One of the overarching storylines for the USABMNT in the 2016 Rio Games is Kevin Durant playing with two of his new Warriors teammates for the first time. Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green are three out of Golden State’s big four, minus the two-time MVP Stephen Curry, competing for gold together in the Olympics.
For Thompson and Green, it’s a chance to acclimate themselves to having Durant as a teammate. Thompson talks about the growing dynamic, and admits to still being in awe of Durant, via Sam Amick of USA TODAY Sports:
“It’s growing still,” Thompson said of the relationship. “I mean we’re just getting to know each other. I’m still in awe of the guy. I’m still kind of starstruck when I’m around him, like ‘Man, that’s Kevin Durant, you know? He’s on our team. That’s crazy.’ You get to know him more. He’s such a grounded individual. He’s such a normal guy. He just loves basketball. He’s actually a well-rounded person. He likes to talk about everything, whether it’s movies, photography, travel. He’s easy to talk to, and it’s great to have a teammate like that.”
We’ll have plenty of fun speculating how this Warriors team will look with Durant all the way up until the 2016-17 NBA season debut, but what’s probably more important than what transpires on the floor is how Durant meshes with this group off the floor. Building up chemistry with Thompson and Green during the Olympics this summer is invaluable, and developing that comfortability with each other now could give them something of a head start chemistry-wise for the NBA season.
