Inside The Warriors

Team USA Star Sends Message to Kevin Durant After Steve Kerr’s Controversial Decision

Team USA and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr made a controversial Kevin Durant decision

Joey Linn

Jul 28, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; United States forward Kevin Durant (7) after a game against Serbia during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Jul 28, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; United States forward Kevin Durant (7) after a game against Serbia during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

USA Basketball went a perfect 3-0 in the Paris Olympics Group Phase. Led by different players each game, Team USA received contributions from up and down their roster as head coach Steve Kerr made difficult rotation decisions.

One of the tough decisions Kerr made was to bring Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant off the bench in his return from injury. Scoring 23 points against Serbia in his return, Durant led Team USA in scoring. Kerr, who coached Durant during his three seasons with the Golden State Warriors, plans to continue bringing the star forward off the bench.

Reacting to this, Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo sent a message to Durant on Instagram. Also a reserve for Team USA, Adebayo wrote, “Bench mob.”

Durant responded to Adebayo with a chair emoji, seeming to embrace his role off Team USA’s bench. Despite coming off the bench for all three games, Durant is second on Team USA in scoring, averaging 16.0 points per game. Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards leads the team at 16.7 points per game.

Kerr has made some controversial decisions in this Olympics run, and bringing Durant off the bench is another one. That said, Team USA has been dominant so far, and Kerr is sticking with Durant off the bench. There seems to be a real level of buy-in on Team USA, which is essential in a setting like this.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Title: Credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation Email: joeylinn52@gmail.com Education: Communication Studies degree from Biola University Location: Los Angeles, California Expertise: NBA analysis and reporting Experience: Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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