Team USA basketball tips off their pre-Olympic slate tomorrow against the Canadian national team, but they’ll be missing one of their most experienced players. Kevin Durant, who has appeared in the last three Olympics for Team USA, is nursing a calf injury and will not be playing.
A small part of you is disappointed that KD won’t be out there, simply because he is a member of the Phoenix Suns and you like seeing your players play. It’s like an All-Star Game. It doesn’t matter but it sparks pride when a member of your local team is on the big stage.
But this isn’t really a big stage. It’s a friendly (just don’t tell that to Canada’s Dillon Brooks). It’s an opportunity to get some reps in and develop team chemistry en route to Paris. Think of it as the basketball equivalent of a first date…less about impressing and more about figuring out if you can stand each other’s company. For Team USA, these pre-Olympic matchups are crucial for refining strategies and building cohesion among the players.
Even though the absence of a key veteran might seem significant, it opens the door for younger talents such as Jayson Tatum to step up and strut their stuff. These games set the tone, helping to ensure they won’t be swiping left on any opportunities when the real competition begins in the Olympics.
Durant can use this opportunity to get some rest while still bonding with his teammates on the bench. The two-guard battle is where our eyes will be drifting anyway, as Durant will most assuredly be locked into Team USA’s starting five.
KD is currently 13th on the All-Time Olympic scoring list, having amassed 435 points in his 31 career games. He will look to add to that total as well as add another gold medal to his trophy case when the 2024 Paris Olympics begin later this month.
