Kevin Durant Reacts to Breaking Olympic Record
![Aug 6, 2024; Paris, France; United States guard Kevin Durant (7) looks on in the first half against Brazil in a men’s basketball quarterfinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports Aug 6, 2024; Paris, France; United States guard Kevin Durant (7) looks on in the first half against Brazil in a men’s basketball quarterfinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3707,h_2085,x_0,y_613/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_suns/01j4pt9qn1em9nrmb3jh.jpg)
PHOENIX -- Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant passed Lisa Leslie for the United States' all-time basketball scoring record in Olympic play during the team's quarterfinal win over Brazil at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Durant posted the following message on social media after accomplishing the milestone:
"Records are meant to be broken, I’ll hold on to this until another great comes along and passes me up…Lisa Leslie you are the gold standard in basketball, I appreciate your love and support throughout the years..much love to you always…it’s all about the gold baby. Let’s get it fellas."
Records are meant to be broken, I’ll hold on to this until another great comes along and passes me up…Lisa Leslie you are the gold standard in basketball, I appreciate your love and support throughout the years..much love to you always…it’s all about the gold baby. Let’s get… pic.twitter.com/huJxy8Qywa
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) August 7, 2024
The United States will play Serbia on Thursday in the semi-finals.
Some had wondered if Durant would even be on the team after missing the United States' first five exhibition matches due to a calf strain.
Steve Kerr - who coached him at Golden State - brought Durant off the bench in their first group stage game, and the rest has been history as the Suns forward has established himself as a difference maker, even if he's not starting.
"When we brought him back, he was only going to play a certain amount of minutes against Serbia. And he played so well and he fit so well with that group, and it was devastating to see that group together," said Kerr.
Suns teammate Devin Booker himself reacted to Durant breaking (another) Olympic record, too:
"That's Captain America status," said Booker post-game after defeating Brazil.
"I feel like he has every Olympic record."
As for coming off the bench, Durant figures to again play that role against Serbia - though it's a role he easily adopts.
"It's basketball," Durant said on not starting. "It really doesn't matter who starts. It's about really who finished the game, who put their impact on the game while they're in the game."