Looks like Netflix viewers will see a shockingly emotional side of NBA star Kevin Durant in Netflix's new docuseries Court of Gold, which follows the American, Serbian, Canadian and French basketball teams in their quests for glory at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The show premieres Tuesday, Feb. 18, but Netflix shared a preview on Monday in which KD visibly tears up discussing what it means to him to play in the Olympics and how much he loves basketball. It's a really moving show of emotion from the 15-time All-Star, who is typically much more stoic both on and off the court.
According to series director Jake Rogal, the impetus of the conversation actually had nothing to do with Durant's feelings about the game. Indeed, Rogal told Netflix's Tudum that he had initially asked Durant about his social media posts after the opening U.S. vs. Serbia game; despite a stellar performance, the superstar was engaging with no-name accounts on X (formerly Twitter) in the aftermath of the 110–84 win. Why waste your time with that after dominating on the world's biggest stage?
Per Rogal, Durant replied, "When I respond to something, it doesn’t matter what the person I’m responding to is saying. What people are seeing is my response. So really what I’m getting out there is my voice."
The Phoenix Suns forward then launched into a "beautifully said, sort of poetic [speech]," Rogal told Tudum, about what basketball and playing in the Olympics means to him. And while the clip Netflix released Monday does not capture the full monologue, it does include pieces of it.
“I looked in the crowd, it’s 27,000 people from all walks of life, all different countries … coming together for basketball,” Durant says. “It’s incredible to see that. So as much as I can bring us together that way, that’s what I try to do.
“I come from neighborhoods where people don’t even talk to each other," he continues. "So much hate in the world too, it’s like … when people get to start laughing and joking for the game of ball, it’s cool to me, so it gets me emotional. ... It’s crazy to see somebody say they traveled so long to come see their favorite player play in the Olympics. They spend their money, they bring their whole family ... it’s just dope to me.
"The game has saved my life, so. It brought me and my family out of a lot of bulls---, so I'm just grateful for it. For real."
Beautiful stuff. Watch that clip below:
Kevin Durant tearing up about playing on the Olympic stage is a moment to witness.
— Netflix (@netflix) February 17, 2025
Court of Gold premieres in 12 hours. pic.twitter.com/jWSAC9pA5a
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kevin Durant Tears Up Discussing 2024 Olympics, Basketball in Clip From Netflix Doc.
