Kevin Durant commits to 2024 Paris Olympics; what about LeBron, Stephen Curry?

Kevin Durant has committed to play in the 2024 Paris Olympics if USA Basketball wants him to make his fourth Olympic appearance.

The question likely to be answered over the next eight months is: Which NBA superstars will join him?

Durant made his intentions clear on Monday, a preseason media day for many NBA teams. Players across the league were asked about their level of interest in Team USA.

While many players hedged, Durant went all in: “I’m going to the Olympics next year.” He said.

There’s nothing strange about this.

Durant has led Team USA in the past three Olympics and broke Carmelo Anthony’s U.S. men’s Olympic scoring record in Tokyo. Durant scored 436 points. Anthony scored 336 points over the next nine games.

By coming to Paris, Durant will break the record as the oldest U.S. men’s Olympic basketball player, held by Larry Bird at 35 in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Durant will turn 35 next summer.

LeBron James is 38 years old and a three-time Olympian. But he did not compete in the 2016 Olympics (taking a break after leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA championship) or the 2021 Olympics (there was no public announcement of why he was not selected or declined the invitation).

James reiterated his interest in an interview on Monday. besides?

“Obviously, the Lakers have a lot to do this season.” He said. “We’ll see what happens.”

James touches last month’s report He called other NBA stars to recruit them for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“We’ve been communicating,” James told ESPN without naming anyone.

One of them might be Stephen Curry, by far the biggest star to ever compete in the Olympics. Curry repeated his desire, but didn’t commit as fully as Durant did.

“I’ve spoken to a few people about the opportunity and if things stay the same I’d definitely like to play.” He said. “It’s something I haven’t done yet and understand that Team USA has an opportunity to reaffirm their dominance in the world and things like that, so definitely want to be there, definitely want to be on the team. Hopefully things go that way. direction of development.”

Curry’s head coach with the Golden State Warriors is Steve Kerr, who also serves as the head coach of the national team.

Last month, a U.S. team with zero All-NBA players or Olympians finished fourth at the FIBA ​​World Cup, losing three games at the global tournament for the first time since the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Likewise, in 2019, a superstar-starved U.S. team finished seventh at the World Cup, then went to the Tokyo Olympics with a much better squad and won its fourth straight Olympic title (the first of those four). the most competitive).

From the perspective of being selected to the best team, the weakest position of the US team in recent years is the center.

Anthony Davis is the only American to be an All-NBA first-, second- or third-team center in the past six seasons, but like Lakers teammate James, he has not been a center since 2012. Didn’t compete in the Olympics or World Cup.

Davis was also asked on Monday about his interest in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“I do not know yet,” He said.

The Sacramento Kings’ De’Aaron Fox was one of four American guards named to the All-NBA team last season, but he’s not that obsessed.

“Things may change in the future. It’s not something I’m worried about right now.” He said.