As the echoes of Team USA's thrilling gold medal victory at the 2024 Paris Olympics fade, attention is turning to the next chapter for American men's basketball on the international stage. With the 2028 Summer Games set to return to Los Angeles for the first time since 1984, USA Basketball is embarking on a new era marked by a coaching change, a generational shift in roster construction, and heightened global competition. Managing director Grant Hill, who has overseen the program since 2021, faces the challenge of rebuilding after the departure of key veterans like LeBron James, while navigating interest from a deep pool of NBA talent eager to represent their country on home soil.
The Paris triumph came down to the wire, with the U.S. squad edging out Nikola Jokić-led Serbia 95-91 in the semifinals and host France 98-87 in the final. That team, the oldest in USA men's basketball history with an average age of 30.1, featured a blend of superstars, role players, and emerging talents. Yet, as Hill told ESPN last week, the focus now shifts to the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar—a tournament the U.S. hasn't won since 2014—before the marquee event in Los Angeles in July 2028.
One of the most significant changes is on the sidelines. Erik Spoelstra, head coach of the Miami Heat, has been tabbed to replace Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors. Spoelstra served on Kerr's staff in Paris, where his adjustments to international play were noted by those close to the team. 'Hearing him address the team, he makes you want to run through a wall,' said a figure present during Spoelstra's talks with the squad in 2024. Described as more intense than the laid-back Kerr, Spoelstra's style draws comparisons to Gregg Popovich's 'fear factor,' potentially suiting a younger roster that may require a firmer hand.
Kerr's veteran-laden group, including James, Curry, and Kevin Durant, overcame lethargic starts in close games, but Spoelstra's emphasis on possession value could address turnover issues in shorter 40-minute FIBA contests. Players like Jaylen Brown, averaging a career-high 3.6 turnovers per game with the Boston Celtics, and Cade Cunningham, whose turnovers remain high despite improvements with the Detroit Pistons, will need to adapt. In contrast, Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks is orchestrating his team's offense with a career-low turnover rate, making him a strong candidate for inclusion.
Durant, the all-time leading scorer for Team USA and a four-time Olympic gold medalist, is emphatic about his intentions. The 37-year-old Phoenix Suns star, who will be nearing 40 by 2028, dismissed suggestions that Paris was his final international outing. 'That narrative, where did the last dance thing come from?' Durant told ESPN earlier this month. 'I didn't say I wasn't playing. LeBron said he wasn't. You didn't hear that from me or Steph.' While Curry, also 37, seems unlikely to return, Durant is determined to earn his spot. 'Hell yeah, I want to play,' he said. 'But I gotta stay on top of my game... I want to still prove I can help the team win.'
Durant's consistent presence in USA Basketball since his youth sets him apart from James and Curry, whose potential absences will create voids in playmaking and leadership. After Durant, players like Anthony Edwards, Bam Adebayo, and Devin Booker—who evolved into a defensive specialist in Paris—are viewed as locks among the 2024 contributors. Jayson Tatum, sidelined for much of the Olympics due to rotation decisions and off-ball struggles, is expected to return assuming full recovery from his torn Achilles suffered in last season's playoffs.
Hill must decide between selecting the top nine players and filling out the roster with role players or prioritizing fit, as Kerr did in Paris—though that approach controversially left Tatum largely on the bench. With the U.S. hosting the Olympics for the first time in many NBA players' lifetimes, interest is high. Cunningham, a 24-year-old guard and top contender for the 2025-26 NBA MVP, expressed his eagerness to Hill earlier this season and reiterated it to ESPN. 'I put the work in,' Cunningham said. 'I feel like I am part of the next wave of American players. So, to be able to represent the United States would be a blessing.'
Cunningham and his Detroit teammate Jalen Duren impressed against 2024 Olympians as part of the USA Basketball Select Team, which also featured Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jalen Suggs, Amen Thompson, and 17-year-old Cooper Flagg. At 6-foot-6, Cunningham's versatility allows him to defend wings, while Duren's athleticism as a ball-handling big makes him a strong consideration. Both are likely to participate in the 2027 World Cup to build their international credentials. Durant even name-dropped Duren when discussing potential 2028 candidates, noting the abundance of talent. 'There's so many great players that are up for consideration that are either established or [younger],'
Paolo Banchero, the 23-year-old Orlando Magic forward who helped the U.S. finish fourth at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, is another prospect drawing attention. Reflecting on that experience, Banchero told ESPN early this season, 'I enjoyed my experience, even though we didn't medal... I felt like I could've done more for that team.' He acknowledged the differences in FIBA play but affirmed his interest in 2028. A source connected with USA Basketball pointed to the post-World Cup leaps made by Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton, who became an All-NBA third-team selection in 2024 after a limited role in Paris.
Versatile defenders like Jalen Johnson and Scottie Barnes could fill roles similar to Aaron Gordon's, providing multipositional flexibility. Shooting stands out as a priority, especially if Curry steps away; Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel has impressed with his marksmanship, becoming the fastest to 100 made 3-pointers in NBA history last month. At the guard position, physicality in international play favors taller options like the 6-foot-5 Haliburton, who is recovering from a torn Achilles sustained in Game 7 of the NBA Finals and could return for an expanded role.
'Jalen wants to play. He would love it,' a source close to Brunson told ESPN.
That enthusiasm extends to Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, and Tyrese Maxey. Mitchell, a seven-time All-Star, told ESPN earlier this season he would 'one-thousand-percent' love consideration, despite a disappointing 2019 World Cup experience. 'It'd be easy for me to say, 'I deserve it and all that,' for sure,' Mitchell said. 'But at the end of the day, it's not my call to make... I'll definitely be there and support us as a team, as a country.' Sources close to Brunson and Maxey echoed their interest, with one saying of the Philadelphia 76ers guard, 'Tyrese would be honored.'
Frontcourt depth includes intriguing Thunder duo Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, alongside Jalen Williams and Cleveland Cavaliers' Evan Mobley. Flagg, now a Dallas Mavericks rookie, turned heads in Las Vegas scrimmages before Paris. 'What I like about him, he really competes and plays hard,' a USA Basketball source said. 'He's good at just about everything.' At 21 by the 2028 Games, Flagg represents the youth infusion Hill plans after the veteran-heavy Paris roster.
Spoelstra's staff could include assistant Ty Lue, providing tactical depth to compensate for any size deficiencies up front. Joel Embiid's recruitment in 2024 specifically targeted Jokić, and similar strategies may apply against rising threats like Victor Wembanyama, who has vowed revenge after France's silver. Holmgren, noted for defending Jokić effectively in the NBA, could pair with Adebayo and Duren to counter the 22-year-old French star, whose game has elevated him to arguably top-five status. France's influx of talent, including Alex Sarr with the Washington Wizards and Zaccharie Risacher for the Atlanta Hawks, underscores concerns about NBA role players elevating for national teams.
Team USA's 2024 vulnerabilities fueled perceptions of an upset brewing in 2028, a narrative Durant rejects sharply. 'All I hear is, 'AAU is destroying the game,' 'the Euros do it right, while the Americans do it wrong,'' he said. 'It's a lot of bulls--- with that... 'France is coming for you.' Really? We smacked them boys.' With over two full NBA seasons and postseasons before selections solidify, the next 28 months will test Hill's vision amid a critical transition.
Success in Los Angeles could cement USA Basketball's dominance, but failure risks eroding the pedestal amid fiercer worldwide rivalry. As players like Cunningham and Banchero prepare through the 2027 World Cup, and Spoelstra instills discipline, the program aims to blend experience with emerging stars for another gold on American soil.