MACAO — Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant said he was saddened by the retirement of former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Russell Westbrook, saying he believed the former MVP still had several productive seasons left.

Durant made the comments Friday after the Rockets opened their preseason with a win over the Dallas Mavericks in China.

"I was a little sad, because I still thought Russ had five or six more years left," Durant told reporters. "He has an athletic body that can still impact the game positively."

Durant said he understood that players sometimes reach a point where they are ready to move on.

"But sometimes, people are at that point where they just want to step away and do something different," he said. "So, congrats to him on an iconic career, and I know the next phase in his life he's gonna put the same amount of work into just like he did in basketball."

A surprise retirement

Westbrook, 37, announced his retirement on Aug. 12 after 18 NBA seasons, ending one of the most electrifying careers of his generation.

The decision caught many around the league off guard, including Durant, who had previously said he fell asleep on a plane and woke up to the news. Durant later shared a heartfelt message........

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