Kevin Durant breaks silence on calf injury amid reports of missing Paris Olympics opener
Kevin Durant opened up on his calf injury ahead of Team USA's Paris Olympics opener on Thursday. Durant missed all five exhibition games. The Americans went 5-0, but their last two games were close. They seemingly missed Durant's services, especially on offense.
The veteran star has traveled to Paris with the team, but his status for Sunday's opener vs. Serbia remains iffy. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Durant could miss that contest. The two-time NBA champion spoke to reporters about his status on Thursday:
"Each day is getting better. Another intense practice today, and we'll see how I feel." (via NBA reporter Grant Afseth).
Durant was initially expected to suit up for one of the two games against South Sudan or Germany in London's USA showcase games. However, his timeline was delayed. Coach Steve Kerr said he wanted KD to go through multiple practices before he could play.
The latest report from Windhorst on Wednesday suggested that Durant participated in a non-contact practice.
Kevin Durant's agent, Rich Kleiman, denied the reports by Brian Windhorst on Tuesday about his star client's potential absence. However, KD's answer at the press conference didn't assure his availability.
He still has two days left before the game, so there could be new developments regarding his return to on-court action.
Brian Windhorst claims Kevin Durant was unimpressed with his report
Brian Windhorst claimed that Kevin Durant wasn't impressed with his reports about the veteran star missing Sunday's opener against Serbia at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Windhorst's report was refuted by KD's agent, Rich Kleiman, shortly after it emerged. The ESPN insider addressed why that was the case on Wednesday:
"[KD] was not happy with me when he saw the TV report that I made a couple of days ago ... Playing for the national team is extremely important to him."
Regardless of uncertainty over his presence for the opening game and potentially the next few games, Durant's place in Team USA seems safe. The Americans could fly in a replacement, but that's unlikely. Steve Kerr ruled that possibly out on Tuesday.
The USA is hopeful of KD's return at some point. He will likely mesh well from the get-go, considering he's been coached by Steve Kerr with the Warriors, where he also teamed up with Steph Curry. With LeBron James playing more as a facilitator, Durant's role on the frontcourt as a scorer would be clear. His return will also help USA resolve some of its halfcourt issues.