Team USA men’s basketball always brings a Blue Devil.
There’s been at least one Duke basketball alum on four of the last five Olympic rosters for the Americans. Carlos Boozer won his gold medal in 2008, Kyrie Irving won his in 2016, and Jayson Tatum became the first Blue Devil with multiple gold medals after he played in both Tokyo and Paris. Even on the coaching staff and at an administrative level, legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski won three consecutive gold medals from 2008-16 as the U.S. head coach and Grant Hill served as the managing director for the American team for 2024.
That trend seems certain to continue in 2028. Tatum is still just 26 years old, and after he joined a rare list of players with a First Team All-NBA selection, an NBA title, and an Olympic gold medal in one year, he’d have to turn down Team USA to not make the roster in Los Angeles.
He assuredly won’t be the only Duke basketball alum in four years’ time, however. One NBA reporter said he expects two more Blue Devils will make the American team in 2028, and the program keeps churning out NBA talent.
Tatum and Irving will be threats to make any Olympic roster, but here are the five Blue Devils most likely to make their Olympic debuts for Team USA in 2028.
The closest thing to a lock on this list, fans were clamoring for Flagg to replace Kawhi Leonard on this year’s team despite the 17-year-old not even making his college debut yet. The top-ranked player in the Class of 2024, Flagg’s athleticism and defensive prowess turned heads at Olympic training camp when he played for the Select Team. The upcoming Blue Devil has repeatedly said he takes pride in his work on the defensive end, and the tape against Team USA backed that up. He’s taking steps forward as a three-level scorer, and analysts are already insisting he’s the next face of USA Basketball. At this point, if Flagg is upright and still playing in 2028, it’s hard to imagine him not making the Olympic team.
If Flagg has a 99% chance to make the American team in 2028, Banchero’s currently hovering around 98%. The No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA draft has taken a step forward every year he’s been in the national spotlight. He led Duke to the Final Four as a freshman, won NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 2022-23, and led the Orlando Magic to the playoffs as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference this past year. He averaged 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in his second NBA campaign, and he already has Team USA experience at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Williamson’s chances to make the next wave of USA Basketball rosters entirely revolve around his health. The former Duke star is still only 24 years old, and he’s averaged 24.7 points per game throughout his NBA career thus far. Granted, he’s only played 184 games across five seasons. To earn genuine consideration for the squad, he’ll need to either become a more regular fixture on the court or become a 30-point-per-game guy when he is healthy. In terms of tape and talent, however, there’s no justification for Williamson to miss out on Los Angeles.
There’s a little bit of projection here, but it’s hard to not get excited after Lively averaged 8.8 points and 6.9 rebounds as a rookie. He finished his first postseason with four double-doubles, including two in the NBA Finals, and he seems like a future fixture in the Dallas point. A center on a team with Luka Doncic will certainly pick up more and more star power, and the American big men are only getting older. Joel Embiid is 30 and implied he might play for Cameroon in 2028, Anthony Davis is 31, and even Bam Adebayo is 27. If two of those three aren’t on Team USA in four years, the staff will be desperate for a 7-footer built to dominate the glass like Lively.
Speaking of projection, the 16th pick in the 2024 NBA draft hasn’t played a single game for the 76ers yet. However, like Lively, he fits a weakness on the American roster. Steph Curry and Devin Booker filled the role of perimeter shooters in France, and despite his stunning performance in the gold medal game, Curry will be 40 in 2028. He was the only player to average more than five 3-point attempts per game in 2024, and Booker and Anthony Edwards were the only players under the age of 34 to average more than three attempts per game. Enter Jared McCain, the 41% sharpshooter who could earn some traction if he blossoms in Philadelphia.