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Team USA's Kevin Durant at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, August 5, 2021 at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. FIBA photo/File

Team USA's Kevin Durant at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, August 5, 2021 at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan

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2020 Tokyo Olympics

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1720877556722071324_FIBA_USA-Kevin Durant.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Team USA&#x27;s Kevin Durant at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, August 5, 2021 at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. FIBA photo/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Team USA&#x27;s Kevin Durant at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, August 5, 2021 at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. <em>FIBA photo/File</em></span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- USA men&#x27;s basketball team head coach Steve Kerr has downplayed Kevin Durant&#x27;s  calf injury that has kept the three-time Olympic gold medallist from training with the group ahead of the Paris Games.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Team USA touched down in Abu Dhabi on Friday ahead of two scheduled exhibition games against Australia (July 15) and Serbia (July 17) as they ramp up their preparations for the Olympics.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Durant, who suffered a calf strain two weeks ago, was present at Saturday&#x27;s session at the NYU Abu Dhabi campus but once again did not join his teammates in practice.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Kerr remains unconcerned, though, and says they have not discussed any contingency plans to replace the Phoenix Suns forward on the roster.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;He won&#x27;t practice with the team today, he&#x27;ll continue to do individual work,&quot; Kerr told reporters in the UAE capital on Saturday.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;I know there&#x27;s still a couple of weeks before we have to make a decision roster-wise, so we&#x27;re just taking it day by day.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;It&#x27;s not something we&#x27;ve even discussed at this point,&quot; Kerr said when asked about a back-up plan. &quot;Because we feel good that he&#x27;s going to be okay, it&#x27;s just day to day.&quot;</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/11/lebron-curry-impress-as-usa-romp-past-canada-in-olympic-warm-up-1331"></a><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/11/lebron-curry-impress-as-usa-romp-past-canada-in-olympic-warm-up-1331">READ: LeBron, Curry impress as USA romp past Canada in Olympic warm-up</a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/11/lebron-curry-impress-as-usa-romp-past-canada-in-olympic-warm-up-1331"></a></div><div><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><strong>- &#x27;True leader&#x27; -</strong></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">USA Basketball have put together a &#x27;super-team&#x27; for these upcoming Olympic Games that includes LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Durant, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, and recently crowned NBA champions Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday of the Boston Celtics.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">But they have already had to make a replacement in the squad, bringing in a third Celtic, in Derrick White, to take the spot of Kawhi Leonard, who left training camp last Wednesday in Las Vegas.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Americans are playing five friendly games in the build-up to Paris, the first of which saw them defeat Canada 86-72 on Wednesday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Joel Embiid, the 2023 NBA MVP, fouled out midway through the third quarter but Kerr is certain the Philadelphia 76ers center will be up for the task of guarding all the bigs they come up against at the Olympics.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;Joel will be fine. He&#x27;s going to get into the rhythm and the flow,&quot; he assured. &quot;It always takes big guys a little bit longer to get into flow in training.&quot;</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">James is playing under Kerr for the first time in his career and described the Golden State Warriors coach as a &quot;true leader and true student of the game&quot;.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Chasing a third Olympic gold medal and fourth overall, James, 39, is the oldest player on the roster.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Donning a USA jersey for the first time in 12 years, James is keen to share his experience with the younger players on the team, especially knowing that this will be his final Games.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;It&#x27;s always a responsibility that you should hold with honor and being able to give back to the younger generation because they have to keep going when we&#x27;re done,&quot; said James.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;So it&#x27;s definitely a responsibility for myself, KD, and Steph to be able to just show them the ropes.&quot;</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Boasting their most decorated and star-studded squad since the fabled 1992 &#x27;Dream Team&#x27;, USA are gunning for a fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal and 16th title at the Games overall.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">After completing their exhibition games schedule in Abu Dhabi and London, the Americans will kick off their Olympics title defense against their Group C rivals Serbia in Lille on July 28 before facing South Sudan on July 31 and Puerto Rico on August 3.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></span></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>USA men's basketball team head coach Steve Kerr has downplayed Kevin Durant's calf injury that has kept the three-time Olympic gold medallist from training with the group ahead of the Paris Games.</p>

USA men's basketball team head coach Steve Kerr has downplayed Kevin Durant's calf injury that has kept the three-time Olympic gold medallist from training with the group ahead of the Paris Games.

Kevin Durant 'going to be okay' for Olympics

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Kevin Durant 'going to be okay' for Olympics

Agence France-Presse,

Reem Abulleil

Published Jul 13, 2024 09:43 PM PHT

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Updated Jul 23, 2024 08:42 PM PHT

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basketball

Team USA

Kevin Durant

Paris Olympics

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2024 Olympics

Steve Kerr

LeBron James

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