During a recent appearance, Durant stated, “I think she’s going to definitely be on one of these teams going forward but right now, there were better candidates out there.”
NBA champion Kevin Durant supports USA Basketball’s choice to not include Caitlin Clark on their squad for the Olympics.
During a conversation with the Wall Street Journal’s Emma Tucker at Journal House during The Cannes Lions Festival, Durant, 35, stated there were “better candidates” for the roster. The 22-year-old’s exclusion from the women’s basketball team competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics sparked intense debate among fans and analysts.
When questioned about the Indiana Fever rookie, the Phoenix Suns player stated that he believes there are still “proper steps you’ve got to take in our world to be considered an Olympian.”
Durant said, along with his Boardroom colleague Rich Kleiman, “I think she’s going to definitely be on one of these teams going forward but right now, there were better candidates out there.”
WNBA players Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Sabrina Ionescu, and Kelsey Plum have all been chosen for Team USA’s 2024 squad.
In addition, he expressed admiration for the WNBA and their efforts in “showcasing” the first overall pick. She is being brilliantly showcased by the WNBA. Every other day, I watch her games on ESPN,” Durant remarked.
“I see her in conversations about whatever topic they’re discussing; there’s a lot of discussion about the game right now, so that’s good too,”
LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Durant, who will play for Team USA in Paris, said that Clark should “continue to keep showing up every day” as she adjusts to life in the NBA.
He mentioned Las Vegas Aces two-time MVP A’ja Wilson when he said, “I think as she continues to keep getting better as a player, her production on the court gets better, then the league will grow along with some of the other women who are coming in.”
Durant continued, “There are just so many amazing players in our league that Caitlin has helped bring attention to, and that will help the league grow over time.”
Speaking to reporters on June 9, Clark expressed her satisfaction with the selection following the unveiling of the Olympic roster.
According to ESPN, Clark stated, “I’m excited for the girls that are on the team.” “I am aware that this is the world’s most competitive squad, and I also understand that my inclusion on the team or exclusion from it might have happened in either scenario. I will be cheering them on to the gold. It will be enjoyable to watch the Olympics because I grew up watching them,” the Fever guard added.
To be honest, I’m not disappointed. It’s a dream, but it offers me something to strive for. I hope to be able to visit there someday. It’s just a bit more motivation, in my opinion. You recall that. Hopefully, I can be there when the next four years roll around.
Their Love Story Started with Hate Letters—See How This Interracial Couple is Winning Today
Actor Leslie Uggams has had an exciting career in both theater and film.
Even with a remarkable career spanning seven decades, the singer and actress from Harlem is best known for her role in the *Deadpool* series.
However, her marriage to White Australian Grahame Pratt in 1965 challenged expectations for interracial relationships, making her life story worthy of a movie.
In 1953, Leslie, a talented singer, recorded a song for MGM when she was just 10 years old. Her aunt, soprano Eloise Uggams, recommended that she attend the famous Julliard School of Music in New York and the Professional Children’s School of New York.
But her career didn’t stop after her musical success; in 1969, she hosted *The Leslie Uggams Show,* the first network variety show hosted by a Black person since *The Nat King Cole Show.*
However, Leslie got to know and fell in love with actor Grahame Pratt behind the scenes. During one of her famous tours in Australia, the pair reconnected in Sydney after first meeting as students at the Professional Children’s School in New York.
Leslie was aware of the challenges of dating a white man because she had dated one in her youth and her aunt had discouraged her from thinking about a future with him. Leslie shared with Ebony in 1967, “I remember the shock I felt once when I was dating a white boy.”
He sent me a color photo of himself. I showed it to my aunt. He was a young, attractive man with nice hair. I thought he was very good-looking. But my aunt lectured me after she saw the picture. “Well, I guess he’s alright,” she said, “but only on dates, huh, honey? When you’re ready to settle down, you’ll marry a nice [Black] fella, won’t you?”
Leslie said that after their lucky meeting, she kept visiting Grahame.
“At just 21 years old, it was surprising that I started to fall in love with him.”
It would be a full year before she saw him again after she left Australia.
Leslie was worried about how her family would react and what would happen if Grahame moved to the U.S. for her job, but despite her worries, they had fallen in love. When they had been engaged for five months, Grahame visited her in New York.
“I wanted to know if my family would truly accept Grahame and not just tolerate him, knowing their views on mixed marriages,” she said.
Leslie didn’t have to worry because Grahame was Australian.
“Many white Americans feel awkward about their situation, but he didn’t.” He got along well with my friends, so he easily fit in with them. And both the men and women liked him.
While living in New York, Leslie said she received hate mail because of their marriage, even though they didn’t face the same racial issues as many others in the country.
In an interview with PEOPLE, Leslie said about her marriage, “It wasn’t as difficult as I expected. I think it’s because Grahame wasn’t a white man in America.” Naturally, they did receive some negative mail.
Leslie shared, “I sometimes get anonymous letters about being married to a white man when I go on tour in the United States. I remember getting one, of all places, in Detroit.” It was addressed to “The Little Negro Entertainer.” Those letters were painful to read and often used that term.
Grahame took on the role of Leslie’s manager, and the couple had two daughters, Danielle in 1970 and Justice in 1976.
Leslie got the lead role in the miniseries Roots in 1977, a year after their second child was born. For that role, she was nominated for an Emmy for her character Kizzy.
Two years later, she played Lillian Rogers Parks in the miniseries Backstairs at the White House, earning another Emmy nomination for Best Actress.
In 1983, she won a Daytime Emmy Award for hosting the NBC game show Fantasy, and in 1996 she played Rose Keefer on All My Children.
Leslie has also made appearances on shows like Family Guy, I Spy, Hollywood Squares, The Muppet Show, The Love Boat, and Magnum P.I.
After fifty-five years of marriage and a granddaughter named Cassidy, Leslie and Grahame are still happily together.
“We have a lot of fun together, but it’s not always sunshine and roses,” Leslie said about their happy marriage. “We enjoy being together.”
Their love has stood the test of time and defied expectations. They support each other because they are loyal to one another and have always helped each other.
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