Kevin Durant to Compete in 2021 Tokyo Olympics

Overtime Heroics Editorial

709 days ago

Shortly after scoring a record-breaking 48 points in game seven, Kevin Durant announced that he would participate in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and notable superstars such as Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Draymond Green, and Jayson Tatum. Stephen Curry is debating on whether he will be in attendance.

Given the amount of superstar talent participating in Tokyo, the team should be able to win the gold with or without the services of Kevin Durant. In the 2021 playoffs, Durant averaged 34.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, and 4.4 APG for the Brooklyn Nets, so he would be the primary scoring option on the Olympic team, especially if Curry does not participate.

Kevin Durant’s Olympic History

Kevin Durant has already won the gold medal twice, including the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Also, Durant is twenty-five points shy of passing Carmelo Anthony for most points scored for the USA basketball Olympic team.

Injury Risk

Since Durant will have to endure a heavy workload to bring the team to a gold medal in Tokyo, there is an injury risk factor in competing in the Olympics. It is important to remember that Kevin Durant played in less than half of the regular season due to his Achilles injury. Hopefully, Durant can stay healthy and lead the team to a gold medal in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

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