Kevin Durant isn’t shutting the door on one more Olympic run, and the idea alone says plenty about where he stands in Team USA history.
The Houston Rockets forward is aiming at a fifth gold medal in 2028, a feat that would add to a résumé already unmatched in American men’s basketball. Durant is the only player in Team USA basketball history to win four Olympic gold medals, and he’s done it in four straight Games: London in 2012, Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Tokyo in 2020 and Paris in 2024.
Durant addressed the possibility recently, and he made it clear the final call isn’t really in his hands. "It's really on (USA Basketball managing director) Grant Hill and what Team USA wants to do," Durant told ESPN. "I stay on top of my game, and hopefully I get that call, but there are so many great players who deserve to be on the team."
By 2028, Durant will be 39, which naturally puts his place on the roster in a different light. Even so, his production hasn’t shown the kind of drop-off that usually closes the door on a player of his age. He has averaged at least 25 points in 17 of his 18 seasons, with his rookie year in 2007-08 the lone exception at 20.
Of course, Team USA won’t be picking from a vacuum. Rising names such as Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks and Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs could be in the mix for first-time Olympic consideration, giving Grant Hill and USA Basketball plenty to weigh if Durant’s name comes up again.
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