James Harden disputes Durant’s college story

Kevin Durant and James Harden go back, first teaming up with each other on Oklahoma City Thunderwhere they played from 2009 until Harden’s departure to Houston Rockets in 2012. The two have since teamed up with the Brooklyn Netswhich led to only moderate success.

now, the pair appear together in the second season of Netflix’s Starting Fivewhich will include a range of stories that have never been heard before. One of them was revealed by Durant as part of the season trailer.

“I remember, I was a freshman in college and I was in LA, and me and Greg Oden liked each other, Roscoe one night. James just stopped us, I think that was just the beginning. I don’t think I told him, or he remembers, I was like, ‘he’s one of us,'” Durant initially claimed that the two were discovered correctly, effectively from the beginning, for the recording Posted on X by ClutchPoints.

Kevin Durant: “Yo, that’s my real brother… We’ve really been hanging out… Since we were 19, 20 years old.”

James Harden: “I don’t really call people ‘big dogs,’ but I look up to him… He (knows) how to work.” 🙌

(via @netflixsports)pic.twitter.com/HAzRVLBhH5

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 30, 2025

However, Harden seemed to have a problem with the way the story was framed.

“What do you mean ‘he’s like one of us’, like I’m one of him? He’s like one of me. First of all, don’t get twisted,” he said grinning, laughter breaking out in the background.

Of course, Durant followed in Harden’s footsteps this offseason and joined the Rockets, expected to single-handedly transform them into a title contender. However, Harden was quick to point out that he looked up to the two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP.

“But not like, ‘I don’t really call people big dogs,’ but I looked up to him, just because he knew how to work, man,” he said, revealing his special regard for Durant.

With the Thunder, the two were a real title threat on paper, but were parted ways when Oklahoma City traded Harden in 2012, a move believed to cost the franchise a clear path to more championships. The pair reunited in Brooklyn beginning with Harden’s transfer to the Nets in mid-January 2021, a reunion that was once again severely derailed by ongoing injury problems.

Regardless, the pair undoubtedly have the same respect for each other even today.