Kevin Durant will not be playing in the Team USA men’s basketball exhibition opener against Canada on Wednesday. This news comes after Durant has been dealing with a left calf strain since the start of training camp for the Paris 2024 Olympics. He has not been able to fully participate in team activities and was even held out of the walkthrough on Tuesday.
Durant mentioned that he suffered the injury about 10 days before the team’s first practice on July 6. However, Coach Steve Kerr remains optimistic about Durant’s recovery, stating that Durant has been doing individual work on the side and is feeling pretty good. Kerr added that they will continue to monitor his progress day by day and expect him to return to the court soon, possibly in the exhibition matches against Australia or Serbia.
On the other hand, Kawhi Leonard, who has been dealing with knee inflammation, expressed his intention to play in the exhibition match on Wednesday. Leonard mentioned that everything has been going well so far, and he hopes that it continues that way. Additionally, Jayson Tatum, who missed the initial days of practice due to personal reasons, rejoined the team on Tuesday. He participated in the walkthrough alongside other star players like Joel Embiid, Jrue Holiday, Devin Booker, and Stephen Curry.
During the practice session, the players were split into two groups, with one facing off against the other. LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Leonard, Anthony Davis, and Bam Adebayo were part of one group, while Tatum, Embiid, Holiday, Booker, and Curry were in the other. This practice allowed the players to get back into the groove and prepare for the upcoming exhibition matches.
As fans eagerly await the return of Durant and the performance of other star players like Leonard and Tatum, the Team USA men’s basketball team is gearing up for an exciting exhibition series against top international teams. The games against Australia and Serbia will provide a good test for the team as they prepare for the Olympics in Paris. Stay tuned for more updates on Team USA’s journey to gold!