Kevin Durant has confirmed he wants to be considered for the United States team at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, despite approaching his 40th birthday when the Games commence.
The Phoenix Suns forward has officially communicated his interest to USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill regarding a potential fifth Olympic appearance.
Durant, the all-time leading scorer in US men’s Olympic history, helped secure a fourth consecutive gold medal at the Paris Games last summer.
"I didn’t want to just take my name out of consideration just because of the simple fact that I’m older and I did it before," said Durant.
"Grant understands my love for Team USA. That’s my family."
‘I have got my work cut out’
The two-time NBA champion will be 39 years old when the Olympic Games return to American soil in 2028.
Despite his legendary status within the international setup, the veteran forward insists he expects to earn his place on the squad on merit rather than reputation.
"The level of love I have for Team USA and the whole organisation over there is unmatched, so I’d love to be part of it until I’m done playing," he added.
"I understand how tough that decision is for Grant, and how many great players are going to emerge the next year and a half, and I’m also very old compared to a lot of these players."
"I know I’ve got my work cut out for me to make that team."
Chasing further glory
Durant became the first American male basketball player to win four Olympic gold medals following the victory in France in 2024.
However, he clarified that his motivation is not linked to matching the record of five golds held by women’s basketball icons Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird.
"I just love playing for Team USA. I love representing my country," he affirmed.
"That’s the first and most important thing – it’s putting that USA across my chest and representing where I come from."
Durant remains one of the league’s premier scorers in his 18th NBA season, currently averaging 25.9 points per game with 50.7% shooting accuracy.
Victor Wembanyama recorded 21 points and 17 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Detroit Pistons 114-103 to extend their winning streak to nine games.
Devin Vassell top-scored for the visitors with 28 points, but it was Wembanyama’s defensive presence that defined the contest in Detroit.
The French phenomenon added six blocks to his double-double performance.
San Antonio have now won a season-high nine consecutive matches.
They trail only the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference standings.
Spurs stifle Eastern leaders
The Eastern Conference-leading Pistons saw their own five-game winning run come to an abrupt halt.
Detroit star Cade Cunningham endured a difficult evening against the Spurs’ length, missing 21 of his 26 attempts from the field.
Despite his shooting woes, the playmaker managed to contribute 16 points and 10 assists.
San Antonio established control early, racing to a 14-2 lead to silence the home crowd.
Although the hosts briefly rallied to lead by three, the visitors opened the fourth quarter with seven unanswered points to seal the result.
This victory marked the Spurs’ fifth win this season against teams holding the league’s best record at the time.
Tempers flare in Detroit
Tensions boiled over during the second quarter following an offensive foul call against Cunningham.
Spurs forward Keldon Johnson and Pistons center Jalen Duren were both issued technical fouls after a heated exchange.
Duren, returning from a two-game NBA suspension, led the home side with 25 points and 14 rebounds.
His frontcourt partner Isaiah Stewart remained unavailable as he continues to serve a suspension for a recent altercation in Charlotte.
The Pistons must now regroup quickly before hosting the Thunder on Wednesday in another high-profile test.
Duke have reclaimed the number one spot in the Associated Press men’s college basketball poll following their victory over previous leaders Michigan.
The Blue Devils climbed two places to head Monday’s rankings, extending their own record to 148 appearances at the summit of the sport.
Jon Scheyer’s side secured 56 of the 61 first-place votes to overtake the Wolverines following Saturday’s 68-63 triumph in Washington.
It marks the second consecutive season the Durham-based programme has reached the pinnacle under their fourth-year head coach.
March Madness implications
The victory carried significant weight, featuring the top two sides in the NCAA selection committee’s preliminary top 16 seeds.
Duke boast a nation-leading 12 Quadrant 1 victories and have defeated nine opponents currently residing in the AP Top 25.
Last season’s Final Four participants have now returned to the top ranking for the first time since the 2023-24 campaign concluded.
Prior to Scheyer taking charge in 2022, the programme had been led for decades by retired Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Arizona rise as Michigan fall
Arizona moved up to second place after defeating BYU and securing a valuable road win at Houston.
The Wildcats collected the remaining five first-place votes to sit just behind the leaders.
Michigan’s first stint at number one since 2013 proved short-lived, with the Wolverines dropping to third after a single week.
Big 12 challengers Iowa State and Houston complete the top five.
Gators and Crimson Tide surge
Reigning national champions Florida vaulted five places to seventh, returning to the top 10 for the first time since November.
The Gators have found their rhythm, winning 12 of their last 13 contests including a current seven-game streak.
Alabama recorded the week’s most significant climb, jumping eight spots to 17th.
