NBA stars from around the world have come together with the common goal of winning a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Team USA did exactly that with a 98-87 win over France on Saturday at Percy Arena.
However, the formation of the self-proclaimed basketball “Avengers” took place before the Paris Olympics.
Speaking to reporters after Team USA’s win on Saturday, Kevin Durant shared his decision to compete in his fourth Olympics and who ultimately pushed him to do so.
“I know [while playing for the Brooklyn Nets in the 2022-23] season,” Durant said (h/t Sam Amick of Athletics) “[Team USA managing director] subsidy [Hill] And [coach] Steve [Kerr]They came to Brooklyn and they tried to get me to play in the World Cup, so I knew how important it was for us to be there in 2024 and I committed to being there.
“Last summer, [LeBron James] Started texting everyone, giving his input on who we all think should be on the team, and more [asking] If everyone plays. When we start sending them [kinds of] We’re all going to come together and I know it’s going to be a special time.”
Durant, for the first time in five years, reunited with former Warriors teammate Steph Curry, who competed in his first Olympics this summer.
“I knew Steph was going to play,” Durant said. “He’s never been on an Olympic team. He had a world championship, but he wanted an Olympic medal. So it was a no-brainer, especially when those two committed, and once the team was made, I knew it was going to be great.
With a taste of victory, Curry, minutes after winning his last championship with the Warriors two years ago, is early thinking about suiting up for Team USA in 2024.
“On the 22nd, when we were coming back from Boston, I made a joke [with Kerr] “The only thing I didn’t do was about how it was, and very softly committed there,” Curry explained. “[Then] Last September, watching the World Cup, I realized this was something I hadn’t done. I felt healthy and able to do it, so it was something I wanted to do. That’s what ‘K’ said. The texts started flying.
Saturday’s win, and the gold medal, was the culmination of weeks of hard work and dedication. .
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