Kevin Durant is dealing with calf soreness that has prevented him from fully participating in USA Basketball’s training camp for the Paris Olympics. However, he has told team officials that he doesn’t expect the issue to be serious.
“He’s day-to-day,” said U.S. coach Steve Kerr. “We’re being cautious.”
Durant is one of two forwards who haven’t been able to fully join the U.S. camp. Jayson Tatum from the Boston Celtics missed the first two days of workouts for personal reasons but is expected to join his teammates on Monday.
“He’s frustrated,” said Devin Booker, Durant’s teammate on both USA Basketball and the Phoenix Suns. “He wants to be out there with us.”
It’s uncertain when Durant will be cleared to play or if he will participate in the Americans’ first exhibition game against Canada on Wednesday. The U.S. team has five exhibition games before heading to Paris and starting Olympic competition against Serbia on July 28.
“He tweaked it a few days before arriving here,” Kerr explained. “It’s not serious. He assures me it’s not serious. We’re taking a cautious approach, assessing day by day.”
Durant has the opportunity to become the first male basketball player to win four Olympic gold medals. He has scored 435 points in Olympic play, the most by any U.S. men’s player, surpassing Carmelo Anthony’s record of 336 points.
