In a new mailbag at The Athletic, Kelly Iko argues that Rockets guard Jalen Green is a potential surprise candidate for the Americans at the 2028 Olympics.
In a new mailbag column at The Athletic, Kelly Iko argues that Houston Rockets shooting guard Jalen Green should be considered a “dark favorite” for the U.S. men’s national basketball team at the 2028 Olympics.
Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson have all competed on the USA Select Team in recent years – Green in 2023 and Smith and Thompson in 2024. That at least put them on the radar of program officials.
When asked by a reader about the NBA’s Southwest Division’s (which Iko reports on) Olympic potential for 2028, Iko argued for the Rockets and Green as follows:
Green, Smith and Thompson all have national team experience and have played against the senior team. It depends on what kind of roster the coaching staff puts together. Thompson and Smith could fill certain roles as physical, interchangeable defenders. But since we’re talking about a 12-man team, they would have to make significant jumps between now and then. Green is the underdog here. Let’s assume he makes “the jump” in year four, similar to Anthony Edwards. If he averages around 26-6-5 in year eight, I think he’ll get a chance (or at least the first wave).
Iko’s full mailbag can be read here. As he said, the first step in this scenario would likely be for Green to make a significant jump forward with the Rockets in the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season.
More: 2028 Olympics: Can any Rockets player make Team USA?
