Even in his 19th NBA season, Kevin Durant’s pregame routine is a masterclass in preparation. The Houston Rockets star, set to play in Sunday’s All-Star Game (Feb. 15, 2026) for the 16th time, treats his warmup—about 105 minutes before tipoff—with the same ferocity he brings to actual games.
After 1,300+ NBA contests, Durant’s “bag” is so vast he can temporarily “lose” moves. When he mishandles one (like a botched between-the-legs drive earlier this season), he reflects overnight and sharpens it pregame. “There’s so much I’m thinking about. I don’t want to forget some stuff in my package and it goes away,” Durant told the Houston Chronicle. “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”
Rockets assistant coach Royal Ivey (who played with/coached Durant in OKC, Brooklyn, and now Houston) waits courtside. “Every shot was a game rep… the intentionality, the focus… It’s aged like fine wine,” Ivey said. “I don’t call him a scorer. I call him a basketball player—a complete masterpiece.”
Durant starts with midrange jumpers—a dying art he still masters. Catch-and-shoot from every angle, feet check, rise up—five makes to move on. Then drives to elbow fadeaways, corner middies, post-up face-ups—all at game speed, simulating invisible defenders. He leans, coils, explodes—full intensity, because opponents game-plan to swarm him.
“It’s about programming my mind to make shots and focus on making them,” Durant said. Conditioning is key: full-court reps, sustained effort—the separator.
A unique drill: bounce the ball lightly off the floor for a high-arcing jumper—balance work from his trainer. He misses most, gets annoyed, wipes sweat, then swishes the next. Dribble combos follow: between-the-legs, behind-the-back, step-back—if it slips, restart.
The session ends with free throws and a lob slam from Ivey. Durant exits sweaty at 5:33 p.m., tools sharpened.
Ivey on bad workouts: “I haven’t seen one.”
At 37, Durant remains elite because he demands perfection daily. “If he was subpar… he probably wouldn’t be in the league anymore,” Ivey said. “He doesn’t want to age as a fleeting star.”
This routine is why KD is still All-Star level—mind programmed for greatness, bag always sharp. Rockets fans (and the league) are lucky to witness it. All-Star Sunday just got more anticipated.