If you ever questioned Kevin Durant’s greatness, then his Olympic performance should finally silence you for KD is officially on a new level.
Since returning to Team USA’s lineup, Durant has injected new life into a team that struggled during its exhibition tour before the Olympics. In the U.S.’s first game in the Olympics, Durant went 8-9 and scored 23 in a win over Serbia. Since then, he averaged double-digits in every game leading up to the semifinal game against Serbia on Friday, where he scored 9 but hit a key jumper late in the fourth quarter that helped the U.S. secure a come-from-behind victory.
The 2x NBA Champion also recently passed Lisa Leslie (488 points) to become Team USA’s All-Time leading Olympic scorer.
Now in his fourth Olympic Games, the Slim Reaper has been a crucial piece of the U.S. Olympic team since the 2012 London Games. On Saturday, he could become the first Team USA men’s basketball player to win four gold medals if the U.S. beats France in the Finals.
Becoming Team USA’s all-time leading scorer isn’t a huge surprise to those who follow Durant.
He’s a 14x NBA All-Star, 4x NBA Scoring Champion and a former league MVP. He’s seven feet tall and can score from anywhere on the court. But he’s also a defensive presence due to his height, making him a threat on both sides of the floor.
Durant has been pretty durable as well, playing 16 years in the NBA (he missed the 2019-2020 season due to injury), a fact he attributes to staying in shape.
“Training staffs, the work that we put in, just keeping my body ready and just staying in the gym, to be honest,” he said.
While many don’t mention Durant during debates over the greatest players in NBA history, he’s one of the most talented players in league history.
On Saturday, Team USA is going for its fifth straight Olympic gold medal but will need to beat France and its NBA roster of Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier and Nicolas Batum.
If they beat the Olympic hosts, Durant will then sit alone at the top of Team USA Olympic history.
