Houston’s 2026-27 season gets its first official run at Toyota Center on Media Day, with Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet and the rest of the Rockets scheduled to address the room before training camp takes over.
Key takeaways
- Rockets players and coaches are set to begin meeting reporters at noon ET.
- Houston enters the year after a 52-30 finish and the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
- Kevin Durant is beginning his 20th NBA season after averaging 26.0 points in his first Houston campaign.
- Former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart joined the Rockets during the offseason.
- Amen Thompson and Tari Eason received contract extensions.
- The franchise will debut a revised visual identity that brings yellow back into the color palette.
Durant sets the veteran tone
Durant arrives at Media Day with another productive year in the books and a new season ahead in his home state. The 16-time All-Star and 12-time All-NBA pick posted 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game in his first season with Houston.
He also shot 52 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range and 87 percent at the foul line. Now entering Year 20, Durant remains the established scoring presence on a roster that finished among the West’s playoff field last spring.
Thompson, Sengun and VanVleet will be among the central voices as Houston lays out its expectations for the new campaign. Thompson’s extension keeps a major piece of the Rockets’ young core in place, while Eason also secured a longer-term commitment from the club.
New pieces, new colors
Houston added Smart, a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year, to a group looking to build from its 52-win regular season. His arrival gives the Rockets another proven perimeter defender and veteran option alongside VanVleet in the backcourt mix.
The organization is also carrying a different look into the season. The Rockets have introduced a new logo and color scheme, restoring yellow as a prominent part of the team’s traditional visual identity. Houston rapper Slim Thug has helped spotlight the updated uniforms and branding as the club opens its 2026-27 calendar.
