Kevin Durant’s injury status for the start of Team USA’s Olympic campaign remains uncertain, and it seems Durant himself is not pleased with this information being publicly discussed.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst had speculated earlier in the week that Durant was unlikely to play in Team USA’s Olympic opener against Serbia on Sunday due to a lingering calf issue.
On Thursday, Windhorst provided an update, revealing that Durant was unhappy about his injury status being reported.
“Kevin was not happy with me when he saw the TV report that I made a couple of days ago, stating that I wasn’t sure he was going to be able to meet all the necessary steps to play against Serbia on Sunday,” Windhorst explained. “That’s because he is working very, very hard to recover from this calf injury. Playing for the national team is extremely important to him. However, the reality is that Steve Kerr has delayed his timeline. Initially, they hoped he could play in one of the two games in London. Not only did he miss those games, but Steve Kerr also indicated that Durant needed to go through several practices and a scrimmage before being considered for the Serbia game. They’ve slowed him down.”
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Windhorst added that Durant participated in non-contact drills on Thursday and plans to join Friday’s scrimmage, after which Team USA will reassess his status.
Regardless of Durant’s feelings about the media coverage, it is evident that his recovery timeline has been adjusted. Initial reports suggested he had a good chance of playing in the London exhibition games, but he ended up missing both.
Durant still has a slim chance of playing on Sunday, but everything would need to go perfectly for that to happen.
As the situation develops, Durant’s dedication to returning to the court for Team USA is clear, and fans and teammates alike are hoping for a swift recovery.
However, the priority remains ensuring his long-term health and readiness for the crucial stages of the Olympic competition.
