The second act of Kevin Durant’s NBA profession has been a downer.
He was a hero in Oklahoma Metropolis, a champion in Golden State and largely a disappointment all over the place else.
Following Kyrie Irving to Brooklyn was a legacy contaminator.
However Durant has one thing else going for him within the basketball world — emphasis on “world.”
“I’ve all the time felt that Kevin Durant is the very best worldwide participant ever,” Jim Boeheim, the previous Crew USA assistant and longtime Syracuse coach, informed The Submit.
It’s notable that Boeheim singled out Durant as a result of logic signifies he’d be a fan of Carmelo Anthony, the Crew USA stalwart who led Syracuse to its solely NCAA title in 2002.
However Durant, who set the nation’s Olympic scoring document Tuesday for women and men, is tailor made for worldwide ball as a result of he gained’t be double-teamed on Crew USA and is unstoppable one-on-one.
“Carmelo is correct there. Kevin is simply — he simply destroys these guys,” mentioned Boeheim, who gained Olympic gold as an assistant in 2008, 2012 and 2016. “He’s 7-foot tall. I keep in mind these video games, he would make three or 4 in a row from method out. And the opposite coach would simply throw up his palms like, ‘What are we purported to do?’ LeBron [James], you may attempt to guard him. You may attempt to hold him exterior and hope he doesn’t make one thing. However Kevin, you may’t do something with him.”
Nearing 36 years outdated and unable to observe within the lead-up to the match due to a calf harm, Durant is second on Crew USA in scoring whereas taking pictures a ridiculous 60 % from the sector, 62.5 % on 3-pointers and 93 % on free throws.
Two extra victories — together with in Wednesday’s semifinal towards Serbia — and Durant would surpass Carmelo and change into males’s basketball’s solely four-time Olympic champion.
“That’s Captain America standing,” Crew USA guard Devin Booker informed NBC. “Now we simply must get him his fourth gold.”
2024 PARIS OLYMPICS
Within the NBA, Durant has largely been forgotten within the GOAT argument.
He hasn’t completed increased than seventh within the MVP voting since 2018 or superior previous the second spherical of the playoffs since 2019. It’s been three years since Durant gained a postseason collection.
However he and LeBron, particularly, have turned again the clock in these Olympics.
Crew USA is a 17.5-point favourite towards Serbia, which boasts Nikola Jokic at heart however misplaced by 24 to the People in group play.
In that July 28 matchup, the People, boasting a frontcourt rotation with Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo, did sufficient to carry Jokic to his least environment friendly sport.
On the opposite finish, the Serbians had no reply for Durant, who scored 23 factors in 17 minutes off the bench on 8 of 9 taking pictures.
Then on Tuesday, he toppled Lisa Leslie’s all-time scoring document for Crew USA. Whereas Durant’s NBA legacy has stagnated, his worldwide one continues to be on a steep climb upward.
“He gained the Rio ultimate for us [in 2016 coincidentally against Serbia, when Durant had 30 points compared to Jokic’s six],” Boeheim mentioned. “He was nice in London [in 2012]. He’s an outstanding worldwide participant.”
