USA Basketball Team for 2016 Olympics News and Updates: Kevin Durant Says He's the New 'KD' in Town
With the Team USA seemingly going to sweep the pre-Olympics exhibition games against FIBA national teams, fanfares and early congratulatory remarks are given to Kevin Durant and the other members of the squad who hailed from the Golden State Warriors lineup.
Durant introduced
The friendly games emerged to be Coach Mike Krzyzewski's show, who took the microphone at center court before the jump ball and personally "introduced" Durant to the crowd, prompting those in attendance at the Oracle Arena to make an extended standing ovation. The other Warriors, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, also took the center court with a warm welcome.The fans seemed to have gotten used wearing Durant's Golden State No. 35 and USA No. 5 jerseys during the exhibition game.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The third installment of the friendly games also reminded Golden State that Durant is indeed part of the team during his first Bay Area appearance.
"You wouldn't want to be introduced after KD (Durant) in line. The welcoming for Kevin was fantastic. I know he appreciated it very much," Coach Krzyzewski said after his act.
Exhibition versus China
The crowd went loco seven seconds after the tip in Tuesday night's exhibition against China, Durant found a good spot and sank a three-pointer to open the scoring.Durant admitted however that the throw is orchestrated by teammate Kyrie Irving, as a way to properly make a statement at the Golden State home court.
"Kyrie, being the great guy he is, he told me before the tip he was throwing it to me no matter what, and I knew I was going to pull the first shot since like yesterday. Luckily it went in," Durant said about the three-pointer.
The player then was catapulted with a newfound confidence and made the first 10 for Team USA, including three-point plays generated from drawing fouls from Chinese defenders. After just a quarter, the game lost appeal and became similar to a spoilt weekend movie, Team USA indeed made a statement that they are a force not to be trifled lightly with Durant, Thompson and Greene in the lineup.
As the game continued, the affair looked more like a state gathering with the spectators chanting "Warriors" and voicing loud cheers for Durant. To recall, Durant's former team, Thunder, was the antagonist in the playoff finals when the Warriors succeeded after an intense seven-game Western Conference series.
