Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant has declared his intention to compete for Team USA at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, despite approaching his 40th birthday. Durant, 37, told ESPN he “Hell yeah, I want to play,” but stressed his participation hinges on maintaining a high level of performance.
“I would love to, but I’ve got to stay on top of my game,” Durant said. “I’m not expecting, I want to produce on the floor and make Grant [Hill] and whoever is making the decisions, want to put me on the team. I don’t want — not just for seniority. I want to still prove I can facilitate the team win.”
Durant, a four-time Olympic gold medalist and the U.S. Men’s leading scorer in Olympic competition, currently averages 26.1 points per game for the Rockets in his 19th NBA season. A potential appearance in Los Angeles would deliver him the opportunity to secure a record fifth gold medal in men’s basketball.
The announcement challenges a narrative that the 2024 Paris Olympics would be a final international appearance for a generation of American stars, including LeBron James and Stephen Curry. James has already announced his intention to not participate in the 2028 Games, and Curry’s participation appears unlikely. Durant refuted the idea that he had signaled a similar intention.
“You guys, the media, have projected that,” Durant told ESPN. “That narrative, where did the last dance thing come from? I didn’t say I wasn’t playing. LeBron said he wasn’t. You didn’t hear that from me or Steph.”
Durant also expressed frustration with discussions about the growing competitiveness of international basketball, particularly European teams. He pointed to the fact that an American player has not won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award since James Harden in 2018, with the award going to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in subsequent years.
“I just don’t like the talk around the USA versus European style of how you approach the game,” Durant said. He also dismissed criticisms of American grassroots basketball development, stating, “I hear that the AAU is destroying the game, that Europeans are doing it the right way. That’s bull. And I can read between the lines. It’s directed at Black Americans. We control this sport, and they’re tired of it.”
Durant referenced Team USA’s narrow victory over France in the 2024 Paris Olympics final, responding to suggestions that European teams are closing the gap. “France is coming to beat you [in LA-2028]. Really? We smacked them,” he said.
