Kevin Durant has barely begun his Houston Rockets chapter. But one of the team’s newest players has already learned how different the NBA can feel from the college game. Bruce Thornton entered the league after four seasons at Ohio State and arrived with plenty of confidence. Also, he had a productive Summer League.
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Then came his first practice alongside the Slim Reaper. He got an early glimpse of the standard he will be expected to reach in Rocket City.
“The first time he played with us was definitely insane. I’m not gonna lie,” Thornton opened up during the Rockets media day. “Like, I called my friends. I’m like, ‘Yo, like, it definitely levels to this.’ Like, I’m more defense playing. I almost caught myself just watching.”
In short, the rookie nearly forgot to do his own job. Then he explained what had caught his attention.
“Like, this guy gonna miss? Every time he shoot it, ball going in. But that just tells you what type of player, what type of person he is. The preparation that he goes into his workouts. I watch him every time I have a time that when I’m doing my workout, get ready, see the preparation, the attention to detail that he works, and it’s very efficient, and it definitely translates to the court.”
Most importantly, he concluded, “I definitely have a good role model I can watch throughout the whole year.”
Thornton has plenty of experience around elite competition himself. The No. 31 pick in the 2026 Draft spent four years at Ohio State and left the program as its all-time leading scorer. He also impressed during Summer League, averaging 18.6 ppg and 2.6 steals.
However, Kevin Durant represents a completely different standard.
The 6-foot-2 guard will now spend the season watching a player whose preparation has translated into one of the most efficient offensive careers in NBA history. In this past season, KD averaged 26.0 ppg, while shooting 52% from the field and 41.3% from three-point range in 2025-26.
He also earned the All-NBA Second Team honors after playing 78 games at the age of 37.
For Thornton, that makes Kevin Durant more than another veteran teammate. He has already identified the superstar as someone he can study throughout his first NBA season. Moreover, the rookie particularly stressed the importance of noticing the preparation that happens before the games.
How will this help the Rockets in the upcoming season?
Well, the team isn’t developing a roster in a vacuum. They are just focused on turning their 52-30 record into a deep playoff run. Mind you, their last two seasons ended in the first round, after finishing both seasons with 52 wins.
The urgency extends to Kevin Durant himself. He enters the final guaranteed season of his contract before a $46 million player option for 2027-28. So this season will determine his future with the team.
On the other hand, Bruce Thornton finds himself in a crowded backcourt.
The team expects Fred VanVleet to return from an ACL injury. Marcus Smart joined the roster, and Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard remain part of Houston’s young guard group.
So, it’s doubtful whether Thornton would receive consistent playing minutes.
Thornton also brings a scoring profile that could separate him from other guards. He probably has to fight for his spot against Sheppard.
His game relies heavily on getting downhill, using his strength and change of pace to penetrate the paint.
Rings a bell?
The scouting report has compared him to Jalen Brunson. Another undersized guard who built his game around balance and footwork.
Thornton could give Ime Udoka another option in a crowded backcourt while learning from Kevin Durant at the other end.