Kevin Durant shared with ESPN his intentions to participate in the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, while expressing his discontent with the narrative surrounding grassroots basketball.
As a four-time gold medalist and the leading scorer for the U.S. men’s team in Olympic history, Durant will be nearly 40 when the next Games occur. He communicated to managing director Grant Hill that his return is contingent on him remaining an effective player.
There was speculation that the Paris Games would mark a final appearance for Durant, along with LeBron James and Stephen Curry, but he refuted this idea.
“You guys in the media have projected that,” Durant told ESPN recently. “That narrative, where did the last dance thing originate? I never said I wasn’t playing. LeBron announced he wouldn’t. You didn’t hear that from me or Steph.”
Curry seems unlikely to participate, and James has already confirmed his absence.
“Hell yeah, I want to play,” Durant stated. “I’d love to, but I need to stay at the top of my game. I’m focused on producing on the floor and making Grant and whoever else is involved want to select me for the team. It’s not just about seniority; I want to demonstrate I can contribute to winning.”
“As of today, I feel ready to put my name in that hat.”
Durant also criticized the notion that other countries are catching up to the U.S., especially since no American player has won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award since 2018, when James Harden received it.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have taken the title since then, and the U.S. has faced close calls in international competition recently, particularly in 2024 in Paris.
“I really dislike the discussion about the USA versus European playing styles,” Durant told ESPN. “All I hear is, ‘AAU is ruining the game; the Europeans do it right while Americans do it wrong.’
“It’s a load of nonsense. I can see what’s really being said. It feels like a dig at Black Americans. We dominate the sport, and they’re frustrated with our control over it.
“‘France is coming for you.’ Seriously? We smacked them,” he said.
