Durant: “Outside the United States, Antetokounmpo and Jokic have impressed me the most”

Kevin Durant, one of the big stars of Team USA’s basketball team, the big favorites to win gold at the Paris 2024 Games, admitted that he expects a rough ride at the summer showpiece, pointing out in this afternoon’s press conference that, “all of the rivals we will face will be difficult”.

The basketball event starts on Saturday in the French town of Lille. The United States start out in Group C with Puerto Rico, South Sudan and Serbia. An event which the US has dominated, with a record 16 gold medals, they will be aiming to secure a place in the quarter finals in Paris-Bercy. The top two teams in each of the three groups automatically advance to the quarter finals along with the the two best third-placed teams.

Durant hoping to make history at Paris 2024

According to Durant, who could become the first basketball player in history to win four Olympic gold medals, the players who impress him most outside of his own team (Team USA is aiming for a fifth consecutive gold) are “Giannis (Antetokoumpo) and (Nikola) Jokic.” Antetokoumpo’s Greece are in Group A with Spain, Australia and Canada while Jokic will be a direct rival during the group stage.

“Everyone is a contender. Everyone is here for a reason,” explained the Team USA and Phoenix Suns power forward during today’s press conference at the Main Press Centre (MPC) in Paris. He appeared alongside his former Golden State Warriors teammate Stephen Curry, with whom he won two NBA championship rings.

“And you have to keep in mind that we are going to be up against 65, 64 players who play in the NBA, in this tournament in Paris,” said Durant, who arrived at the US team’s training camp with a sore calf and did not participate in any of his team’s friendly preparation matches in the run-up to the Games.

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