This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Team USA welcomed Kevin Durant back to practice from a calf injury, raising optimism he will be ready to go for the Olympics pool play opener Sunday against Serbia.
Durant did not play in either exhibition in Abu Dhabi or London, and his next test comes Thursday in a full-contact practice, head coach Steve Kerr said.
“The plan is for him to get in the scrimmage and see how he handles that,” Kerr said. “He looked good today and he did everything and got a lot of shots up and told me he’s feeling pretty good.”
Durant, 35, played for Kerr with the Golden State Warriors when he suffered a torn Achilles while playing through what the team diagnosed as a calf strain.
Durant hasn’t been shy about communication with Kerr and Team USA’s managing director, Grant Hill. Kerr said the Phoenix Suns, Durant’s current NBA employer, and his agents also are in the loop.
“(Hill) is constantly in touch with Kevin’s people and with the Suns,” Kerr said. “This is not going to be like us going out and saying, ‘Hey, let’s just throw him out there.’ This will be a big collaboration.”
Team USA defeated Serbia in Abu Dhabi, 105-79, as part of a 5-0 run through the team’s exhibition schedule.
–Field Level Media
