Of all the stars littering Team USA's basketball roster for the Paris Olympics, none boast as decorated an international resume as Kevin Durant. The future Hall of Fame forward is Team USA's all-time leading scorer and played a central role in winning the last three gold medals. Unfortunately, those who were excited to see Durant thrive in Olympic play again this summer were forced to wait as the Phoenix Suns superstar missed all exhibition matchups with a lingering calf injury.
He was cleared to play ahead of Team USA's first group stage game against Nikola Jokic's Serbia squad. Durant didn't start but came in pretty quickly off the bench and immediately caught fire. He wasted zero time in making his impact felt. Durant went 4-for-4 from the field to start his shift, including 3-for-3 from deep, and gave a big grin to Team USA's bench after his fourth consecutive make.
He was, as the kids say, feeling himself. Here's Durant's first bucket— as automatic as we all remember.
Kevin Durant is BACK.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 28, 2024
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And here's his fourth make, featuring a wide smile.
EASY MONEY SNIPER 🔥
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 28, 2024
Kevin Durant looks UNSTOPPABLE in his Team USA debut 🇺🇸
pic.twitter.com/87uF49pOjG
Durant is just a hooper and there are few players in the history of basketball with a jumper as smooth as his. He's deadly in international play, even at 35 years old. And the team he's on this year is perhaps the most loaded he's experienced yet.
KD finished the first half with 21 points and didn't miss a single shot, going 8-for-8 from the field.
Merely a glimpse of what's to come for Durant on Team USA. It should be a fun stretch.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kevin Durant Was All Smiles After Catching Fire in Paris Olympics Debut.
