The 2028 Olympics may seem far away now. However, with EuroBasket currently winding down and not much NBA news, projecting Team USA's roster for 2028 can be a fun exercise. On a recent episode of the Zach Lowe Show, Lowe and Bill Simmons did just that. Interestingly, Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards was one of two returning players whom both Simmons and Lowe had on their projected roster, with Tyrese Haliburton being the other.
This is certainly a reasonable take. Last year's Olympics felt like the last dance for LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry. Derrick White and Jrue Holiday are unlikely to return. Joel Embiid's injury issues make a return feel improbable, likewise for Anthony Davis, who will be 35, but he still has a better chance than LeBron. This leaves Ant, Haliburton, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, and Bam Adebayo as the most likely returners.
Still, of this group, Edwards might be the only player who is 100 percent guaranteed to return based on talent and presumed interest. Undoubtedly, Edwards feels poised to be the face of USA Basketball and the team's best player in 2028. At 27, Edwards will be in his true prime and will be the perfect leader for Team USA. It's not far-fetched to say that Edwards could be a legit top-three player come 2028.
Edwards is clearly well-positioned to be the face of USA Basketball, but this wasn't always expected
In 2020, nobody even thought Edwards would make the Olympic team. However, Edwards' rise to stardom made his spot on the team an easy choice in 2024. Now, Edwards is suddenly well-positioned to be the face of USA Basketball in 2028, and his constant improvements make this even more likely.
Edwards thrived in his Olympic debut last year, averaging 12.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists on 58/48/58.3 shooting splits. Notably, Edwards' 12.8 points ranked fourth on the team behind the trio of Curry, LeBron, and KD.
As a gifted three-level scorer with a rare blend of athleticism and knockdown shooting. Edwards' skill set makes him a perfect go-to scorer in Olympic settings. Furthermore, he is a hard-nosed defender who plays on both ends of the floor with unmatched passion and an unshakeable confidence. By all accounts, there's no better player to represent the red, white, and blue.
2028 will be a special Olympics for Team USA as Los Angeles is the host city. However, Team USA basketball will face perhaps its toughest competition of all-time. France, 2024's runner-up, will be led by a 24-year-old Victor Wembanyama. Nikola Jokić will be 34, but best believe the current best player in the world will have Serbia in the mix. Canada, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, will have a deep and talented team. Then there are teams like Germany that also seem to perform at a high level on the international stage.
Of course, per usual, Team USA will have a massive target on its back. However, there's no better player to lead Team USA to its sixth straight gold medal and usher in a new era of USA basketball than Edwards.