‘Not a ball-stopper': Rockets legend Rudy Tomjanovich expects Kevin Durant to fit in well
'He's not a ball-stopper,' Rudy Tomjanovich says of new Rockets star Kevin Durant. 'He's the kind of guy who gets passes and shoots jumpers off of picks. I think he'll fit in beautifully.'
Another Hall-of-Famer weighs in on Kevin Durant heading to the #Rockets. Former Rockets head coach Rudy T on KD: pic.twitter.com/bEoAhoMpWT
Calvin Murphy isn't the only Houston Rockets legend who is excited about the impending arrival of All-Star forward Kevin Durant.
Rudy Tomjanovich, a playing teammate of Murphy and subsequently the Hall of Fame coach that directed Houston to its only two NBA championships (1994 and 1995), largely echoed the positive assessment from his Hall of Fame teammate.
'It's one of the greatest players of all-time, coming in,' Tomjanovich said (via Sal Maneen of Fox 26 Houston) at the team's 2025 NBA draft event last week.
Beyond his elite play, 'Rudy T' pointed to Durant's veteran status and his shared history with head coach Ime Udoka as among the reasons for optimism. Tomjanovich also appreciates Durant's playing style, which could mesh well with a Houston squad that isn't starting from scratch — as shown in its 52-30 record and No. 2 placement in the Western Conference last season.
'He's not a ball-stopper,' Tomjanovich said. 'He's the kind of guy who gets passes and shoots jumpers off of picks. I think he'll fit in beautifully... I think it's going to be great chemistry.'
The complete interview can be viewed below.
More: 'Finally got the go-to man': Calvin Murphy reacts to Houston trading for Kevin Durant
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