Kevin Durant sends strong message after creating Olympic basketball history
Kevin Durant is five points away from tying Lisa Leslie's 488 points as the all-time Team USA scoring leader with 488 points in the Olympics. Durant can break this record on Tuesday against Brazil, but before that, he surpassed another legend in a different stat.
With his four rebounds on Saturday, KD overtook Carmelo Anthony as the all-time rebounding leader in Team USA history with 126 rebounds. After taking down Puerto Rico 104-83, Kevin Durant said he feels good after accomplishing a new achievement, but he's focused on the bigger picture.
“It feels good to accomplish stuff like that with this group of guys,” Durant said right after the win. “It’s a fun group of guys and I like being in our locker room with them. It’s cool to do that type of stuff but we’re just trying to get that gold."
When asked about the type of teammates he's sharing touches with this season, Durant spoke highly of his teammates.
"We always play together, we play off of each other. We’ve got two different units that play different ways — but we’re all still on the same page. It’s been a fun first three games and we’re looking forward to the medal rounds now,” Durant said.
How did Kevin Durant fare in the men's Olympic basketball tournament group stage?
Kevin Durant remains one of the best players in the world, even after a tumultuous 2023–24 NBA season with the Phoenix Suns. After missing the pre-Olympic preparation games, KD returned to the court after being cleared to play hours before the tournament opener against Serbia.
The veteran forward had a strong start to the competition, scoring 23 points on 5 of 5 shots from beyond the arc, making a statement from the beginning of the tournament.
He scored 14 points against South Sudan, becoming Team USA's second-highest scorer that day after Bam Adebayo dropped 18 points. He scored 11 points in the first round's final game, finishing second on his team in scoring once again. Durant finished the group stage with 16.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.
If Team USA wants to win the gold medal, having a healthy Durant will be crucial, and he seems focused on getting that honor again.