Projecting the 2028 USA men’s basketball Olympics roster

The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics are underway, with Team USA having notched its first victory over Nikola Jokic and the Serbian national team. After the United States' disastrous appearance in the FIBA World Cup a couple years ago, the heavyweights showed up for the Olympics. We haven't seen a more stacked Team USA roster since the Dream Team — if ever.

It's unclear whether or not this is sustainable, in part because of how "old" (relatively speaking) so many of those heavyweights are. LeBron James has been USA's top player so far. He's 39 years old. Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Jrue Holiday are all at least 34 years old. Is 40-year-old Steph going to trot out there in four years? Can the U.S. lock up 43-year-old LeBron for the LA games in 2028?

I wouldn't rule it out — LeBron specifically has superhuman powers and there's a special appeal to playing the Olympics in Los Angeles — but odds are against it. Simply put, the 2028 men's Olympic roster is going to look vastly different.

The question is, of course, how different? Let's put on our thinking caps and put together a potential roster.

Predicting the 2028 U.S. men's basketball Olympic roster

Let's officially rule out the 'old heads', so to speak. It's great to have one last sunset moment with LeBron, KD, and Steph, but we are trending toward a strong insurgence from the 'new' generation of U.S. basketball stars in the 2028 games.

We already have a few inevitable carryovers on the 2024 roster — Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Bam Adebayo — while the 2024 select team roster, which featured several appealing long-term names, is another good place to look.

That said, the majority of names on the 2028 roster will probably be Olympic first-timers. Let's try our best to narrow the field to 12 U.S.-born stars who are going to be up to Olympic par in four years.

Anthony Edwards, wing, Minnesota Timberwolves

Duh. Anthony Edwards has been propped up as the future of Team USA all summer, to the point where he's somehow overshadowing many of his more accomplished peers. Edwards will be 26 when the next Olympics roll around, still firmly in the middle of his prime. He has a chance for a KD, Carmelo type of run here, earning three or four medals before his basketball career expires.

Jayson Tatum, wing, Boston Celtics

Another 'duh.' Jayson Tatum is 26 years old with multiple NBA Finals appearances and a championship under his belt. He is perhaps the prime-aged American star, and that won't change in the next four years. This Boston team is built for prolonged success and Tatum, for all the jokes made at his expense following a DNP-CD in the Serbia game, is essential to the long-term DNA of Team USA.

Bam Adebayo, big, Miami Heat

Bam Adebayo will be 31 when the Los Angeles games take place. He is the future of Miami Heat basketball, clearly in the process of taking that torch from Jimmy Butler. Interior defense is even more important in FIBA than it is in the NBA. Adebayo offers the physicality, rim protection, and defensive versatility the U.S. needs against an emerging class of international big men. The offense is evolving, too. Next time around, Adebayo could feature far more prominently in the U.S. game plan.

Joel Embiid, big, Philadelphia 76ers

There has been a lot of hand-wringing about Joel Embiid's awkward fit with the U.S. squad and it seems almost like a foregone conclusion in some circles that he won't be back in 2028. It's fair to wonder how Embiid's health will hold up over the next four years, but he is quite literally one of the two or three best basketball players on the planet right now. If he's physically able, Team USA will probably want 34-year-old Embiid back. As the roster turns over, there's should be a chance for him to take on a more natural role next time around.

Devin Booker, guard, Phoenix Suns

Devin Booker, who will be 31 when the 2028 games occur, has cemented his place in the Team USA hierarchy. His remarkable adaptability makes him especially impactful on the international stage. We know Booker can run the show and dominate possessions — the dude scored 70 in a single game — but this Olympics summer, we have seen Booker confidently operate as a spot-up shooter, connective passer, and dogged defender. He buys into the team concept and has the ideal skill set for this setting.

Tyrese Haliburton, guard, Indiana Pacers

Tyrese Haliburton has been another target of DNP jokes after the Serbia game, but he will be 28 next time around, smack in the middle of his prime. Haliburton is another scalable guard whose skill set adjusts well to the international arena. He is geared toward elevating teammates, equally comfortable running pick-and-rolls in the middle of the floor or bombing spot-up 3s on the wing and working off of backdoor cuts. He's going to be on the team in four years.

Cooper Flagg, wing, Duke

Cooper Flagg starred for the select team at 17 years old. He went toe-to-toe with NBA royalty in practices and often stole the spotlight. It's early, of course, but Flagg has all the tools Team USA could hope for in a 6-foot-9 wing. He's a voracious defender, vacuuming up shots as weak-side helper and exploding into passing lanes to create turnovers. Flagg is equally dynamic on offense, comfortable as both the No. 1 star or a role player. He does all the small things and processes the floor at light speed. He's going to be in the Team USA orbit for a long time if he wants to be.

Chet Holmgren, big, Oklahoma City Thunder

Again, we cannot overstate the importance of rim protection at the FIBA level. Planting significant size and length in the frontcourt is essential. Holmgren offers positional versatility on both ends as a true 7-footer with a 7-foot-6 wingspan and top-shelf shot-blocking instincts. We are going to see Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama battle on the Olympics stage one day. Book it.

Jalen Williams, wing, Oklahoma City Thunder

Another versatile wing who can scale down into an elite role player, Jalen Williams ought to be in consideration next time around. He will be 27, with plenty of time to come into his own as OKC's No. 2 star next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Williams is remarkably light on weaknesses. He just does so much well, supplying elite wing defense, dependable 3-point shooting, and impressive passing instincts for a wing who can rebound, screen, and do everything in between.

Donovan Mitchell, guard, Cleveland Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell is one of the most electric individual offensive weapons in the NBA. His downhill speed and strength is tough to combat as a scorer. He has steadily increased his footprint as a passer, too, becoming a one-man generative engine for the Cavs. There aren't many defenders at the FIBA level who can get in Mitchell's grill and give him issues. The defense is a problem, but Team USA will surround him with the best of the best in that department.

Brandin Podziemski, guard, Golden State Warriors

Brandin Podziemski was on the select team. He is a Steve Kerr favorite, something we've never said about a rookie before, to the point that Golden State isn't going to trade him for Lauri Markkanen. Somebody needs to fill the Jrue Holiday/Derrick White role in four years. A supercharged bit player who defends like hell, shoots 3s, and provides supplementary playmaking chops. Podziemski has that in the tank. This is the most outside the box prediction, but it's not hard to comprehend the logic behind it. Not everybody on Team USA can be 'the guy.'

Paolo Banchero, wing, Orlando Magic

A key element of the last FIBA World Cup roster, Paolo Banchero — who famously spurned the Italian national team to compete for the U.S. — is due for his Olympics debut in four years. Orlando is on a skyward trajectory and Banchero has a compellingly dynamic skill set at 6-foot-10. His physicality, three-level scoring, and playmaking juice should allow him to fit within various personnel groups.

(I would also keep an eye on how quickly upcoming elite prospects, such as projected 2026 NBA Draft picks Cam Boozer and AJ Dybantsa, take off. There's a lot of new talent on the horizon.)