Predicting USA Basketball’s subsequent Olympics males’s roster for 2028 Los Angeles Video games

America males’s basketball nationwide group is an Olympic dynasty. Crew USA’s triumphant gold medal run on the 2024 Paris Olympics made it 5 straight gold medals — and eight of the final 9 — for this system. This specific USA group felt particular for therefore many causes, notably as a result of it is going to be the Olympic swan track for a number of the biggest gamers of all-time.

Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant carried Crew USA to gold. These are three of the top-15 gamers in NBA historical past, and so they characterize the strongest technology of American males’s basketball expertise because the core of 1992 Dream Crew. Curry and James can be of their 40s in 2028 and have already indicated they received’t be taking part in. Durant can be months away from his fortieth birthday by the point the Los Angeles Video games come round.

The legends that saved USA Basketball in Paris received’t be there in 2028. Crew USA must construct a brand new core at a time when the remainder of the world continues to slender the expertise hole the U.S. has at all times loved. America’ gold medal dynasty in a dangerous state coming into the Los Angeles Video games, and it might want to utterly overhaul the roster to maintain it going.

So much can change in 4 years, however right here’s our prediction for USA Basketball’s males’s roster on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Photograph by Gregory Shamus/Getty Pictures

Guards

• Anthony Edwards, G, Minnesota Timberwolves: Ant-Man is the most important lock for the 2028 USA roster. He was the youngest participant on Crew USA in Paris, and can flip 27 years previous in the course of the Los Angeles Video games. Ant-Man provides Crew USA an explosive backcourt scorer with elite athleticism and difficult shot-making capacity everywhere in the ground. He could possibly be this group’s main scorer.
• Devin Booker, G, Phoenix Suns: Booker was considerably surprisingly named a starter in Paris, and carried out nicely as a connective piece round Crew USA’s three veteran superstars. He’ll be 31 years previous in 2028, and could be able to step into an even bigger position if he desires to play. He ought to have a spot on this group if he desires it.
• Tyrese Haliburton, G, Indiana Pacers: Haliburton was a part of the 2023 World Cup group and 2024 Olympics group, however he didn’t get off the bench in any respect in Paris. He’ll solely be 28 years previous in 2028, and will go from the tip of the bench to the group’s essential catalyst. USA Basketball has at all times been at its finest getting up and down in transition, and taking part in quick is Haliburton’s specialty. He doesn’t really feel like a lock for the 2028 roster, however I’ll give him the sting over Jalen Brunson — who may have 4 extra years of taking part in for Tom Thibodeau on his legs by then.
• Ja Morant, G, Memphis Grizzlies: This was the toughest spot to choose. Right here’s a brief checklist of names thought-about: Tyrese Maxey, De’Aaron Fox, LaMelo Ball, Trae Younger, Derrick White, Amen Thompson, and Reed Sheppard. Morant appears like each the most secure wager to be a star producer in 2028, and arguably has the very best upside. Think about a beginning backcourt of Morant and Edwards. Good luck staying in entrance of these guys.

Forwards

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• Kevin Durant, F, Phoenix Suns: Why not? Durant loves ball as a lot as anybody on the planet. He’d be on the point of his fortieth birthday going for gold medal No. 5 in Los Angeles, however his mixture of dimension and taking pictures will nonetheless make him efficient. The ladies’s group in Paris simply reserved a spot for a legend in Diana Taurasi over youthful stars, and KD may get the identical therapy in LA.
• Jayson Tatum, F, Boston Celtics: Tatum’s want to play in LA can be maybe the most important storyline for the roster development. He was basically mothballed by head coach Steve Kerr in Paris, and when he did get on the ground, he didn’t make a single bounce shot. He’ll be 30 years previous in 2028, and will very nicely be the one finest American-born participant alive at the moment. Whereas it’s potential his poor Olympic expertise in Paris may deter him from taking part in, Tatum has been a part of USA Basketball since he was 16 years previous, and it’s laborious to stop a relationship that has lasted that lengthy.
• Paolo Banchero, F, Orlando Magic: Banchero looks as if the most important lock for the roster among the many forwards. He performed nicely for Crew USA on the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and has already chosen to decide to america over Italy. Banchero lacks elite athleticism and has struggled together with his scoring effectivity due to it, however he may nonetheless be the most effective scorers on the earth in 2028 and has a sport that works nicely for FIBA ball as a result of he’s sturdy sufficient to play by way of contact.
• Cooper Flagg, F, Duke: Flagg was already education NBA gamers at USA coaching camp this 12 months at simply 17 years previous. He’s being hyped as the following large factor in American basketball, and in my view he’s worthy of the reward. Flagg will solely be 21 years previous in 2028 (!), however he’ll be adequate to make the group and ought to be the way forward for this system. Different names thought-about for this spot: Brandon Miller, Scottie Barnes, Keegan Murray, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Cameron Boozer, and AJ Dybantsa.
• Zion Williamson, F, New Orleans Pelicans: That is my wildcard selection to finish the roster. Williamson hasn’t lived as much as the hype thus far, however he lastly proved he may keep (principally) wholesome final season. He’ll solely be 28 years previous in 2028, and nonetheless has an opportunity to be the face of American basketball at that time in his profession.

Bigs

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Will Anthony Davis and/or Joel Embiid play for Crew USA on the 2028 Olympics? I’m skeptical. Embiid can be 34 years previous, and his expertise in Paris was a little bit of a rollercoaster. Davis can be 35 years previous, and already has a protracted damage historical past. My guess is each gamers are out, which suggests the Individuals want some new bigs.

• Chet Holmgren, C, Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder: Holmgren isn’t a conventional FIBA large: his sport is predicated extra round talent than pure energy, and he’s not precisely bodying anybody within the paint with a skinny body. Nonetheless, Holmgren’s perimeter talent on offense and rim safety on protection makes him America’s most promising younger middle. He’ll be 26 years previous in 2028, and ought to be firmly within the prime of his profession as the most effective bigs within the NBA.
• Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Warmth: Would Bam join a 3rd gold medal run? Crew USA higher hope so. Adebayo can be 31 years previous in 2028, and would supply extra beef inside for an American roster that may want somebody who can play with extra physicality within the paint.
• Dereck Full of life II, C, Dallas Mavericks: Will Full of life develop into sufficient of a scoring menace to make this group? His rim safety is phenomenal, however he’ll have to enhance his offense to earn an invitation. Crew USA doesn’t have to hold three facilities with Flagg and Banchero sufficiently big to man the 5 for stretches, but it surely’s at all times higher to have extra dimension in FIBA. The middle room is the most important query for Crew USA in 2028. We’ll give Full of life a slight nod over Evan Mobley, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jarrett Allen, Jalen Duran, Kel’el Ware, and others.

Who’re the following males up?

If Tatum, Durant, Adebayo, and Booker flip down an invite, who ought to Crew USA be eying? Tyrese Maxey appears like the most effective guard on the board, Brandon Miller is the most effective wing accessible, Scottie Barnes works nicely as a two-way ahead. Keegan Murray is one other identify I maintain circling again to as a wing who can shoot threes with quantity and has sufficient defensive capacity to remain on the ground.

USA males’s basketball is coming into a transition part forward of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Examine again in 4 years to see how shut we got here to precisely predicting the roster.