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"I played my fifth Olympics when I was 41" - Gasol says KD has earned the right to play in 2028 Olympics
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- "I played my fifth Olympics when I was 41" - Gasol says KD has earned the right to play in 2028 Olympics
Kevin Durant recently said he is open to playing in the 2028 Olympics, provided he can still play like the KD we know him to be. However, he also said that he won't play in a fifth Summer Games if it's only a gift to a veteran star and he'll end up sitting at the end of the bench during the entire tournament.
Either way, Pau Gasol , who played five Olympic games for Spain, told ESPN that Durant is entitled to a spot on the team because of his work for USA Basketball.
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"I think KD has earned the right to be on that team if he so chooses to," said Gasol. "I played my fifth Olympics when I was 41. I was 41 when I played in Tokyo."
Pau played sparingly in his 5th Olympics
Gasol made his Olympic debut in 2004, where he led the tournament in scoring at 22.4 points per game and was 5th in rebounding at 7.3 boards per contest. However, Spain was eliminated in the quarterfinals by the United States. Pau was once again the top scorer in the 2008 Games at 19.6 points per game, but the Spaniards came up short against the Redeem Team in the gold medal game.
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The older Gasol brother averaged 19.1 points and 7.6 rebounds in the London Games, but once again, they were beaten by the Americans in the championship game. In 2016, Gasol lost to Team USA in a fourth consecutive Olympic tournament, this time in the semifinals, and Spain had to settle for the bronze medal.
At 41, Gasol returned to play for one last Olympic ride in the 2020 Olympics, which was played in 2021 due to the pandemic. Unlike his past four Summer Games, where he was the leading man on the team, Pau played just 12.9 minutes per game and averaged only 6.5 points and 4.8 rebounds.
The Spaniards failed to win a medal, as they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Team USA again. Still, it was a storybook ending for Gasol, who had spent the previous year nursing an injury and was unable to play in the NBA.
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KD has won four Olympic gold medals for the U.S.
With 518 points scored in 28 games played, Durant is the United States' all-time leading scorer in the Olympics, with no other men's basketball player scoring more than 400 points in the Summer Games. LeBron James is the closest with 358 points, while Carmelo Anthony is third with 336 career Olympic points.
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Aside from winning Olympic gold medals in 2012, 2016, 2021, and 2024, KD also led the United States to victory in the 2010 FIBA World Championships. He averaged 22.8 points and 6.1 rebounds in that tournament, earning World Championship MVP honors. Durant was also the Olympic MVP winner in 2021, where he averaged 20.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per contest.
With his Olympic resume, you can make a strong argument for Durant to be the "real" Captain America. And because of that, he certainly has earned the right to be on the 2028 team, that is, if he chooses to play.
Hopefully, KD will reconsider his playing condition. He doesn't need to be a 20-point scorer again to help that team. For as long as he's healthy enough to suit up for the Stars & Stripes, having Durant in L.A. would be huge for Team USA, just like it was for Spain to have Gasol for that last ride in Tokyo.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 18, 2025, where it first appeared in the International section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
