Kevin Durant takes long-awaited rest
— -- From Rucker Park to the Goodman League to basically any blacktop in between, if there's a hoop and a round-looking ball that bounces, Kevin Durant wants to play.
A couple years ago, Durant showed up in Orlando, Florida, where his young teammates were playing in summer league, ready to play. Management told him no, and Durant was forced to just watch.
But maybe for the first time ever, Durant has turned down the opportunity to play basketball. In a statement on Thursday, Durant pulled out of the 2014 FIBA World Cup, citing mental and physical fatigue.
"After going through training camp with USAB, I realized I could not fulfill my responsibilities to the team from both a time and energy standpoint," Durant said in a statement. "I need to take a step back and take some time away, both mentally and physically in order to prepare for the upcoming NBA season."
The only other time Durant has ever really admitted to being tired was when he said he was tired of being second. Other than that, he's almost taken offense to being asked about fatigue. He said during the 2012 NBA Finals that he could "shoot 'til my arms fall off." He said in the lockout year, seriously, that he could play two games in a day if needed when asked about playing back-to-back-to-backs. When he came up short on a game-tying 3 against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6 in an overtime in which he went scoreless, Durant wasn't having any of heavy legs being the reason. Every time Oklahoma City Thunder coach Scott Brooks tries to sit Durant for brief rest, he readies himself for an argument.
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