PHOTO: Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant raises Texas’ flag all the way from Paris during 2024 Olympics
Before the USA cheers for LeBron James as the flag bearer in the Olympics opening ceremony, Kevin Durant took some time out to represent his alma mater by bearing its flag. Less than 24 hours before the commencement of the global event, the Phoenix Suns and Team USA star posed for a photo while holding a Texas Longhorns pennant in Paris.
"greetings from Paris 🤘 #HookEm | #OlympiansMadeHere," the program captioned the X post.
Before the nostalgic days of Kevin Durant lighting up NBA arenas as a Seattle Supersonic, the two-time champion was in the limelight during his 2006–07 stint with the Texas Longhorns. Durant was talented enough to make it to the NBA from high school, but he had to play at least one year of college due to a change in NBA rules.
He was recruited to Texas by assistant Russell Springmann, who discovered Durant’s talent at a tournament called the War on the Shore in Delaware. KD played one year with the Longhorns, averaging 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds on 47.3% overall shooting while leading the program to a 25-10 record.
He was eventually named the unanimous National Player of the Year and became the first player in NCAA history to win an NPOY award as a true freshman.
Will Kevin Durant lace up for the opener against Serbia?
Kevin Durant is one of the most crucial parts of the US Olympic team. His size and shooting touch make him a weapon against every opponent. He also has prior experience in three Olympic tourneys and holds the Team USA record for all-time scoring (435 points while averaging 19.8 ppg).
However, Durant did not suit up for the national team in any of their warm-up games. As Team USA battled through the five pre-Olympic exhibition games, Durant sat out in light of a calf injury. While he did practice in the latter days of the five-game stretch, he was not involved in scrimmages and team workouts. Instead, he was restricted to light individual sessions.
Nevertheless, Durant was seen making an early appearance on court with Anthony Edwards before Team USA's first practice in Paris. Moreover, he also participated in scrimmage runs. However, as Brian Windhorst reported earlier, KD will undergo certain medical examinations before his status against Serbia on July 28 is determined.