USA Basketball could face a dilemma in 2028 because the trio of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry probably wouldn't be around to lead the squad in the Los Angeles Games. They could still opt to represent the country in the Olympics, but all of them would be at least 39 years old by then.
Still, Team USA won't lack talent or confidence, as Anthony Edwards appears to have declared his intention to wear the Red, White, and Blue for a second consecutive Olympics.
The U.S.'s new alpha males
It's unclear if Edwards and Devin Booker will push through with their passing comments on playing for the U.S. again. However, the pair replacing James, Durant, and Curry as the faces of the team probably wouldn't be a bad idea.
Both of them took a step back to this year's top guns despite having become used to being the go-to guy almost throughout their hoops careers. Ant even declared before the Olympics that his compatriots would have to deal with him being the No. 1 option. As for Booker, he entered the summer knowing that he would be a role player .
As it turned out, Edwards became an essential reserve for Team USA, providing scoring and energy off the bench. Meanwhile, DBook was arguably the squad's unsung hero because he transformed into a glue guy and a 3-and-D weapon for the U.S. Yet when the team needed him to score, the Suns guard had no problems providing that.
Don't be surprised if the All-Star swingmen become Team USA's most potent one-two combo four years from now.
Related: Shaun Livingston says Stephen Curry had difficulties adjusting to Kevin Durant: "He need a little more rhythm"
What it might mean for other stars
Interestingly, it looked like another superstar was supposed to be molded as the Americans' successor for James and Durant: Jayson Tatum. After all, the Boston Celtics cornerstone was the second-leading scorer for the U.S. group behind Kevin Durant in the 2020 Olympics.
However, he failed to impress in Paris. Some might pin the blame for Tatum's forgettable Olympic stint on coach Steve Kerr's decision to bench him a few times. A lot of people, though, have overlooked the fact that the NBA champion shot 0-for-16 on jump shots during the tournament. He really didn't give the coaching staff many reasons to find minutes for him every contest.
Still, Tatum could look to bounce back in 2028. The next quadrennial event will be held in his idol Kobe Bryant's old stomping grounds. If he opts to suit up again for Team USA, "Taco Jay" might have to get back in line and play a supporting role behind Edwards and Booker, both of whom proved to USAB that it should prioritize adding them to the roster for the next Olympics.
Related: "Propaganda works" - Isiah Thomas reacts to Anthony Edwards saying only Michael Jordan had skill in '90s
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