Mussatto: Imagining Thunder's Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams on Team USA in 2028 Olympics
USA Men’s Basketball has been Thunderless in the Olympics since 2012, when all three of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the soon-to-be-traded James Harden suited up for the Americans in London.
Durant played on the 2016 team in Rio De Janeiro, fresh off his decision to leave Bricktown for The Bay. No Thunder players were selected by Team USA for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics (played in 2021 due to COVID) or the upcoming games in Paris.
Expect that to change in 2028, when one or both of Thunder rising stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren figure to be strong candidates for Team USA.
This summer will likely mark the last Olympics for Team USA stalwarts LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, who will be 43, 40 and 39 by the time the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles roll around.
Further down the roster, Jrue Holiday will be 38, Anthony Davis 35 and Joel Embiid and Derrick White 34. White was an injury replacement for Kawhi Leonard, who will be 37 in 2028.
This 2024 Team USA roster might be the most-stacked ever, bridging generations with LeBron and the old guard joining forces with Anthony Edwards and the young guns — a youth movement that could soon include Williams and Holmgren.
Here’s what the 12-man Team USA men’s basketball roster could look in 2028:
Potential 2028 Team USA starting five
G Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
G Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
F Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
F Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
C Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
All five are on the 2024 team. Tatum (26), Haliburton (24) and Edwards (22) seem like locks given their ages. Davis and Embiid will be 35 and 34 respectively. Both have significant injury histories, but we’ll pencil them in pending health.
Potential 2028 Team USA reserve guards/wings
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
Booker is already on the team. Brown voiced his displeasure for not being selected. He’ll fill a need for a big wing/forward when James and Durant move on. Brunson certainly had a case to make the team this summer. Morant should be a Team USA mainstay if he gets his life/health back on track. We’ll give J-Dub the final nod because, No. 1, you can never have too many two-way wings and, No. 2, the whole point of this exercise is to see what Team USA could look like with two Thunder players.
Potential 2028 Team USA reserve bigs
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
Is this the starting frontcourt if Davis and Embiid aren’t on the team? There’s a deeper pool of American guards than bigs. Holmgren is in line to be Team USA’s center of the future.
Potential 2028 Team USA injury replacements/last five cuts
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
Cooper Flagg, Duke University
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
Banchero played for Team USA in last summer’s FIBA World Cup. Maxey and Mitchell are behind a glut of other guards, although Maxey could leapfrog other guys on this list. If Williamson is healthy … Well, we know how that goes. Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, will be three seasons into his NBA career. He could be one of the faces of USA Basketball by 2028.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Predicting Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams on Team USA in 2028 Olympics