Kevin Durant is one of the best basketball players ever. His legacy extends beyond his NBA accomplishments and includes his impact on Team USA. Not only has Durant played a role in helping the country win multiple gold medals at the Olympics, but he also doesn’t want to stop as he ages. Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra expressed admiration for Durant’s dedication.
Erik Spoelstra Hails Kevin Durant’s Passion To Compete for the Country
Houston Rockets reporter Vanessa Richardson for ESPN asked Spoelstra about Durant’s hopes of playing for Team USA again. Spoelstra, who was named head coach of Team USA, gushed about Durant’s desire.
“Just him saying that is incredible,” Spoelstra said. “And that’s the culture of USA basketball. You just want the best American players to raise their hands and say, ‘I want to do this,’ and you can feel his passion for representing the country and the USA on the jersey.”
I asked Erik Spoelstra about Kevin Durant’s interest in returning to the Olympics, as well as his experience working with KD as an assistant.
Great stuff from Spo.
“You can feel his passion for representing the country.” #TeamUSA pic.twitter.com/iLfMzN6ros
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) February 28, 2026
Durant has been on Team USA four times – 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024 – and has helped them win the Gold Medal every time. Even at 35, he was still an integral part of Team USA’s latest gold medal.
He appeared in all six of their games and averaged 13.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 22.2 minutes per game. It was clear how dependable he still was, even in his mid-30s.
His desire to participate in the Olympics even as he’ll be close to 40 shows that Durant simply loves playing basketball no matter what. There’s no telling how good a player he will still be by the time the 2028 Olympics come around, but at 37, he’s still putting up good enough numbers to rightfully earn him All-Star appearances.
In his first season with the Rockets, Durant is averaging 26.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, shooting 50.8% from the field and 40.2% from beyond the arc.
Spoelstra clearly sees what he brings to the table and loves how much devotion Durant has, because there’s no telling whether he’ll get that from the other players who could join the team in 2028. Durant sets the standard for how to approach playing Olympic basketball. It’s not just about talent. It’s about devotion to his craft.
Durant is getting older, as are some of his other contemporaries who joined him on the team in 2024, like LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Even so, that won’t stop him from trying to play again. No matter what anyone thinks of Durant, this is the kind of example aspiring basketball players need to see.
