Durant named to U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team – University of Texas Athletics

AUSTIN, Texas — Former University of Texas standout Kevin Durant has been named to the 12-man 2024 United States Olympic Men’s Basketball team roster, USA Basketball announced last week. The team was selected by USA Basketball Men’s National Team managing director Grant Hill and approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors.

Durant will make his fourth consecutive appearance at the Olympic Games, after leading the United States to gold medals in London in 2012, Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021. He is the fourth player in Texas Men’s Basketball history to compete in the Olympics and the first to make four appearances at the Games.

Durant, who has reached double figures in scoring in all 22 career games played in Olympic competition, is the USA’s all-time Olympic statistical leader in total points (435), scoring average (19.8 ppg), field goals (146), three-point field goals made (74) and free throws made (69). He ranks third in rebounds (118) and blocks (16) and fourth in assists (71).

During the eight games at the 2012 Olympics, Durant led Team USA in scoring (19.5 ppg) and ranked second in rebounding (5.8 rpg) while averaging 26.0 minutes per contest. His 30 points in the Gold Medal game win against Spain tied for the third-highest single-game total in U.S. Olympic history, and his 156 total points during the tournament set a record for most points scored by an American player in Olympic competition (previous: 145 by Spencer Haywood in 1968).

Four years later in Rio, Durant led Team USA in scoring (19.4 ppg) and minutes (28.6 mpg) and ranked second in steals (8), third in assists (28) and fourth in rebounding (5.0 rpg). He reached double figures in scoring in all eight contests and tied his Olympic career high with 30 points in the Gold Medal game victory against Serbia.

During the 2020 Tokyo Games (played in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), Durant again led Team USA in scoring (20.7 ppg) and minutes (27.5 mpg), tied for the team lead in blocks (7) and ranked second in rebounding (5.3 rpg) and assists (22). He converted 45-of-85 (.529) field goals, including 15-of-40 (.375) from three-point range, and 19-of-21 (.905) free throws. Durant recorded a game-high 29 points in the 87-82 victory against France in the Gold Medal game win, sealing the victory by hitting a pair of free throws with eight seconds remaining.

The U.S. Men’s National Team will compete at the Paris Olympic Games on July 26-Aug. 11, 2024. The USA officially qualified for the Paris Games as one of the top two nations from the FIBA Americas one at the 2023 FIBA World Cup in September. The American men will compete for their fifth straight and 17th overall Olympic gold medal.

As part of Group C, Team USA will face Serbia on July 28, South Sudan on July 31 and the winner of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Puerto Rico on Aug. 3 in the first round of the Olympic tournament. The group phase will take place in Lille, France, before the tournament moves to Paris for knockout and medal rounds.

Gilbert “Gib” Ford, a three-year letterwinner at Texas (1952-54) earned a gold medal with Team USA at the 1956 Melbourne Games. Ford, who had finished his playing career at UT in 1954, was 25 at the time of the Olympics and enlisted in the U.S. Armed Forces. Ford played in all eight games and averaged 4.9 points per contest, as the Americans went 8-0 in Melbourne and posted a +53.5 points per game margin of victory en route to the gold medal.

A three-year letterwinner for the Longhorns (1958-60) who garnered All-America honors as a senior, Jay Arnette earned a gold medal with Team USA at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Arnette, who had just completed his collegiate ability, played in all eight games and averaged 2.9 points per contest. The U.S. squad went 8-0 mark in Rome and recorded a +42.4 points per game margin of victory en route to the gold medal.

Albert Almanza, a three-year letterwinner at Texas (1959-61), was a two-time member of the Mexican Olympic team. In the 1960 Rome Olympics, Almanza served as a co-captain and led the team in scoring (19.8 ppg) while helping Mexico to a 4-4 record and a 12th-place finish. He returned for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and again led the squad in scoring (14.7 ppg) while helping Mexico to a 3-6 mark and a 12th-place finish.

2024 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team Roster

Texas Men’s Basketball Players who have Participated in the Olympic Games