"Was not happy with me": Brian Windhorst said Kevin Durant was upset with initial reports of forward missing Team USA Olympics opener

ESPN's Brian Windhorst in his latest said Kevin Durant was not happy with the NBA insider's reports of the forward missing Team USA's Olympics opener against Serbia on July 28. The 2x champion has dealt with a calf issue that sidelined him for all five showcase games. The country’s all-time leading scorer was reported to miss the campaign's first game at the 2024 Paris Olympics — something he didn't take kindly to.

Speaking to Malika Andrews, Windhorst shed light on his initial reports, in which he said the 14x NBA All-Star would not play against Nikola Jokic and co.

"[KD] was not happy with me when he saw the TV report that I made a couple of days ago... playing for the national team is extremely important to him."

While there were speculations that Durant would make his return in Monday’s final showcase game against Germany, head coach Steve Kerr continued to exercise caution.

Following the win against, Kerr added there was “no thought” about replacing the Phoenix Suns star on the roster. However, if his fitness does not improve in the next couple of days, Team USA could face a difficult decision as they have until Saturday (July 27) to name its final squad.

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Kevin Durant reportedly "looked good" at practice

Ahead of the marquee clash vs Serbia, Team USA had a non-contact practice at Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Paris, and according to Kerr, Kevin Durant "looked good", but he did add that the final call would be taken after he would take part in scrimmage drills scheduled for Thursday.

"We will do some live stuff (Thursday), so the plan is for him to get in the scrimmage and see how he handles that. But yeah, he looked good (Wednesday), and he did everything and got a lot of shots up and told me he's feeling pretty good."

Kerr also said the team's managing director Grant Hill has been in communication with Durant's management, the Suns, and team trainers as the veteran races against time to gear up for Sunday's matchup. Earlier, Hill had added that he expected Durant to return in one of the four showcase games after the first win against Canada. That though did not happen.

Kevin Durant to the lineup will undoubtedly bolster the team's chances of winning the gold at the premier tournament. At this juncture, however, much of it is just wait and watch.