Where Will Kevin Durant Stand in Next Season’s NBA MVP Race?

With Houston being overlooked, he might be a darkhorse candidate

Apr 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) looks on from the court during the final minutes of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kevin Durant is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of his generation. This stance gained significant momentum after Durant made his famous “You the real MVP” speech when receiving the NBA’s most prestigious regular-season award in 2014.

More than a decade later, the 37-year-old Durant is still in MVP discussions. Leading the Houston Rockets in scoring, he averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists over 78 games last season.

On the final installment of the 2025-2026 KIA MVP Ladder, Durant was listed at No. 9. The two-time NBA champion finished behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, Jaylen Brown, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Johnson, and Kawhi Leonard.

Apr 7, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) and center Alperen Sengun (28) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Outlook for 2027

The biggest change for the Rockets next season will be Fred VanVleet’s return from injury, though his scoring contributions have declined to 14.1 points per game. While VanVleet adds an element of veteran leadership, Durant will likely continue as Houston’s de facto captain and main force on offense.

Continuing to average upwards of 25 points per game since his sophomore season, Durant has yet to reach the twilight of his NBA career. His availability has been exceptional too, totaling 215 regular-season appearances since 2023.

One of Durant’s most impressive attributes is his ability to perform under pressure, finishing with a 52.9% clutch field goal percentage last season. This contributed to his top-10 placement in Clutch Player of the Year voting.

When evaluating the state of next year’s MVP Ladder, Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell are serious contenders to surpass Durant. Both players continue to excel as franchise superstars for top title contenders in the Eastern Conference.

On the other side, Durant has the potential to rank above Jaylen Brown and Kawhi Leonard. Brown will be transitioning from a career-best scoring year as the Boston Celtics’ primary ball handler to a supporting role within the Philadelphia 76ers superteam. While Leonard also had a career-best scoring year and solid durability, he has not had back-to-back All-Star selections since 2021.

Overall, there is a very realistic chance for Durant to finish in the top 10 of next season’s MVP race. In terms of the clear-cut contenders, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Doncic, and Wembanyama seem to be the leading favorites.

Regardless of individual honors, Houston’s Durant experiment has been moderately successful thus far. With VanVleet back in the lineup and Marcus Smart in the guard rotation, the team still stands as a dark-horse title contender.