Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi crowds saw first-hand the synergy of the riveting stars on Team USA. Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and the crew have yet to be tested in any of their exhibition contests. It becomes more daunting when considering this unit isn’t even at full strength. Kevin Durant, the USA’s all-time leading Olympic scorer, has been forced to the sideline because of a troublesome calf injury. He’s been present, celebrating, and supporting Team USA’s star cast. However, his face tells the story. He longs for basketball action!

In that vein, Brian Windhorst relayed Steve Kerr’s message. “Kevin Durant is making progress, getting closer”. But will the Slim Reaper be ready to ball against South Sudan on Saturday? It might very well be possible.

According to Shams Charania, Kevin Durant has been cleared to participate in Team USA’s practice sessions as the team flew to London. It will be his first involvement with his reputed teammates. The renowned insider also stated that KD could make his exhibition debut during one of their two games (South Sudan and Germany) in London.

Just freshly recovering from his calf injury, Steve Kerr and the medical team will monitor Kevin Durant during the first few practice sessions. More than him being on the floor, it’s important to ensure the three-time gold medalist is healthy to compete at the Paris Olympics. For those reasons, Team USA might stay patient before letting him play an actual game.

If his calf looks ready, Kevin Durant could be the starting forward besides LeBron James against South Sudan! But if there is even mild discomfort, it might be necessary to play him limited minutes against their next opponents and have him prepped and ready to unleash against Germany, their FIBA World Cup rivals, especially after 2023.

Kevin Durant’s glorious achievements in the Olympics

No other men’s basketball players apart from Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant have won 3 Olympic gold medals. Now, he is in the race for his 4th. Due to his regular participation at the Olympics, the Suns veteran holds the place as the most prolific scorer in the history of men’s Team USA.

In his three trips to the renowned competition, Durant has averaged 19.7 points, also the highest mark amongst all men. After his stint in Paris, he will also become one of only three players to play in 4 Olympics, joining Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. The Slim Reaper also holds the record for most field goals made and attempted (146-275), three-pointers (74), and free throws (69), a record Stephen Curry will not likely catch due to this being his maiden Olympics.

However, as far as all the glory and fame go, Kevin Durant doesn’t track his accolades. All that matters to him is another experience he can relish once his days of playing basketball professionally come to an end. “The journey of it all is just cool to me. Just knowing that I got these memories in my head that I can lean back on at anytime, that’s cooler than going to look at the medals, you know?”

“Championships, trophies — I’ll never carry that stuff around. I can carry around the experience with me every day, though.”

Do you think Kevin Durant will play against South Sudan? Let us know what you think in the comments below.