Predicting USA Basketball’s next Olympics men’s roster for 2028 Los Angeles Games

The United States Men’s Basketball National Team is an Olympic dynasty. The team’s gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics marks their fifth consecutive gold medal and eight of the last nine. This U.S. team felt special in many ways, especially since it was the final Olympic Games for the greatest players of all time.

Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant led the US team to the gold medal. The trio are three of the top 15 players in NBA history and represent the greatest generation of American men’s basketball since the core of the 1992 Dream Team. Curry and James will be in their 40s in 2028 but have already announced that they will not play. Durant will be just a few months away from his 40th birthday by the time the Los Angeles Games begin.

The legends who saved U.S. basketball in Paris won’t be around in 2028. Team USA needs to build a new core as the rest of the world continues to close the talent gap the U.S. has always enjoyed. Coming into Los Angeles, the U.S. gold medal dynasty is in peril, and the roster will need to be completely revamped to maintain momentum.

A lot can change in four years, but here are our predictions for the USA Basketball Men’s National Team at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

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• Anthony Edwards, G, Minnesota TimberwolvesAnt-Man is a sure bet for the U.S. National Team in 2028. He was the youngest player on the U.S. National Team in Paris, but will be 27 years old by the time of the Los Angeles Games. Ant-Man brings an explosive backcourt scorer to the U.S. National Team, with good athleticism and a tough shot all over the court. He could be the team’s primary scorer.
• Devin Booker, G Phoenix SunsBooker was a bit of a surprise starter in Paris, serving as the glue between the U.S. team’s three veteran superstars, and when he turns 31 in 2028, he’ll be ready for a bigger role if he wants to play. There should be a place for him on this team if he wants to.
• Tyrese Haliburton, G, Indiana PacersHaliburton was selected for the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympic teams, but did not play a single time off the bench in Paris. He will be 28 in 2028, but he could potentially move from the end of the bench to a central player on the team. USA Basketball has always done best in transition, and playing fast is Haliburton’s forte. He’s not a sure bet to make the 2028 roster, but he’s an advantage over Jalen Brunson, who could potentially play four years under Tom Thibodeau.
• Jay Morant, G, Memphis GrizzliesThis was the hardest one to choose. The candidates were: Tyrese Maxey, De’Aaron Fox, LaMelo Ball, Trae Young, Derrick White, Amen Thompson, Reed Shepard. Morant is the surest bet to be a star in 2028 and certainly has the best chance. Imagine Morant and Edwards in a starting backcourt. Good luck getting ahead of those two.

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• Kevin Durant, F, Phoenix SunsWhy not? Durant loves the ball more than anyone on the planet. He’s approaching his 40th birthday, but his size and shooting power will still be effective if he’s going for his fifth gold medal in Los Angeles. The Paris women’s team just secured a spot for legend Diana Taurasi over a young star, and KD might get the same treatment in Los Angeles.
• Jayson Tatum, F, Boston CelticsTatum’s desire to play in Los Angeles will likely be the biggest storyline in the roster construction. He was effectively suspended by head coach Steve Kerr in Paris and didn’t make a single jump shot when he was on the court. He’ll turn 30 in 2028 and could very well be the best American-born player at that point. A poor Olympic performance in Paris could deter him from playing, but Tatum has been a part of USA Basketball since he was 16 and it would be hard to break a relationship that has lasted that long.
• Paolo Banchero, F, Orlando MagicBanchero seems like the most likely forward to make the team, having already qualified for the U.S. over Italy in the 2023 FIBA ​​World Cup. Banchero lacks elite athleticism, which has caused him to struggle with scoring efficiency, but he could be one of the best scorers in the world in 2028 and is strong enough to play through contact, making him well suited to the FIBA ​​game.
• Cooper Flagg, F, Duke: Flagg is just 17 years old this year and has already been coaching NBA players at US training camps. He is expected to be the next big thing in American basketball and in my opinion, he deserves the praise. Flagg will only be 21 years old in 2028 (!) but he is good enough to make the team and be the future of the program. Other players under consideration for the position are Brandon Miller, Scottie Barnes, Keegan Murray, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Cameron Boozer and AJ Divanza.
• Zion Williamson, F, New Orleans Pelicans: This is my wildcard pick to round out the roster. Williamson hasn’t lived up to expectations so far, but he finally proved he can stay (mostly) healthy last season. He’ll be 28 in 2028, but he still has a chance to be the face of American basketball at that point.

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Will Anthony Davis and Joel Embiid play for the U.S. in the 2028 Olympics? I’m skeptical. Embiid is 34 and had a turbulent experience in Paris. Davis is 35 and already has a long injury history. My guess is that both will miss the game, and the U.S. needs a new big man.

• Chet Holmgren, C, Oklahoma City ThunderHolmgren is not a traditional FIBA ​​big man. His game relies more on skill than pure power, and he’s not the kind of guy who’s going to run people over in the paint with his skinny frame. Still, Holmgren’s perimeter skills on offense and rim protection on defense make him one of the most promising young centers in the country. He’ll be 26 in 2028 and should be in the prime of his career as one of the best big men in the NBA.
• Bam Adebayo, C, Miami HeatWill Bam try to win a third gold medal? The U.S. can only hope so. Adebayo will be 31 in 2028 and would provide an extra boost on the interior for a U.S. team that needs someone more physical in the paint.
• Derek Lively II, C, Dallas MavericksWill Lively be a scoring threat and make the team? His rim protection is phenomenal, but he’ll need to improve his offensively to earn an invite. Team USA is Have Flagg and Banchero are big enough to guard the five at length and will carry three centers, but FIBA ​​favors bigger players. Center placement is the biggest question mark for the U.S. in 2028. That gives Lively a slight edge over the likes of Evan Mobley, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jarrett Allen, Jarren Duran and Kel’el Ware.

Who is the next guy?

If Tatum, Durant, Adebayo and Booker decline the invite, who should Team USA look to? Tyrese Maxey seems like the best guard on the board. Brandon Miller is the best wing available, and Scottie Barnes works well as a two-way forward. Keegan Murray is another name I keep mentioning as a wing who can shoot 3-pointers in volume and has good enough defensive ability to stay on the court.

USA Men’s Basketball is in transition leading up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Check back in four years to see how accurate our members’ predictions were.