HOUSTON — Kevin Durant wants to play for Team USA at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The Houston Rockets forward doubled down on that goal at a recent USA Basketball charity event in Southern California, The Athletic’s Nick Friedell reported Friday. A spot on the 2028 roster would give Durant his fifth Olympics.
Durant turns 38 on Sept. 29. The Los Angeles Games open July 14, 2028, and his 40th birthday comes that September.
Last season, his first in Houston, Durant averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 78 games. He shot 52.0% from the field and 41.3% from three-point range. He made his 16th All-Star Game and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. His career regular-season total stands at 32,597 points.
Team USA trips over the last few summers took Durant to Abu Dhabi, the Canary Islands, and Madrid. He told The Athletic late last season that a Games in the United States may not come with that kind of travel.
“It’s just fun, man,” Durant said. “It’s an incredible time. You get to travel the world. I don’t know if we’re gonna get to travel the world with it being in the States, but the last few years, we would go (to) Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Paris, London, Canary Islands, Madrid … being in places that changed not just my perspective about the game, just about life in general.”
“I’ve been in places I’ve never even thought about being in if it wasn’t for the game,” Durant continued. “That experience is one of the best, man. I encourage everybody to play for their country.”
Kevin Durant’s Four Olympic Gold Medals
Durant won gold at the 2012 London Games, the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, the Tokyo Games held in 2021, and the 2024 Paris Games. He is the first male athlete to win four Olympic gold medals in a team sport.
He also holds Team USA’s career Olympic scoring record, men’s or women’s. Durant passed Lisa Leslie and her 488 points during a 122-87 quarterfinal win over Brazil on Aug. 6, 2024. He finished the Paris Games with 518 points in 28 Olympic games, Andscape reported.
Durant grew up in the Washington, D.C., area. Representing that corner of the country on an international stage is part of the pull for him.
“The pride of your country that you represent in your small section of the country on the big stage,” Durant explained. “Playing with the best of the best to ever play the game. And coached by the best of the best. It’s a no-brainer to go.”
Kevin Durant’s Contract Runs Through 2027-28
Durant signed a two-year extension with Houston in October 2025. The deal runs through the 2027-28 season, and the second year is at his option, The Associated Press reported.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra will lead Team USA in Los Angeles. USA Basketball named him head coach in October 2025. He was an assistant on the staff that won gold in Paris.
Durant played in one game of Houston’s first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers in April. He scored 23 points in Game 2 on April 21. A bruised right knee kept him out of Game 1, and an ankle injury kept him out of the final four games. The Lakers eliminated the Rockets with a 98-78 win in Game 6 on May 1.
The Rockets and the Dallas Mavericks play two preseason games at The Venetian Arena in Macao, on Oct. 9 and Oct. 11. Houston hosts Dallas again on Oct. 21, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. CT.
