Kevin Durant Puts Himself in Kobe Bryant’s Shoes After Winning Gold With Team USA in Paris

Kevin Durant etched his name into the history books at the Paris Olympics. He became the first male basketball player to win four Olympic gold medals, cementing his legacy as the greatest Team USA player ever. While many believe the star-studded roster winning gold was a foregone conclusion, the Suns’ superstar enjoyed every moment and compared it to Kobe Bryant’s Last Dance with Team USA in 2012.

During a live episode of the Boardroom Talks podcast at Fanatics Fest, Jalen Rose asked Durant whether winning the Olympic basketball tournament no longer felt special. The forward responded he loved it and joked that he could now do Klay Thompson’s infamous four-finger taunt. He then compared his experience in Paris to Bryant’s at the London Olympics.

He noted that by 2012, the Lakers icon had already achieved everything he could. Yet, he was excited about representing Team USA. Durant, who’s now around the same age and stature as Bryant in 2012, understood why that was the case. He said,

“I was around when Kobe [Bryant] was 36. I was 23. We played 2012 together [on Team USA]. You seen how excited he was, he had accomplished everything at that point… He had did it all, and he was still excited about the opportunity to be around great players. And that’s exactly how felt this time around.”

 

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Durant will turn 36 in September. He’s still playing at an All-NBA level but is nearing the twilight years of his career like Bryant was in 2012. It’s unclear how long he’ll go on, so he’s cherishing every achievement and enjoying his time out on the court.

He has left no stone unturned in his 17-year career. The 14-time All-Star has won the MVP award, won two NBA titles, and was named the Finals MVP twice. His fourth Olympic gold medal in Paris was the cherry on top of a glorious international career.

Durant has already cemented his legacy as one of the best players in NBA history. He has nothing left to add to his resume. The forward is content with his Hall of Fame career and is looking forward to playing at an elite level as long as he can before riding off into the sunset.