Many athletes have expressed a desire to play for the US Olympic men’s basketball team in Paris in 2024, but there are only 12 tickets available.
If USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill agrees, Kevin Durant will be included.
“I’m 100% committed,” Durant told Yahoo Sports on Monday evening.
Durant has three Olympic gold medals, most recently in Tokyo in 2021, and has surpassed Carmelo Anthony as the all-time leading scorer in Olympic history. He’ll try to add to that total next summer, as many NBA stars have voiced a desire to play following the United States’ disappointing performance in the FIBA World Cup in the Philippines last month.
“It’s on whoever is making the calls,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “They put the team together, they make the decisions, but I’m definitely going to play this summer.” If they wanted me to be a part of the team.”
Durant looked crisp in the preseason game against Portland on Monday. Despite barely playing a half, Durant scored 19 points in 15 minutes. He spent the second half in street clothes, along with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
Durant smiled when he realized he wouldn’t have to ask for a spot on the squad. Former teammate Stephen Curry has expressed interest in taking part, filling a void on his Hall of Fame resume. LeBron James has not been a member of an Olympic team since 2012, but he has expressed a desire to compete.
It’s reasonable to believe they’ll be locks, and Durant won’t have to campaign against Hill.
βI doubt they will [turn me down], Iβve been in the system for too long,β Durant said with a laugh. βI feel like Iβm grandfathered in, being around as long as I have.β