Durant's Influence Grows as Team USA Advances in 2024 Olympics
In the 2024 Olympics held in Lille and Paris, Kevin Durant has proven to be a critical component for Team USA's basketball squad. Despite missing all five exhibition games due to a hamstring injury, Durant has made a formidable return, coming off the bench in all three group-stage encounters.
Head Coach Steve Kerr initially planned for Durant to start, but his absence during the preparatory phase forced a change in strategy. Kerr remarked, “I think if Kevin had been here from Day 1, chances are he would be starting. That was the plan coming in. But, given that he missed all of our friendlies and came in late, we had kind of established a lineup that we liked. And when we brought him back, he was only going to play a certain amount of minutes against Serbia, and he played so well and he fit so well with that group.”
Given the depth of talent on Team USA's roster, Durant has seamlessly integrated into a second unit featuring Derrick White, Anthony Edwards, Bam Adebayo, and Anthony Davis. This lineup has been remarkable on the defensive end, with the trio of Durant, Adebayo, and Davis offering versatile switching capabilities without compromising on rim protection. Team USA's dominance is reflected in their performances, leading by at least 11 points throughout the fourth quarters in each group stage game.
Kerr added that there are no immediate plans to change Durant’s role, though his minutes are expected to increase as the competition intensifies. “There's no plans on changing that. But of course, as the games get more difficult, my guess is Kevin will be playing more and more minutes. So he'll keep coming off the bench for now, but we'll lean on him more and more as we go.”
Durant averaged 19.2 minutes during group play, with 17 minutes against Serbia, 22 minutes against South Sudan, and 19 minutes against Puerto Rico. His performance has been crucial for Team USA's strategy and morale. Reflecting on his role, Durant expressed his willingness to adapt: “I told Coach, whatever he needs from me, I'm willing to do anything and adapt to anything. It's basketball. It really doesn't matter who starts. It's about really who finished the game, who put their impact on the game while they're in the game. So I just try to do my best to impact it any way I can.”
For Anthony Edwards, getting to play alongside Durant is a dream come true. “I love that he's coming off the bench. I get to play with him, so I hope coach keeps bringing him off the bench. I get to pass it to him. He gets to pass it back. That's probably one of my biggest dreams ever, so that's dope,” Edwards shared enthusiastically.
No player on the Team USA roster has logged more than 27 minutes in any single game thus far, with LeBron James leading the team with an average of 21.8 minutes per game. This strategic distribution of playing time has ensured that the team remains fresh and resilient going into the later rounds of the competition.
As the Olympics progress, Kerr is acutely aware of the challenges ahead. He pointed out the need for vigilance and preparedness: “They've got a lot of really good shooters, and they just play hard, they compete play after play. So we'll have to be ready for their physicality and their shooting, and we need to be on edge and ready for them because they're not going to back down.”
With Durant's impactful return and the team's cohesive performance, Team USA is poised to continue its strong run in the Olympics. The adaptability and depth of the roster, highlighted by Durant’s versatile contributions, look set to play a crucial role as they aim for gold.