Kevin Love and Kevin Durant will play in 2014 World Championships
By Brad Rowland
When the first ever “World Cup of Basketball” rolls around during the summer of 2014, the United States will have at least two top-flight players on their roster. On Tuesday afternoon, Kevin Love and Kevin Durant announced, during a press conference in Las Vegas, that they have agreed to take part in the festivities.
The pair of Kevin’s form a strong foundation for the roster that is sure to feature a mix of multiple NBA All-Stars and up-and-coming young talents. Kevin Durant is the consensus 2nd-best player in the world as we speak, and he would be the default “go-to guy” if Lebron James elects to step away from the team. Durant just finished a whirlwind season that saw him average 28.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per season with outstanding shooting percentages of 51% from the field, 41.6% from three, and 90.5% from the free-throw line.
As for Love, it wasn’t as fantastic of a season, but he’s still one of the best players in the world. Love missed 64 games during the 2012-2013 campaign, but he was still highly effective when on the court. He’s one of the best rebounders on Earth (14.0 per game in 2012-13 and 12.2 per game for his career), and he’s added a deadly long-distance arsenal to his game in recent years.
In addition to their on-court exploits, I can’t picture a greater duo for the team off the court, and this is a win-win for everyone involved. The “World Cup” is over a year away, but the tension is already building, and it’ll be another opportunity for the U.S. to maintain their stranglehold on International hoops.