In a surreal moment, Kevin Durant learned he had been traded to the Houston Rockets not from his agent, not from a team executive—but from the crowd during a live interview.
Durant was on stage at Fanatics Fest in New York City, sitting down with Taylor Rooks, when murmurs began to ripple through the audience. Moments earlier, ESPN’s Shams Charania had broken the news: the Phoenix Suns were sending Durant to Houston in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and five second-rounders.
As fans began shouting the news toward the stage, Durant looked momentarily stunned. Then, with a smirk and a shrug, he played it cool. When asked what song he likes to listen to on game day, he quipped: “Raining in Houston,” referencing the Drake track—and perhaps his new home.
The moment quickly went viral. Clips of Durant’s reaction flooded social media, with fans marveling at the bizarre timing. Some in the crowd even booed—not out of disrespect, but likely because the event was in New York, where fans had hoped the Knicks might make a play for the 15-time All-Star.
Durant, ever the veteran, didn’t confirm the trade on stage but later acknowledged it with a brief comment:
“We’re going to see, man,” he said over the crowd noise.
KD’s reaction to get traded to the Rockets 👀🍿
Durant needed a moment 😅
(via @AryePulliNFL)pic.twitter.com/Wd62BXjV6h
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 22, 2025
The trade marks Durant’s fifth team in his storied career and signals a major shift for the Rockets, who are now firmly in win-now mode. For Durant, it’s another chapter in a career defined by bold moves—and now, by one of the most unexpected trade reveals in NBA history.
