Kevin Durant again sits out Team USA practice; Kerr unconcerned

Team USA has relocated halfway across the world but is still in a holding pattern with star Kevin Durant, who missed practice again Saturday with a calf strain and likely won’t play when the Americans face Australia in a friendly set for Monday.

Coach Steve Kerr has been publicly downplaying any concern regarding the injury but pushed back his timeline before leading the team through practice.

Looking for the best online betting site and Live betting? Visit Heritage Sport

“I know there’s still a couple of weeks before we have to make a decision roster-wise,” Kerr said. “So we’re just taking it day by day.”

For weeks, Team USA had a contingency plan in place if Kawhi Leonard wasn’t able to play in the Olympics as he recovered from a knee injury, lining up Derrick White as the probable replacement in early June. The Americans made that move Wednesday, releasing Leonard and putting White on the roster as they broke training camp in Las Vegas.

If the crew has a backup plan for Durant, it is keeping it under wraps.

“It’s not something we’ve even discussed at this point because we feel good that [Durant] is going to be OK,” Kerr said.

Durant stated earlier this week he was hopeful to have recovered enough from the calf injury he suffered two weeks ago to play during the warmup matches in the Middle East. It includes a game Wednesday versus Serbia, the team the U.S. will open Olympic play against in France later this month.

White was scheduled to fly to Abu Dhabi on Saturday and is expected to practice for the first time Sunday.

Before practice Saturday, Team USA was addressed and welcomed by its host in the UAE, Mohamed Al Mubarak, chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism.

Get all the latest Live Betting and Sport News updates on your social media outlets. Find us on both  Facebook and X