The Crimson Tide secured a double-overtime victory against Arkansas to extend their winning run to six games.
Meanwhile, UConn slipped to sixth following a home defeat by Creighton, while Purdue, Gonzaga and Illinois rounded out the top 10.
Kevin Durant has confirmed his intention to target a spot on the United States roster for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as the programme enters a significant period of transition.
The 37-year-old became the most decorated male basketball Olympian in history by claiming his fourth gold medal in Paris last summer.
Despite speculation that the 2024 Games marked the end of an era for the squad, the Phoenix Suns forward insists he is not ready to retire from international duty.
Durant disputes the suggestion that the Paris campaign was his final appearance for the national team.
“That narrative, where did the last dance thing come from?” Durant told ESPN.
“I didn’t say I wasn’t playing. LeBron [James] said he wasn’t. You didn’t hear that from me or Steph [Curry].”
Durant aims for home soil return
While Los Angeles Lakers superstar James has ruled himself out of the home Games, Durant remains emphatic about his potential involvement.
He acknowledges that he will be approaching 40 when the tournament begins but maintains his desire to compete if his performance levels remain elite.
“Hell yeah, I want to play,” Durant said.
“But I gotta stay on top of my game. I’m not expecting [a free pass]. I want to produce on the floor and make Grant [Hill] and whoever is making the decisions want to put me on the team.”
Durant emphasised that he does not want to be selected purely for seniority, but rather to prove he can still contribute to winning.
A new era under Spoelstra
The national programme faces a critical rebuilding phase ahead of hosting the Summer Olympics for the first time since 1996.
Managing director Grant Hill must navigate the departure of head coach Steve Kerr, with Miami Heat boss Erik Spoelstra set to take the reins.
Spoelstra served as an assistant during the nail-biting campaign in France, where the US survived scares against Serbia and the host nation to secure gold.
His prior experience on Kerr’s staff is expected to provide continuity in roster selection and tactical adjustments for the international game.
Rising global competition
The urgency for a strong transition is heightened by the rapidly closing gap between the United States and their international rivals.
France’s Victor Wembanyama and Serbia’s three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic are expected to lead formidable challenges in 2028.
Before focus turns fully to Los Angeles, the new coaching staff must navigate the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar.
Hill noted that his immediate priority is getting through that tournament, an event the Americans have failed to win since 2014.
Kara Braxton, a two-time WNBA champion with the Detroit Shock and former University of Georgia star, has died at the age of 43.
The league confirmed the news on Sunday, though no cause of death was immediately announced.
“It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of 2x WNBA Champion Kara Braxton,” the WNBA said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and former teammates at this time.”
A standout college and pro career
The 6ft 6in forward-center first rose to prominence playing collegiately for the Georgia Lady Bulldogs between 2001 and 2004.
Her impact on the court was immediate, earning her the title of SEC Freshman of the Year in 2002.
Following her college success, she was selected as the seventh overall pick in the 2005 WNBA draft by the Detroit Shock.
She wasted little time adapting to the professional game, securing a spot on the league’s all-rookie team that same season.
Her tenure in Michigan proved to be the most successful period of her career.
She played a pivotal role in the franchise’s golden era, helping the team lift the WNBA championship trophy in both 2006 and 2008.
Later years and sporting legacy
The 2007 All-Star remained with the franchise when it relocated to Tulsa for the 2010 campaign.
However, she was traded partway through that season to the Phoenix Mercury.
During the 2011 season, the veteran post player moved to the New York Liberty, where she eventually concluded her professional career in 2014.
Over the course of a decade in the WNBA, she averaged 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Her sporting legacy continues through her son, Jelani Thurman.
Thurman, a college football tight end, recently transferred to North Carolina in January after spending the previous three years at Ohio State.
LeBron James has endorsed Jaylen Brown as a serious contender for the NBA Most Valuable Player award following a masterclass performance by the Celtics star.
Brown posted 32 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists to lead Boston to a 111-89 victory over their historic rivals in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Following the defeat, the Lakers talisman insisted that Brown’s contributions this season have been severely overlooked.
“This whole MVP thing, I don’t understand why his name is not getting talked about some as well,” said James.
“Nobody gave them a shot to start the season. And he’s averaging what, 30? Just under 30? It’s a popularity contest sometimes, I tell you.”
Leading against the odds
The victory improved Boston’s record to 37-19, cementing their place as the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
This success comes despite the absence of Jayson Tatum, who has missed the entire campaign recovering from a torn Achilles.
Furthermore, the roster saw significant changes following their 2024 championship, with Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis no longer with the franchise.
