Kevin Durant is not improving after suffering a calf strain. There are fears he could miss the entire tournament
The U.S. national team has arrived in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, as they gear up for two crucial preparation games ahead of the Olympic Games. The team is set to face Australia on Monday at 6 p.m. and Serbia on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
However, Kevin Durant remains sidelined due to a persistent calf muscle strain. Unfortunately, his recovery has not progressed as hoped, and he continues to miss training sessions. As a result, it is highly unlikely that Durant will participate in either of the upcoming games.
Concerns over the physical condition of Suns forward Kevin Durant continue to escalate. Reports from various U.S. media outlets suggest that if Durant’s condition does not improve soon, he might be excluded from the final roster of the Dream Team for the Paris Games.
Despite these worries, there are still two weeks remaining before the U.S. team makes its Olympic debut against Serbia on the 28th. This time could prove crucial for Durant’s recovery and potential participation.
Steve Kerr asks for calmness and patience
U.S. coach Steve Kerr has attempted to downplay concerns about Kevin Durant’s injury, though he stopped short of guaranteeing the forward’s participation in the Olympics.
“I know it’s still a couple of weeks before we have to make a decision on the roster,” Kerr mentioned when questioned about Durant’s status. “So we’re going to take it one day at a time.”
If the U.S. team has a backup plan in case Durant needs to be replaced, they are keeping it under wraps for now.
“It’s not something we’ve discussed at this point because we think [Durant] will be fine,” Kerr added.
The positive is: Durant is confident he can recover in time
Earlier this week, Kevin Durant expressed optimism about his recovery from a calf injury sustained two weeks ago, hoping to participate in the warmup games against Australia and Serbia in the Middle East. However, his inability to practice so far raises concerns about his readiness.
This is the second injury setback for the Dream Team, following Kawhi Leonard’s departure from training camp due to an unresolved knee injury. In response, USA Basketball swiftly called up Derrick White, who is expected to arrive in Abu Dhabi today to join the team’s training sessions.
The pressing question now is whether the U.S. team has a contingency plan if Durant cannot recover in time. If such a plan exists, speculation arises about who might step in to replace him.
