MIAMI — If Kevin Durant ultimately decides to chase more Olympic gold, Erik Spoelstra seems interested in coaching him.
Spoelstra, the Miami Heat coach who will lead the US men’s basketball team at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, said Saturday (Sunday in Manila) he’s aware of Durant’s recent comments about the potential of playing for what would be a fifth gold medal.
And the concept is clearly intriguing.
“Just him saying that is incredible,” Spoelstra — an assistant on the 2024 Olympic team — said before the Heat beat Durant and the Houston Rockets, 115-105. “You know, that’s the culture of USA Basketball. You just want the best American players to raise their hand and say, ‘I want to do this.’”
When the 2024 Games were complete, Durant said he wouldn’t rule out a chance at playing in the Olympics again. And Durant told ESPN in a recent interview that he “would love to” play in the Los Angeles Games, adding that he wants his level of play between now and then to convince USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill, national team director Sean Ford, Spoelstra and anyone else involved in the selection process that he’s worthy of a spot.
“Hopefully I get that chance,” Durant said Saturday. “I’ve got to stay on top of my game. I keep saying that. I want to earn my spot on the team. Got to stay on top of my game and hopefully I’m out there with Coach Spo and his staff.”
Durant gave his time with Spoelstra at the Paris Games rave reviews.
“I’ve always been impressed with Coach Spo from afar, but to be in the same locker room with him, to see his intensity, his scouts just made me want to run through a wall,” Durant said. “He was so enthused about being an assistant coach on Team USA and he understood that we wanted to make a statement out there as a team and he backed us.”