James believes Brown has thrived under the pressure of leading a depleted squad.
“The whole championship team pretty much is kind of revamped and he used it as motivation to keep them afloat,” the four-time NBA champion added.
“They’re playing great basketball, and it’s because of him and the rest of those guys. He’s taken that next step.”
‘Best two-way player’
Brown, who is averaging career highs in points (29.2), rebounds (7.0), and assists (4.8), believes his impact extends beyond offensive statistics.
“I feel like I’m the best two-way player in the world,” Brown stated.
“I play both ends on the court. Night-to-night, I’m available, which is hard to do. I’m a leader.”
The Celtics forward expressed his gratitude for the high praise coming from the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
“It’s an honour to play the Celtics-Lakers rivalry,” Brown said.
“It’s an honour for LeBron, who’s arguably the best player to ever play the game, giving me some high praise. So, I’m just grateful.”
Mutual respect
The pair were recently team-mates during the All-Star festivities, allowing them to reminisce about Brown’s rookie season.
Brown revealed that James had predicted his rise to stardom nearly a decade ago.
“When I first got into the league, my first start was against the Cleveland Cavaliers and after the game he came up to me and he told me in my ear, ‘You’re going to be an All-Star one day, you’re going to be a great player,'” Brown recalled.
“He smiles like, ‘Of course, I’m not surprised at anything you’re doing right now.'”
Cameron Boozer scored 18 points as number three Duke defeated top-ranked Michigan 68-63 in a heavyweight college basketball clash in Washington D.C.
Boozer delivers on the big stage
The Blue Devils ended the Wolverines’ 11-game winning streak in a raucous atmosphere at the Capital One Arena.
It marked a significant night of upsets in the AP Top 25.
With number two Houston losing earlier in the day, Saturday marked the first time since February 2025 that the nation’s top two ranked teams lost on the same date.
Boozer, watched from the stands by his father and former NBA star Carlos, proved decisive in the closing stages.
The talented forward drained a crucial three-pointer with just under two minutes remaining to give Jon Scheyer’s side a 64-58 lead.
Isaiah Evans provided strong support, adding 14 points for the Blue Devils as they improved their season record to 25-2.
Wolverines struggle from deep
Yaxel Lendeborg led the scoring for Michigan with 21 points.
However, Dusty May’s side struggled to find their usual offensive rhythm against a versatile Duke defence.
The Wolverines were uncharacteristically wasteful from the perimeter, converting just six of their 25 attempts from three-point range.
Duke also controlled the physical battle under the baskets.
The ACC powerhouse won the rebounding count 41-28, exposing soft spots in Michigan’s top-rated defence.
Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba II added 12 and 11 points respectively for the victors.
A potential tournament preview
The matchup in the nation’s capital was widely billed as a possible Final Four rehearsal.
Ticket prices on the secondary market soared to $600 for upper-level seats ahead of tip-off.
Duke took a narrow 35-33 lead into half-time after Ngongba converted two free throws with less than a second on the clock.
Surprisingly, the Blue Devils never trailed again in the second half.
The result extends Duke’s unbeaten record against Michigan on neutral courts to 7-0.
The Wolverines have not recorded a victory over the Blue Devils since December 2009.
No. 4 Arizona have moved into sole possession of first place in the Big 12 Conference after defeating second-ranked Houston 73-66 on Saturday.
Senior guard Anthony Dell’Orso equalled a season high with 22 points to lead the Wildcats to their 25th victory of the campaign.
The result sees Arizona improve to 25-2 overall and 12-2 in conference play, recovering their form after recently losing the number one ranking.
Wildcats capitalise on scoring drought
The visitors found themselves trailing by two points in the second half before launching a decisive 12-0 scoring run to lead 60-50 with five minutes remaining.
Houston’s offence collapsed during this critical stretch, as the hosts missed eight consecutive shots and committed three turnovers.
The Cougars went more than 10 minutes without a field goal until Kingston Flemings ended the dry spell with a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 61-57.
Jaden Bradley responded immediately for the Wildcats, scoring four straight points to re-establish control with just over a minute left on the clock.
Houston suffer rare back-to-back losses
Flemings led the Cougars with 17 points, while Emanuel Sharp added 14 in a losing effort.
It marks the first time this season that Kelvin Sampson’s side has lost consecutive games, following a narrow defeat at Iowa State on Monday.
Ball security proved to be a deciding factor, with Houston committing 12 turnovers which Arizona converted into 16 points.
The Wildcats had led by as many as 10 in the first half, though Houston briefly rallied to take a 44-42 lead with 14 minutes remaining before their offence stalled.