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PBT Extra: Kevin Durant pulls out of Team USA, start of a trend?

Team USA Showcase

Team USA Showcase

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Kevin Durant was going to be a lynchpin of Team USA’s offense at the World Cup, and he has decided to pull out citing physical and mental fatigue.

I jump on the latest PBT Extra with the fantastic Jenna Corrado to talk about what kind of blow this is to Team USA (huge) and what’s really behind it. Durant has played more minutes than anyone the past four years, fatigue can be part of it, as can the Paul George injury, but I still think his new, massive $300 million or more shoe deal sitting on the table gives him a good reason not to take an extra risk right now. Not for this tournament.

As for the future, I have a feeling the days of the biggest stars going all in for secondary events like the World Cup may become a thing of the past. The Olympics — with its huge national and international branding potential — is one thing but these kinds of events are another.