What does Team USA do best at Olympic Games? They bring gold medals back to the States.
That was the case once again at the recently concluded Paris 2024 Olympics. And while France took USA Basketball to the very limit, Team USA was able to, not only to claim an eighth Olympic gold medal, but extend its winning streak at the Games to 61 consecutive matchups.
The flame may have been extinguished from Paris’ (floating) Olympic cauldron, but it does provide an opportunity to, perhaps, prognosticate what the outlook will be for the team in 2028.
The 2028 Olympics will be in an American city – Los Angeles to be precise. The team will be competing in its first Olympics in an American city since this run of dominance that began in 1996 in another U.S. city (Atlanta).
Expectations will certainly be high for the team’s run of dominance to continue – and for the team to make it nine consecutive gold medals.
Many fans on social media were questioning some of coach Cheryl Reeve’s decisions she made throughout the Olympics as they related to minutes allotted per game to certain players. If she were to be replaced by anyone going into LA28, the favorite would probably be Becky Hammon.
The problem if one were to ask any fans now is Hammon’s name may be somewhat radioactive given how many times her name has come up in current Los Angeles Spark (and former Las Vegas Ace) Dearica Hamby’s lawsuit against the team for discrimination due to her pregnancy. Hamby was part of the 3×3 USA assembling with Cierra Burdick, Rhyne Howard and Hailey Van Lith that won bronze in Paris.
As far as player personnel is concerned, we know the obvious. The Paris 2024 Olympics were the final Games for Diana Taurasi who is 42 years old this year. One can also safely guess that A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart will return for LA28. In four years, Wilson will be 32 and Stewart will be 33. Five of the 12-woman roster from this year’s rendition were 30 years old or older.
Both will still be in the primes of their careers in four years, albeit on the back side of those primes. Wilson and Stewart were part of FIBA’s All-Star Five for this year’s Olympics with Wilson also claiming MVP honors.
Outside of those three obvious developments, Team USA will have some decisions to make between now and 2028. Perhaps, the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Germany will go a long way in solidifying what the team’s LA28 roster will resemble.
Three of the younger players all happened to be guards – Sabrina Ionescu, Napheesa Collier and Jackie Young. When we get to 2028, Ionescu will be 30, Collier will be 31 and Young will be 30. If Reeve is still at the helm of USA Basketball when the Los Angeles Games commence, it may help with Reeve being Collier’s Minnesota Lynx coach.
Two that could emerge as question marks are Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd. Gray will not have age on her side as she will be 35 so her fortunes will rest on if she is still playing at the same level at 35 as she is at 31. As for Loyd, she certainly has the talent to make a huge impact on a USA Basketball roster, but that did not come to fruition in Paris.
Alyssa Thomas being 36 in 2028 may not bode well for her chances, but she could easily play the veteran point guard role that we saw Taurasi do at this year’s Olympics. Brittney Griner will be 37 – what will a 37-year old BG resemble in comparison to a 33-year old BG? If it is, the 2028 Games being in Los Angeles may have her lean “yes” since she has said the only reason she ever plans to go overseas is to play for Team USA in the Olympics. Griner will not have to worry about that in four years.
While BG may be 33 years old today, Kahleah Copper will be 33 years old in 2028 and we know how much of an x-factor off the bench she was in the Gold Medal Game with France (what A’ja Wilson said). The same applies to Kelsey Plum (also the same age as Copper).
One can virtually count on Caitlin Clark being a shoo-in to land one of those final 12 roster spots. Another who could also make a strong push is her Indiana Fever teammate Aliyah Boston. Also expect Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese to be part of that USA Basketball pool as well.
If anything was proven at these Olympics, it is while Team USA is still the team to beat at Olympics and FIBA World Cups, the rest of the world appears to be catching up. France had all of the ingredients necessary to ensure Team USA left the Olympics with silver instead of gold – including home court advantage.
A lot can – and will – happen between now and then. And there will be plenty of time to look at what the 2026 and 2028 renditions of the team will look like. As for now, eight is great for the USA.
