The American 2024 Olympic basketball team was led by Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and LeBron James. They’ll all be older than 39 when the next Olympics rolls around. That’s pretty old to be playing Olympic basketball, especially since they were pretty old in 2024.
They wanted to put the USA back firmly on top with that run, as Curry had never played in the Olympics before that. After a loss in the FIBA World Cup, Anthony Edwards brought the basketball Avengers with him to win, and they did.
Curry and James are highly unlikely to play another Olympics. Durant, though, isn’t just open to it. He plans to lead Team USA another time in two years.
Kevin Durant plans to play for Team USA in 2028
The 2028 Olympics will be in Los Angeles, so Team USA will be defending its crown on home soil. However, they’re going to be without two of the absolute greatest American basketball players to ever play the sport.
However, they won’t be missing the third part of that gold-medal trio. Kevin Durant shunned the idea that his Olympic days were over. “You guys, the media, have projected that,” Durant said via ESPN. “That narrative, where did the last dance thing come from? I didn’t say I wasn’t playing. LeBron said he wasn’t. You didn’t hear that from me or Steph.”
Curry remains unlikely, and James has said he’s done. That could change, but either one playing in 2028 feels like a long shot. Durant, though, has every intention of returning to help defend the gold medal he just won.
“Hell yeah, I want to play,” Durant said. “I would love to, but I’ve got to stay on top of my game. I’m not expecting, I want to produce on the floor and make Grant and whoever is making the decisions, want to put me on the team. I don’t want — not just for seniority. I want to still prove I can help the team win. Today, yeah I feel like I’ll put my name in that hat.”
The world has closed the gap, and even with the trio of Curry, Durant, and James leading the way, Team USA only narrowly escaped with gold. They’ll need a lot of help in 2028, and Durant plans to give it.
Who will join him on Team USA?
Whether or not Kevin Durant plays, Team USA will not look the same as it has. The 2024 team is going to lose a few aged contributors, and there will be new faces. Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, and Devin Booker could return from their previous run.
Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson will undoubtedly be in the mix. Tyrese Maxey and Cade Cunningham are on the rise and will have a great chance at making the team. Cooper Flagg, who played with Team USA stars before even being drafted, feels like a shoo-in at this point.
Jayson Tatum is probably on the team, too, even if he got essentially benched in 2024. Jaylen Brown and Mikal Bridges are both potential wings to replace some of the older players on the roster.
At center, the United States may be in trouble. Joel Embiid is aging and injury-prone, as are Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo. He’s just 30 when the next Olympics rolls around, so Adebayo should be on the team, but he can’t be the only big.
Evan Mobley, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Chet Holmgren make a lot of sense. And at all positions, Team USA has plenty of young or underdeveloped talent to potentially choose from when the time comes:
- Austin Reaves
- De’Aaron Fox
- Darius Garland
- Kon Knueppel
- Jalen Duren
- Trae Young
- Jalen Johnson
- Ja Morant
- Scottie Barnes
- Desmond Bane
- Walker Kessler
- Paolo Banchero
- Jalen Suggs
- Tyler Herro
- LaMelo Ball
- Keyonte George
- Jarrett Allen
- Trey Murphy
- Anthony Black
- Cason Wallace
- Amen Thompson
- Brandon Miller
- Jalen Williams
- Herb Jones
- Dylan Harper
Additionally, it’s possible some of the top prospects in 2026, like Caleb Wilson, Cam Boozer, AJ Dybants, and Darryn Peterson, make the team, even if it’s unlikely so early into their NBA careers.
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