Kevin Durant tops Oklahoma's most hated NBA list

At Toyota Center in Houston, Kevin Durant's arrival gave the Rockets another headline name. One of the latest has nothing to do with points or playoff seeding. A new ranking highlighted Durant as the most hated player in Oklahoma, a reminder that his break from the Thunder still stings in that state.

Durant's connection to Oklahoma City runs deep. He spent the opening stretch of his NBA career with the Thunder franchise and became one of the league's biggest stars there. That history makes the reaction easy to understand, even years later, after stops with Golden State, Brooklyn, Phoenix and now Houston.

Kevin Durant still draws a sharp reaction in Oklahoma

The Rockets forward landed at No. 1 in the Oklahoma ranking cited by Rockets Wire. The result traces back to his 2016 exit from the Thunder, when he left in free agency for the Warriors after Oklahoma City had come close to reaching the NBA Finals. For many Thunder supporters, that move never faded into old news.

Durant has had one of the most accomplished careers of his generation, but public feeling around him has always shifted depending on the city. In Oklahoma, the resentment has stayed strong enough for him to top a list like this one. That says plenty about how personal star departures can feel in the NBA, especially when a player once represented the face of a franchise.

Why the ranking matters to the Rockets

For Houston, this is more side story than crisis. The Rockets brought Durant in for what he can still do on the floor, not for a popularity contest in another state. His scoring resume, big-game experience and name recognition are the reasons he matters here, especially for a team pushing for a higher ceiling in the Western Conference.

Still, the Oklahoma reaction adds another layer to any future Rockets-Thunder matchup. Those games already carry weight because of the standings and the young talent on both rosters. Adding Durant to the Houston side gives the rivalry another emotional edge whenever the schedule puts the teams on the same court.

Durant's reception in Oklahoma is unlikely to change soon, and that will make the next Rockets visit there one to circle once the NBA schedule is set. Rockets Wire highlighted the ranking this week as Durant settles into the next chapter of his career in Houston.

This article is a summary of reporting by Rockets Wire. Read the full story here.