The three-time Olympic gold medalist, Kevin Durant has become the greatest player to have played for Team USA. Durant is now the all-time scoring leader of Team USA and is also the all-time leader in rebounds and field goals. The Slim Reaper truly has the most experience in international games. Going for his fourth straight gold medal, KD will become the only male basketball player to win four gold medals after this one. However, being a long-time Nike athlete, Durant was initially snubbed from the Olympic campaign. The campaign’s tagline, ‘Am I a bad person?’ caught KD’s attention. There were no clips of him in the initial video posted on Nike’s Instagram.

While the campaign included players like James, Giannis, Wemby, and Bryant, it was tough to figure out why Durant was not part of it. Nevertheless, as KD touches a historic milestone, Nike recently celebrated Durant’s all-time status. The clip is narrated by Deion Sanders and includes yet another tagline of Nike, ‘Winning Isn’t For Everyone’. Well, this might just compensate for Nike’s recent campaigns that didn’t include the Slim Reaper. 

Still, the two-time champ hasn’t stopped making big moves in the league as well as for his country. This appreciation video did compensate for not including him in the Olympics campaign. One of the reasons why Durant’s absence in the Nike campaign video was KD’s stature as a Nike athlete. KD’s signature shoes have made Nike close to a billion dollars ever since they first launched. Not only that, but Durant also signed a contract with Nike worth $300 million last year.

Last year, among the active NBA players who have ties with Nike, Durant is only behind LeBron when it comes to the most-sold signature shoes. The Slim Reaper is one of the most successful athletes Nike has ever had. Kevin Durant has shown the world what he’s capable of on the court. Despite his struggles in the game, KD’s individual dominance has been quite visible in Paris.  Not only that, but he also has a chance at winning his second consecutive Olympic MVP.

Kevin Durant has a chance at his fifth MVP award

Durant is a former MVP, two-time Finals MVP, and the 2020 Olympic MVP. Not only is he going for his fourth straight gold, but also another MVP title. Talk about international dominance! However, LeBron James is atop the current MVP ladder, followed by SGA and Dennis Schroder. While they are the favorites to win the award, Durant still has a chance. Team USA will be taking on the Serbians yet again in the Semi-Finals. Due to James’ recent injury, if LeBron doesn’t get to start, it will open the door for Durant in the starting lineup.

It will be interesting to see Durant play in the Semis, as his numbers never fail to disappoint. So far, he’s been averaging 14.8 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 60% from the field. The Americans will clash against Serbia for the third in less than a month on Thursday. What are your thoughts on Kevin Durant’s run in the Olympics? Do you think he will win the MVP? Let us know in the comments.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.