Team USA hasn't been at full strength but that hasn't stopped it from dominating its competition.
The United States star forward Kevin Durant has not yet played in the pre-Olympics exhibition showcase after tweaking his calf during training camp.
The red, white, and blue have carried on without its all-time leading scorer, picking up wins over strong teams like Canada, Australia, and Serbia.
Durant appears to be trending in the right direction and could return soon. Will it come against South Sudan on Saturday? The Sporting News has you covered with the latest updates below.
MORE: Ranking Team USA's players at the pre-Olympics midway point
Is Kevin Durant playing for Team USA vs. South Sudan?
Durant warmed up ahead of Team USA's exhibition game against South Sudan but he will not play today, according to The Athletic's Joe Vardon.
Kevin Durant (calf) is not playing for Team USA against South Sudan, sources said. He is on the floor going through pregame work and looks good
— Joe Vardon (@joevardon) July 20, 2024
The star forward has been dealing with a calf strain since training camp in Las Vegas but he returned to practice on Friday. He was expected to make his debut against South Sudan on Saturday or Germany on Monday, per The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Durant should be expected to join Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid in the starting lineup upon his return. Head coach Steve Kerr has already pledged his allegiance to the latter three stars as starters.
Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Jrue Holiday, and Devin Booker have all received a chance in the starting five so far and are likely candidates to fill the final open spot.
Team USA's first official Olympic game isn't until July 28, so Durant has a little bit of a runway to get comfortable on the court. It will open the Paris Games with a matchup against Nikola Jokic and Serbia.
Check back for updates on the three-time Olympic gold medalist's availability as they become available.
MORE: Team USA found its answer for Nikola Jokic — and it's not Joel Embiid
How to watch USA Basketball before Olympics
Both of Team USA's remaining men's basketball exhibition games will be broadcast live on Fox's family of networks.
After taking on Canada in Las Vegas, the Americans traveled to Abu Dhabi for two more exhibition games against Australia and Serbia. Team USA is now in London for its final two exhibition games against South Sudan and Germany.
You can stream Team USA games online with fuboTV, which offers a free seven-day trial.
Date | Game | Time (ET) | TV channel |
July 10 | USA 86, Canada 72 | — | — |
July 15 | USA 98, Australia 92 | — | — |
July 17 | USA 105, Serbia 79 | — | — |
July 20 | USA vs. South Sudan | 3 p.m. | FOX |
July 22 | USA vs. Germany | 3 p.m. | FOX |
When do the Olympics start?
The opening ceremony at the 2024 Olympics is July 26. The men's basketball tournament tips off the next day on July 27 and ends with the medal games on Aug. 10.
Team USA is one of 12 teams to qualify for the Paris Olympics. It will play in Group C with Serbia, South Sudan, and Puerto Rico.
You can stream Team USA games online with fuboTV, which offers a free seven-day trial.
Date | Game | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
July 28 | USA vs. Serbia | 11:15 a.m. | NBC |
July 31 | USA vs. South Sudan | 3 p.m. | NBC |
Aug. 3 | USA vs. Puerto Rico | 11:15 a.m. | NBC |
Aug. 6 | Men's basketball quarterfinals | TBD | |
Aug. 8 | Men's basketball semifinals | TBD | |
Aug. 10 | Men's basketball gold-medal game | TBD | |
Aug. 10 | Men's basketball bronze-medal game | TBD |
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