Young NBA Players We Already Want on Team USA for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

As we brace for Team USA's participation in the knockout round of the 2024 Paris Olympics men's basketball tournament, we can't help but look forward to the 2028 games in Los Angeles.

At least three of the biggest names on the current team could be retired by then. This could very well be the last international dance for LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. But that doesn't mean the Americans are going anywhere.

They figure to be a favorite in future Olympics, thanks in part to some of the younger players on this roster, but also because of a loaded class of up-and-comers behind them.

Below, we'll break down some of our favorite young players (for our purposes, that means under 25) who could represent Team USA.

Note that we're not building or predicting a complete roster, instead spotlighting stars from the next generation to potentially carry the mantle in 2028 and beyond.

Age: 17

Yeah, I'm cheating a little here.

Cooper Flagg isn't an NBA player yet, but he's the presumptive No. 1 pick for the 2025 draft. And he already made a name for himself as a member of the select team that trained with Team USA in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics.

The 17-year-old Flagg was scrimmaging against all-timers like LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Stephen Curry, and he didn't look remotely out of place.

"He kicked butt here," select team coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters. "There's a respect factor for what he's done. People who have not seen him play, as he gets himself going within the game, they quickly see what he can do."

Honestly, given the performance and the reaction to it, it wouldn't have been crazy to send Flagg to Paris as the Kawhi Leonard replacement. Of course, he probably would've spent much of the tournament on the bench, but there's precedent for including one up-and-comer. Christian Laettner was on the Dream Team in 1992. Anthony Davis played 7.4 minutes per game for the 2012 Olympic team.

With his size, athleticism, commitment to defense and perimeter skill, Flagg is almost certain to be good, no matter what his path looks like from here. But the opportunity to learn from and be around the Hall of Famers on this American team could've sped up the timeline.

—Andy Bailey

Age: 21

Even though Paolo Banchero's father is Italian, the Orlando Magic All-Star chose to represent team USA at last year's FIBA World Cup and beyond.

"That USA team photo was hung up in the basement, and my room was in the basement," Banchero said via Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. "I saw that every single day. That was literally one of my biggest dreams as a kid, to play for USA."

America should welcome Banchero onto the 2028 roster with open arms.

At age 20, he averaged 9.3 points on 58 percent shooting for team USA in the FIBA World Cup last summer and will be 25 during the 2028 Olympics. Banchero has already been named Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in his first two NBA seasons, leading the Magic from 22 wins to 34 in 2022-23 and now 47 victories and a playoff berth a year ago.

Big, athletic forwards like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony have been staples on Team USA for the past two decades. Banchero is the next one in line.

Age: 23

It only seems like Scottie Barnes is an aged veteran with the Toronto Raptors, but the All-Star just turned 23 on Aug. 1 and is heading into just his fourth season.

One trap Team USA can fall into is prioritizing star power over fit—but that's where a versatile 6'7" forward would thrive.

Barnes can play up to four positions as a rangy forward or a tall point guard. Last season, he averaged 16.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. He's a switchable defender who can thrive without scoring (though he can also do that).

And no, Barnes wouldn't play for Team Canada. The Florida native just works north of the border but should represent his country in 2028.

—Eric Pincus

Age: 22

For years, the common response to underwhelming production from former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham was to point out the lack of star power around him. And that's fair. Team-building for the Detroit Pistons has been a mess for much of the last two decades.

But that shouldn't define Cunningham, and an opportunity to use his combination of size and playmaking skill in lineups with other Olympians could remind everyone of just how good he can be (if he hasn't done that in the NBA by 2028).

Just last year, he was reportedly one of Team USA's best players in training camp for the World Cup, but he declined to compete in that tournament for "load management." If given the chance to play in the program again, he should take it. There's value in recovery time and individual training, but the experience gained from international tests can go a long way.

Age: 23

Anthony Davis (31) and Joel Embiid (30) will both be in their mid-30s during the next summer Olympics, meaning there could be a few openings for up-and-coming big men.

Evan Mobley could be the next Bam Adebayo for this group, a versatile defensive force who can play alongside other post players or as a standalone center surrounded by wings and guards.

Mobley, 23, already has a third-place Defensive Player of the Year finish under his belt and is growing his offensive game. He shot 41.7 percent from three over his final 27 games last season while taking nearly two attempts a night.

Mobley and Adebayo could play next to each other in 2028, creating an extremely formidable defensive frontcourt, important when facing teams like France (Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert), Greece (Giannis Antetokounmpo) and Serbia (Nikola Jokić).

A California native, Mobley has the skillset and versatility that Team USA will need in Los Angeles in 2028.

