Kevin Durant will be months away from turning 40 when Los Angeles is set to host the Olympics in 2028. Most people assumed that the 2024 Paris Olympics were the ‘Last Dance’ of ‘the Avengers’ with LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant playing on the same team.
With all these players at the twilight end of their careers and James turning 43 in 2028, people assumed Curry and Durant would also not be playing in the 2028 event. But the Rockets’ superstar has clarified otherwise.
“You guys, the media, have projected that. That narrative, where did the last dance thing come from? I didn’t say I wasn’t playing. LeBron said he wasn’t. You didn’t hear that from Steph or me,” said Durant in a recent conversation with ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill.
“Hell yeah, I want to play,” Durant said. “I would love to, but I’ve got to stay on top of my game. I’m not expecting; I want to produce on the floor and make Grant and whoever is making the decisions want to put me on the team. I don’t want — not just for seniority. I want to still prove I can help the team win.”
“Today, yeah, I feel like I’ll put my name in that hat,” the Rockets’ superstar further added.
Even earlier in the season, Durant said that while he wasn’t sure at the time whether or not he wanted to play, he definitely didn’t want a spot based on seniority but wanted to earn it. Now, he’s sure he wants to play.
“I just don’t like the talk around the USA versus European style of how you approach the game,” Durant told ESPN. “All I hear is, ‘AAU is destroying the game; the Euros do it right while the Americans do it wrong.'”
“It’s a lot of bulls*** with that. I can read between the lines on that. It’s a shot at Black Americans. We’re controlling the sport. They’re tired of us controlling the sport. ‘France is coming for you.’ Really? We smacked them boys,” he said.
The 37-year-old star is currently averaging 26.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists while shooting 50.6% from the field, 40.4% from beyond the arc, and 88.1% from the free-throw line. If he’s nearly having an MVP-caliber season with almost 50-40-90 shooting splits at this age, he clearly doesn’t anticipate falling from the level within the next two to three years.
Durant, who has often rejected the notion of being a role model, has suddenly become a pivotal figure in representing the American community’s interests in the NBA.
Even during the All-Star weekend, it was Durant who pointed out a biased media narrative against the “OG” American players, saying the media does not criticize European players like they should for the All-Star weekend.
And now, he’s treating France like they are Team USA’s arch rivals. With dominant French bigs like Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert also playing in the NBA, their national team has become the biggest threat to Team USA’s dominance in international basketball.
Even though his message has a subtle jab at France, Durant seems to be trying to break down a biased media narrative against the American community once again.
Do you think the Rockets’ superstar is doing the right thing by deciding to represent Team USA when he is nearly 40 years old? Or should he bow out of contention to allow young talent to take the reins? And is there really a media bias that Durant is referring to? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
