Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant has joined Team USA in their bid to win gold in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. Had he said no, however, Gregg Popovich would still not let him go easily.
According to the San Antonio Spurs tactician and current Team USA head coach, he would have “begged” and “cried” just to convince Durant to join the national team:
“Well, first of all, if he said ‘no,' I would have begged, cried, anything I could to change his mind,” Popovich said of the Nets forward during the Team USA training camp, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “That's pretty obvious. But what it says about him, number one is that he loves the game. He really loves to play basketball. He loves to win. He loves the camaraderie.
“He wants to be part of this all the time, as we all know. And that's his motivation at the core. That's what he loves to do. And luckily for all of us, that's who he is. So it's a testament to his character and just desire to be part of a team and have a challenge and seek the success.”
Kevin Durant's decision to join Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics this summer came as a surprise for a lot of people since he was expected to sit out and rest. After all, he just came back from an Achilles injury and completed only his first full season with the Nets.
No one would have blamed or criticized KD had he opted to rest his body following a grueling recovery and a tough season that ended in disappointment. But still, he chose to put in the work for Team USA.
As Gregg Popovich emphasized, it shows a lot about Durant's character and love for basketball. While he is often ridiculed for arguing with fans on social media, no one can mock him for his basketball skills and the mentality he has when it comes to basketball.
Hopefully, Durant's Team USA run will be more successful than his first year playing for the Nets.
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