Kevin Durant's Heartfelt James Harden Statement After Clippers-Suns

The Phoenix Suns defeated the LA Clippers on Monday night at Footprint Center, taking a 3-0 lead in the season series. This game featured each team’s top stars, as Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Devin Booker all played.

Durant and Harden each scored 24 points while leading their respective teams in minutes played. Teammates on the Oklahoma City Thunder and Brooklyn Nets, Durant and Harden have a lot of history.

When Harden became second all-time in made threes, he shouted out Durant and Russell Westbrook for teaching him how to work at the beginning of his career.

“They set the blueprint,” Harden said. “When I got there they had the blueprint of how to work… So all I did was just fall right in line… Those three years really helped me in my NBA career… From that point on, I was so comfortable and confident in myself. When I got traded to Houston, I knew I was gonna be successful… Shoutout to KD, shoutout to Russ, and the whole Oklahoma City organization.”

James Harden speaks on passing Ray Allen and also shouts out Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook for creating an example for him in OKC that helped him become great.

Harden: “They set the blueprint. When I got there they had the blueprint of how to work… So all I did was just… pic.twitter.com/wEde8tIctY
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) November 18, 2024

Asked about Harden on Monday, Durant said he saw these comments, but gave his former teammate all the credit for becoming an all-time great.

“I heard that,” Durant said. “James had a routine and a knack for just loving to get in the gym already when he got to us. It was like Voltron was formed when we all got together. As far as trying to get better, always being in the gym with one another, challenging each other to be better. And then transferring that over to the floor during games.”

Kevin Durant on James Harden shouting out him and Russell Westbrook after becoming 2nd all-time in made threes:

“I heard that. James had a routine and a knack for just loving to get in the gym already when he got to us. It was like Voltron was formed when we all got together. As… pic.twitter.com/9RQIODEYxx
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) January 28, 2025

Durant added, “The great ones can put the work in and still have that mindset… James was always like that. Such a great teammate that he wanna give us credit, but I feel like he was born with that ability to just keep getting better. His love for the game is something he built over time. It’s always fun getting to play against him and hangout with him. I love him like a brother.”

Going to the NBA Finals as teammates in 2012, Durant and Harden joined forces again in 2021 with Brooklyn.

Kevin Durant and James Harden — Oct 11, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) and guard James Harden (13) during a break in action of the first quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

While they were never able to get over the hump as teammates, Durant and Harden shared a lot of special moments together on the floor and still have deep love for one another.

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