Transfer over, Michael Jordan and the remainder of the Dream Crew. Transfer over, Carmelo Anthony. And even transfer over, LeBron James, the boys’s basketball MVP of the 2024 Olympics.
With Crew USA’s gold medal win over France on Saturday, Kevin Durant can now declare the title of USA Basketball’s biggest Olympian. And irrespective of how polarizing he could also be for some followers, this can be a main a part of his legacy that requires respect.
Whereas some usually criticize Durant for becoming a member of an already championship-proven Warriors group, arguing he took a simple path to titles, or are aggravated by his social media wars with followers, his Olympic legacy reveals a facet of him that simply desires to hoop and characterize his nation. And it’s a facet we must always recognize.
James gained his third gold medal and fourth medal total, tying his buddy Anthony in each classes, however Durant now has four gold medals in 4 Olympics. The Phoenix Suns star is now the winningest basketball Olympian of all-time. In actual fact, Durant now owns twice as many gold medals because the nation with the second most (Soviet Union) behind the US.
Along with being probably the most embellished, Durant’s standing because the Olympic GOAT (biggest of all-time) can be because of his total efficiency. Durant is the all-time main scorer in Olympic completion, and that is for each the boys and the ladies. His 518 factors place him comfortably forward of WNBA legend Lisa Leslie’s 488. James’ 358 and Anthony’s 336 factors are behind Durant for the boys.
Durant scored 156 factors on the London Olympics in 2012, 155 factors in Rio in 2016, added one other 124 factors in Tokyo after which padded his document with 83 extra this yr even whereas coping with an damage.
Even with much less complete manufacturing at 35-years-old in Paris, Durant’s Olympic profession points-per-game common continues to be head and shoulders above the remainder. The 14-time NBA All-Star owns a median of 18.5, considerably higher than James’ 11.9 and Anthony’s 10.8.
He additionally holds the profession lead in discipline objectives made (173), discipline objectives tried (326), 3-pointers (88) and free throws (82).
And identical to within the NBA, Durant, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, has made a profession of being at his finest on the largest stage and within the largest video games on the Olympics.
Wanting again at Durant within the Olympic finals, he put up 30 factors in opposition to Spain in 2012, one other 30 in opposition to Serbia in 2016 and one level shy of 30 for the third time in opposition to France in 2020.
As for this yr in Paris, Durant averaged 13.8 factors, 3.2 rebounds and a pair of.3 assists whereas taking pictures 54% from the sphere. He scored 15 factors with 4 rebounds and 4 assists within the gold-medal win over France.
So though the place Durant stands amongst his fellow all-time greats in NBA historical past might be up for debate, there is not any method to deny his place as USA Basketball’s Olympic king.
It is even doable Durant, who shall be 39 when Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Summer time Olympics, is not completed carving out his worldwide legacy. When requested if he plans to retire from Olympic completion or go for a fifth gold, Durant provided a easy “we’ll see” response to ESPN’s Marc Spears.
