NBA – A year after the Olympics, Kevin Durant speaks on Team USA: «He’s the one who stood out the most»

Par Joël Pütz | Journaliste sportif

Kevin Durant was part of a legendary U.S. national team at the Paris Olympics. The Slim Reaper recently revealed which player he believes stood out the most there… and his choice might surprise more than a few.

More than ever, the gap between the United States and the rest of the world seems to have narrowed down. Serbia nearly eliminated Team USA in the semifinals of the 2024 Olympic Games, while the French team held on for a long time before succumbing to Stephen Curry’s battering during the gold medal match.

But for now, the Americans remain firmly on top of the basketball world, having retained their Olympic title for the fourth time in a row. A necessary result given the armada sent to Paris to respond to the 2023 World Cup fiasco. It’s not for nothing that this squad was nicknamed the “Avengers.”

Kevin Durant’s Big Tribute to Bam Adebayo

LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant: an impressive number of superstars made the trip to France. Coach Steve Kerr even had the luxury of leaving players like Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton on the bench for almost the entire tournament. That’s how powerful they were…

While LeBron and Curry, in particular, shone during the tournament, others showed their best side as well, such as Devin Booker, who was excellent in his role. Special mention also goes to Bam Adebayo, whom Kevin Durant praised, even though he was the backup center for the US team at the Olympics:

I was impressed by everybody, but Bam Adebayo stood out to me the most. I had high expectations for him, because he talks a lot of sh*t but in a good way. He’s like a brother to me. Every time I see him, I’m always challenging him to do something. He worked on his game tirelessly. His mid-range, he was working on his handle, his post moves.

To see him super-focused about what he wants to do out there, just talking to him and listening to what he wants to do out on the floor… He’s focused & his work ethic stood out. Being in Miami playing for some vets, playing under vets like Wade & UD, you could tell they led by example.