The 2024 Group USA males’s basketball group was constructed to let one of the best NBA gamers of the previous decade — LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry — attempt to avenge the People’ fourth-place end in final summer season’s FIBA World Cup.
These legends are nonetheless top-10 gamers, however the Paris Video games will nearly definitely be their Olympic swan music.
In actual fact, with seven of Group USA’s 12 gamers over 30, one can anticipate a youth motion within the U.S. program because it prepares its invite checklist for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. One may anticipate a stylistic change: a reversion to “small ball” to reap the benefits of the strengths of the nation’s greatest younger expertise.
So, with out additional ado, right here’s your projected 2028 Group USA roster:
(The quantity contained in the parentheses is that participant’s age in the summertime of 2028.)
Returners from 2024 group: Anthony Edwards (26), Jayson Tatum (30), Tyrese Haliburton (28), Devin Booker (31), Bam Adebayo (31)
These are the 5 gamers beneath 30 on this yr’s group, and we anticipate all 5 will wish to play once more in 2028. This might even be the beginning 5 with high-level positional passers in Haliburton and Adebayo surrounded by three elite offensive gamers. Edwards would be the group’s alpha canine and chief and Tatum will likely be its most vital two-way participant.
Famous person additions: Ja Morant (28), Zion Williamson (28), Paolo Banchero (25), Chet Holmgren (26)
How cool would it not be if Morant and Williamson, former AAU teammates, obtained their acts collectively over the subsequent 4 years and teamed for a shot at Olympic gold? They might give Group USA one-of-a-kind athletes at level guard and level ahead.
Morant’s inclusion would imply different certified guard candidates — Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Maxey — get bumped. Williamson’s choice would take different do-it-all gamers — Scottie Barnes and Cade Cunningham — out of the equation, too.
Jaylen Brown, one other high quality candidate, could have severed ties with Group USA after his feedback following his Boston Celtics teammate Derrick White’s inclusion this summer season.
Banchero, who already has Group USA expertise in final summer season’s World Cup, needs to be a Group USA centerpiece for the subsequent few Olympics. And Holmgren — America’s foil to Frenchman Victor Wembanyama — will get the sting over Evan Mobley, Dereck Full of life II and different promising, younger huge males.
Star function gamers: Jalen Williams (27), Desmond Bane (30)
Keep in mind, we’re constructing a basketball group right here, not projecting the 12 greatest American gamers come 2028, so the group will want gamers keen to do the little issues on protection and be connectors on offense.
Williams could possibly be flirting with All-NBA groups by 2028, however he has performed the star function participant place with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder in his first two NBA seasons, making him an ideal match on this group.
This group is somewhat wanting perimeter protection and capturing so many candidates had been thought-about right here together with Jalen Suggs, Trey Murphy, Brandon Miller, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson Jaden McDaniels and Stephon Fort.
However let’s go along with a no-nonsense veteran and underrated stud within the Memphis Grizzlies’ Bane. He is an elite three-point shooter and a bulldog defender who is aware of methods to play alongside Morant.
Wild card: Cooper Flagg (21)
There’s some severe American expertise within the pipeline — Flagg and AJ Dybantsa have some Zion Williamson-level hype whereas Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper and Cameron Boozer are on their heels. No less than one in all them will seemingly be on the 2028 Group USA roster.
Flagg, who lit it up as a 17-year-old within the Choose Group scrimmages, is the most secure guess.
Last roster:
Guards: Ja Morant, Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton
Wings: Jayson Tatum, Jalen Williams, Desmond Bane
Bigs: Zion Williamson, Paolo Banchero, Bam Adebayo, Chet Holmgren, Cooper Flagg
