Kevin Durant To Miss Start Of USA Men’s Basketball Pre-Olympics Camp With Injury

Kevin Durant, the highest-scoring player in USA basketball history and two-time NBA champion, will miss the beginning portion of pre-Olympics camp with a calf injury. The injury does not appear serious, but the national team does not want to take risks. Durant has a history of calf issues. However, the 35-year-old played 75 out of 82 regular season games this season.

On Tuesday, USA Basketball released the dates and matchups for its group stage. The Americans take on Serbia on July 28 in their opening game, and three days later, they play South Sudan on July 31. The group stage rounds out with a matchup against Puerto Rico on August 3.

Durant’s Olympic resume may be the best in world history. Most recently, the former NBA MVP has won three gold medals in Tokyo. He led the team in Japan in points per game and minutes while starting all six games.

According to DraftKings, the United States is -390 to win the gold medal in France, which would be five in a row for the red, white and blue. However, the United States should not expect a coronation right to the podium. Canada and France are +900 and +1000, respectively, and each boasts NBA-level talent, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray leading the Canadians and Victor Wembenyama, the star on the French side. Last summer, during the FIBA World Basketball Championships, the USA finished fourth and did not receive a medal as the rest of the world catches up to the Americans on the hardwood.

This may be the last Olympics for a generation of American NBA stars. LeBron James, Steph Curry and Durant are all on the wrong side of 35, and experts believe they opted to play in 2024 because this could be their final straw. However, with the summer games coming to Los Angeles in 2028, it may motivate more stars to participate in four years.

Article by Jordan Silversmith