Durant Passes Anthony As Team USA Leading Scorer
Jul 31, 2021, 6:55 AM | Updated: 8:52 am
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Kevin Durant is in a league of his own when it comes to scoring at the Olympics. Durant passed Carmelo Anthony as the all-time leading scorer for Team USA in the second quarter of their matchup against the Czech Republic.
The Brooklyn Nets superstar hit a three-pointer midway through the second quarter as Team USA found its bearings after a slow start in their final game of group play. The three marked Durant’s 339th point while representing the United States.
Anthony previously held the record with 336 points.
Easy. Money. KD passes Melo’s U.S. Olympic Men’s Team scoring record in just 19 games.pic.twitter.com/tdj13CQmVd
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 31, 2021
Durant has played 19 games with Team USA at the Olympics winning gold medals in London and in 2016 in Rio. The Nets star owns the two highest-scoring averages in US Olympic history contributing 19.5 points per game in 2012 and 19.4 points per game in 2016.
Former Utah Jazz All-Star and Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley owns the third-highest scoring average of 19.3 points per game at the 1976 Olympics where Team USA won the gold medal in Montreal.
Anthony appeared in four separate Olympics for USA Basketball beginning in 2004 with the team’s disappointing Bronze Medal finish in Athens.
At the half, @usabasketball leads the Czech Republic 47-43.
Damian Lillard has 3 points on just 1-7 shooting, but Team USA is being carried by Kevin Durant who has 13 first half points. #Tokyo2020 #USABMNT
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) July 31, 2021
The future Hall of Famer followed up the ’04 games with three gold medal finishes in 2008, 2012, and 2016 to become the most decorated Olympian in USA Basketball history.
Durant was averaging 10 points per game through the first two games of group play in Tokyo but had 13 points in the first half to pass Anthony.