Savor this moment, we may never see anything like Paris again.
Three of the top 15 players ever to lace them up joined forces on the court — LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant — and all rose to the occasion to bring home gold for Team USA. It was unforgettable. It was magical. LeBron was the deserving Olympics MVP as the tone setter for the gold medal team, and we will be talking about this 2:47 from Curry as long as people pick up a basketball and shoot it.
STEPH WAS ICE COLD DOWN THE STRETCH. 🥶
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 10, 2024
Four three-pointers in TWO MINUTES AND 11 SECONDS to close out France for the gold medal. 🥇 #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/2dR7UUE0Hn
Four years from now, in Los Angeles, 2028 will be a changing of the guard.
LeBron and Curry said postgame they do not plan to play in four years, and while Durant was non-commital he will be 39.
Four years from now, this will be Anthony Edwards’ team — he is poised to step up as the face of the league and averaged 12.8 points a game (fourth on Team USA) on 58% shooting in Paris. He is in position to be the best American-born player in the world by 2028.
The question is, who is on the USA roster with him?
Who makes USA 2028 Olympic roster?
Let’s start with the players likely to return from Paris:
Likely to return:
• Anthony Edwards
• Devin Booker
• Tyrese Haliburton
• Bam Adebayo
Maybe returns:
• Jayson Tatum
• Anthony Davis
• Joel Embiid
Booker played his role perfectly and was on the court in the biggest moments in Paris for Team USA and he will be 31 in four years. USA Basketball will want him back, and he can step into the role of elder statesman. Haliburton was lost in the numbers game in Paris — LeBron was the primary point guard, with Curry and Jrue Holiday serving as backup ball handlers — but that vibe will be different in four years. Adebayo is a versatile big who will be just 31 years old in four years, and especially if Erik Spoelstra is the coach we should see him.
Tatum was frustrated with his playing time in Paris but wisely said he would take a step back, let his emotions cool down and decide on Los Angeles closer to those games — he would have a much bigger role and may well return. Davis was elite defensively but will his body be up for this at age 35? The same question goes to Embiid, who will be 34 in 2028.
Who will join them on the USA roster in Los Angeles? Here are some locks (if healthy and they want to go), and some names to consider.
Locks for Los Angeles:
Paolo Banchero
Jalen Brunson
Chet Holmgren
Cooper Flagg
Paolo Banchero and Jalen Brunson showed they were good enough for this stage during the FIBA World Cup and four years from now they will be ready — and Brunson brings a “fill your role” leadership Team USA will want with guys like Jrue Holiday and Derrick White likely not returning. Chet Holmgren will be the best American center and our best guy to match up with Victor Wembanyama for stretches. Flagg may be a stretch as a lock, but he is on track to be a budding superstar, and after two NBA seasons, it will be time to bring him on board the way it was time to bring Anthony Edwards to Paris.
Names to watch:
Zion Williamson
Jaylen Brown
Ja Morant
Tyrese Maxey
Cade Cunningham
Jalen Williams
Scottie Barnes
D’Aaron Fox
Brandon Miller
Amen Thompson
Jalen Suggs
Evan Mobley
Donovan Mitchell
LaMelo Ball
The questions on this lengthy list are varied. Some are about health (Zion leads that list), development in the next four years (Barnes, Miller, Thompson and Mobley lead that category), and fit (LaMelo has plenty of talent, but will he fit at the point or is Cunningham or Maxey the better call). Jaylen Brown would fit (he would have fit in Paris, too) but will he be asked, and if so, would he accept? There are also specialty players, like Suggs for defense. Four years is a long time, the names on this list will shift, injuries and other changes will come into play, but this is a good list of players to watch as potential Olympians.
Who can stop the USA from six straight golds?
France.
Other nations such as Germany, Australia, Serbia and others will be in the mix, but France has a legitimate chance to turn the tables on the Americans, come to their country and steal gold in four years.
First, France will have Victor Wembanyama, who scored 26 points with 7 rebounds in the gold medal game this year and four years from now will be the best player on the planet.
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA WITH A POSTERIZING DUNK!! 🇫🇷🤯
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 8, 2024
📺 USA Network and Peacock | #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/WtZJIueo8p
What hurt France in the Paris Olympics was a lack of consistent secondary shot creation, if France’s young guards and wings can develop into elite perimeter players to go with Wembanyama, they will be very tough to beat. Four years from now, maybe rising Wizards star Bilal Coulibaly (on the roster in Paris at age 20) can be that guy. Or, maybe just drafted No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher could fill that role (and No. 2 pick this year Alexandre Sarr could be a 7-footer next to, or off the bench behind, Wembanyama). Then there is Nolan Traore, a 6'5" point guard projected as a potential top-five pick in 2025.
The point is, the French will have options — and a very good team in Paris.
One that even a fully loaded Team USA may find very difficult to beat.
