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Kevin Durant has a simple reason for playing for Team USA in the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games this summer: "I just want to hoop."
"I'm excited about it. I'm looking forward to it," he said, confirming his decision to play during an appearance at which his new KD 9 shoe was released in Austin (via ESPN's Marc Stein). "We talk so much about workload now, we knew all these guys were going to. We talk so much about minutes being played and resting guys during the year and the workload and it's too many games, I knew guys were going to think about that.
"It's natural. It's a part of it. You can respect it. But I want to play though. I just want to hoop."
The 12-player Olympic roster will revealed "no later than June 27," according to USA Basketball's Managing Director Jerry Colangelo.
LeBron James is "leaning toward" skipping the Games, The Vertical's Chris Mannix reported. Sources told ESPN that Indiana's Paul George and Golden State's Klay Thompson are certain to make Coach Mike Krzyzewski's team, along with Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins. On Monday, Golden State's Draymond Green accepted an invitation to play for Team USA, ESPN reported.
Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and LaMarcus Aldridge have said they will skip the Games. —