LeBron James Praises Kevin Durant as ‘Out-of-This-World’ Talent After USA vs. Serbia

It’s not often stars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant get to suit up for the same team, but the Olympics have given fans a chance to see the two together.

After Team USA’s dominant 110-84 win over Serbia on Sunday, James had nothing but praise for Durant.

“KD was phenomenal. It’s almost like he never missed a beat, practice, or a game or anything,” James said, per Basket News’ Dontas Urbonas. “He’s just out of this world talent. I think he even goes even harder in practice, and when the game starts, it’s just routine for him.”

James and Durant were electric as they led Team USA to the win behind a combined 43 points. James also added nine assists and seven boards.

James and Durant are the veterans of a stacked Team USA squad with each competing in the Olympics four times. Whether this year’s games will be the last for them is to be determined, but they’ll look to end things on a positive note if it is the last time they team up for the United States.

Durant, the national team’s all-time leading scorer, was cleared less than an hour before the game after dealing with a calf injury that kept him out of play for the past month. The star said once he was on the court, it felt natural.

“I’ve been playing ball my whole life, so I simplified it,” Durant said, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “And when the ball touched my hand, it was be aggressive.”

Steve Kerr, Team USA’s head coach and once-coach of Durant when he was with the Golden State Warriors, echoed James’ praise for Durant.

“When he comes back from a long absence, you don’t notice it,” Kerr said. “I mean, he is so skilled and he just looked like he was in midseason form after not playing in a real basketball game for a couple of months. Pretty incredible.”

The win against Nikola Jokić and Serbia made a statement after Team USA struggled in the tune-up matches leading up to the games. Serbia is one of the top teams competing in Paris, and the United States mostly had its way in the game.

But James knows that it won’t be a cakewalk to another gold medal.

“Whatever it takes,” James said. “It’s going to be somebody different every day. And we have that type of firepower.”

Team USA will face South Sudan on Wednesday before closing out the Group Phase against Puerto Rico on Saturday.