Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook will bring great expectations back to Oklahoma City

The scene didn't unfold on the court or the sideline. In fact, you didn't see it at all. It was heard, emitting from the broadcast booth like a sonic boom.

Whenever Kevin Durant manufactured a fall-away jumper or a fast-break dunk, the fawning would begin. ESPN color commentator Fran Fraschilla invariably insisted Durant, 21, is so immensely talented that he would be among the top two players picked, perhaps even the top overall selection, in any hypothetical world basketball draft.

As if the Thunder hasn't harvested enough hype following a stirring 50-win season that ended with a rack of awards and a riveting playoff series, OKC must now bear the burden of possessing a player some are openly considering the best in the world. A part of it doesn't compute considering the Thunder won just 23 games in 2008-09. But there doesn't seem to be an end in sight for the high praise.

As Team USA enters into the knockout round today against Angola, Durant and teammate Russell Westbrook are four wins shy of international glory — a gold medal in the world's most prestigious basketball tournament. Four more wins and expectations for the Thunder could skyrocket beyond belief. Mentions of Durant and Westbrook could then be prefaced with "gold-medal-winning teammates."

The two already have stolen the spotlight as the U.S. has amassed a 5-0 record in the prelims, winning by an average margin of 24.8 points.

Durant has been Team USA's best player.

Westbrook has been its most electrifying.