Kevin Durant’s injury status for the start of Team USA’s Olympic campaign remains in some doubt, though Durant is apparently not happy with that information being out there.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst had speculated earlier this week that Durant does not appear likely to play in Team USA’s Olympic opener against Serbia on Sunday due to a lingering calf issue. In a follow-up on Thursday, Windhorst indicated that Durant had not been happy about that information being reported.
"[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."
Brian Windhorst on his initial report of Kevin Durant possibly missing Sunday's game vs. Serbia.pic.twitter.com/9mVbqGaAz5 https://t.co/WfMQmyQVam
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 25, 2024
“Kevin was not happy with me when he saw the TV report that I made a couple of days ago, that I wasn’t sure that he was going to be able to reach all the steps in order to play against Serbia on Sunday,” Windhorst said. “That’s because he is working very very hard to get back from this calf injury. Playing for the national team is extremely important to him. But the truth is that Steve Kerr has delayed his window. Initially, they said that he was going to able to hopefully play in one of the two games in London. Not only did he not play in London, Steve Kerr then spelled out he wanted him to go through several practices and a scrimmage before considering playing him ahead of Serbia. They’ve slowed him down.”
Windhorst added that Durant took part in non-contact drills on Thursday. He plans to take part in Friday’s scrimmage, at which point Team USA will assess his status.
Whatever Durant’s thoughts are on the reporting, it is true that his timetable has been delayed. Other reports suggested he had a real chance of playing in both London exhibition games, but he played in neither of them.
Durant still has a small opening to play Sunday, but it does appear that everything would have to go more or less perfectly.
