

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know him,” said Stone. “He’s really the easiest, or along with Yao (Ming), maybe the easiest guy that I’ve ever been around of that stature in the NBA. He just wants to hoop, which fits great with our culture.”

SEPTEMBER 22 / 12:20 PM

Fred VanVleet’s status

Coach Ime Udoka does not expect Fred VanVleet, returning from a torn right ACL and meniscus, to play in back-to-backs to begin the season, but the veteran point guard is fully cleared and playing five-on-five in practice.

SEPTEMBER 22 / 12:15 PM

Watch the conversations

The Rockets’ YouTube account is locked in for Media Day. Catch the live stream here — we’ll be bringing you selected quotes and further coverage.

SEPTEMBER 22 / 11:32 AM

Check out the new threads

The Rockets have a new logo and color scheme for this season, re-embracing the yellow in the team’s traditional regalia.

Slim Thug and the Rockets share more about the new look here.

SEPTEMBER 22 / 11:15 AM

Durant returns for another season in Houston

The 16-time All-Star and 12-time All-NBA selection had a customary strong campaign in his first year with the Rockets, putting up 26.0 ppg, 5.5 reb and 4.8 ast while shooting 52/41/87 from the field.

This is Year 20 for the superstar out of Texas — where will he lead the Rockets to this season, as he burnishes a legendary career?