Erik Spoelstra Welcomes Possible Kevin Durant Return for 2028 Olympic Team
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MIAMI — Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Saturday that Kevin Durant’s interest in playing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics would be “incredible” for USA Basketball.
Spoelstra, who is set to guide the U.S. men’s team in 2028, addressed Durant’s recent remarks before the Heat defeated Durant and the Houston Rockets 115-105. “You just want the best American players to raise their hand and say, ‘I want to do this,’” Spoelstra told reporters.
Durant, 37, already owns four Olympic gold medals—London 2012, Rio de Janeiro 2016, Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024—and is the program’s all-time leading scorer. After the 2024 Games the forward said he would not rule out another appearance, and in a recent interview with ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill he reiterated that “I would love to” play in Los Angeles. Durant added that he hopes his performance over the next two seasons convinces managing director Grant Hill, national team director Sean Ford and Spoelstra that he merits a roster spot. “I want to still prove I can help the team win,” he said.
Spoelstra served as an assistant on the 2024 Olympic staff and praised Durant’s meticulous approach to training. The coach noted that the No. 6 scorer in NBA history—who is on pace to pass Michael Jordan for fifth in the coming weeks—continues to approach player development with the same intensity he showed earlier in his career. “After practice, before practice, the days in between, he’s going in there with intention … even at this age—to get better and improve,” Spoelstra said.
Durant would be seeking an unprecedented fifth gold medal in men’s Olympic basketball if selected for the 2028 squad.
Source: ESPN