—Greg Swartz

Age: 24

The current Team USA roster wants on-ball rim pressure beyond LeBron James and Anthony Edwards. Unless LeBron has a change of heart and plans to return for the 2028 Olympics at the age of 43, Edwards will be the lone non-center incumbent inclined to blast through or around set defenses en route to the basket.

Enter Ja Morant, noted maker of posters and rocker of rims.

In many ways, Morant's offensive profile mirrors what LeBron brings…in miniature. No, Ja doesn't leverage the same size or brute strength. But his rim pressure is a constant, and it comes with devastatingly effective live-dribble passing.

That blend of skills will matter. Checking both the "rim pressure" and "primary playmaker" boxes is tough. Edwards himself isn't quite there yet in the latter department. Ja should still be close enough to his athletic prime during summer 2028, when he'll be approaching his 29th birthday, to offer Team USA this functional amalgam—and all the viral highlights and wallpaper-worthy stillshots that come with it.

—Dan Favale

Age: 22

If Joel Embiid's brief tenure with Team USA has taught us anything, it's that size on the frontline doesn't have to come in the most massive form. Heck, you could argue just the opposite.

Team USA is at its best wreaking havoc on the defensive end, running the floor and making quick decisions. Bam Adebayo and, probably, Anthony Davis will still fit that motif in 2028.

And so will Chet Holmgren.

The hyper-mobile rim protection is an obvious value-add for any type of squad. Holmgren's offensive armory seals his appeal. He does not require touches that will grind the entire offense down to a slog. On the contrary, he's at his most comfortable fanning out, hitting trail threes, attacking open lanes and just generally getting off the ball super quickly.

That functional wheelhouse is a divine fit for a roster bound to be stacked with ball-dominant perimeter players. And it just so happens his brand of defense and mobility will come in handy versus a France team that will likely feature a (somehow) even more terrifying version of Victor Wembanyama.

—Dan Favale

Age: 21

I'll take Amen Thompson's off-the-charts athleticism, versatility and defensive disruption, and then I'll hope that the intervening four years between now and the 2028 Olympics brings growth in the shooting and play-processing departments.

Billed as something of an on-ball shot creator as a prospect, Thompson spent much of his rookie season as a spoon-fed finisher in the dunker spot. Let's assume that had more to do with his surprising ability to handle what were essentially big-man duties than anything else—not that it forecloses Thompson's chance to become more of a lead guard down the line.

As it is, Thompson is one of those rare players who seems to always get to the ball first. That extends to rebounding in particular. Last season, no one in the league listed at 6'7" or shorter averaged more boards per 36 minutes.

Thompson led all qualified rookies with 3.6 deflections per 36 minutes in 2023-24.

Often, the US' Olympic squads struggle to find players who can both end opposing possessions and extend their own by simply going and getting the basketball wherever it is. Thompson's gifts in that area will make him an impact piece even if his offense lags.

But if the finer points of Thompson's offensive game blossom, and if his shooting progresses, the US could have a wing-sized, world-class transition threat and defensive game-changer who can also generate quality looks for others. That's exactly the kind of do-it-all force the US will need to counter increasingly tough international competition.

—Grant Hughes

Age: 23

Don't let his underwhelming 2024 postseason effort sway you. Jalen Williams is still the NBA's next great two-way wing in waiting.

Only two other players—Jamal Murray and CJ McCollum—matched Wiliams' 2023-24 averages of at least 19.0 points, 4.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game while hitting at least 42.0 percent of his threes. Neither of those two came close to making the other on-the-margins impacts Williams did, as the second-year wing bested both in total free-throw attempts, steals, blocks and true shooting percentage.

Williams' accuracy as a spot-up threat and skills as a secondary playmaker will allow him to fit into a star-laden US squad that'll surely feature MVP-caliber on-ball creators. Of course, if J-Dub's growth as a first option continues apace, maybe he'll be one of the players most deserving of time with the ball in his hands.

Williams went from ranking in the 78th percentile in assist rate among wings as a rookie to the 91st as a sophomore. That makes it hard to imagine he's topped out as a shot creator.

Already a premium role player and one of the most complete wings in the game at age 23, Williams still has superstar upside and is right on track to showcase his game on the 2028 world stage.

—Grant Hughes

Age: 24

Powerful players like Zion Williamson come around once in a generation. A modern-day Charles Barkley, Williamson is an undersized (in height) power forward with Shaquille O'Neal-like power.

Still just 24, Williamson is a two-time All-Star for the New Orleans Pelicans with a career average of 24.7 points a game on 59.2 percent shooting from the field.

Surround Williamson with elite shooting and versatile defenders, and he'll give the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics squad an unstoppable inside presence. As stars like LeBron James, Joel Embiid and even Anthony Davis age out, it's time to pass the torch to the next wave of NBA stars. Williamson's brute strength and power are tremendous starting points.

—Eric Pincus