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Michael Voepel, ESPN.com
After winning its eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal on Sunday, the U.S. women’s basketball team can once again say, “Mission accomplished.” Players and coaches aren’t thinking about the 2028 Olympics right now after edging France 67-66. But it’s tempting to look four years into the future and see which players could make the U.S. roster for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Will current WNBA rookie stars Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky be on Team USA? Clark’s Fever teammate Aliyah Boston? And what about college stars like USC’s JuJu Watkins, UConn’s Paige Bueckers or Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo, to name a few?
A lot can happen in four years, both positive (player development) and negative (injuries). The composition of the selection committee influences the selection of the Olympic team, as do the head coaches, who do not put the team together but make suggestions on what they think the team needs in terms of play and chemistry.
The commitment and history of individual players on the US basketball team – which still has by far the most talented pool of candidates – also plays a role. The best players in the women’s division remain highly motivated to compete in the Olympic Games.
Which players from the 2024 team may not be Olympians in 2028, making room for some newcomers? With her sixth Olympic gold medal, 42-year-old Diana Taurasi has likely ended her national team career after a remarkable two-decade career.
Taurasi’s teammate on the Phoenix Mercury, Brittney Griner, will be 37 when the Los Angeles Olympics take place from July 14-30, 2028. Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas will be 36 and Las Vegas Aces defenseman Chelsea Gray will be 35.
Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd turns 34. New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, Mercury guard/forward Kahleah Copper, and Las Vegas guard Kelsey Plum all turn 33.
Players in all sports now have longer careers for a variety of reasons. Taurasi, who turns 46 the month before the Los Angeles Games, is the only 2024 Olympian who is almost certain to be retired by 2028.
Experience has always been seen as a huge advantage for Team USA, but it’s also necessary to add some up-and-coming talent to the team. Personnel decisions for 2028 could be even more difficult than usual, as the Summer Olympics will be held in the United States for the first time since the national team’s current gold medal streak began in Atlanta in 1996.
We’re predicting which players could be on the 2028 team, taking some potential risks USA Basketball wouldn’t take: We’re taking six Olympic rookies. (The players listed are posted first, followed by the guards.)
Age for 2028 Olympic Games: 31
Previous Olympic experience: 2020, 2024
Wilson is considered the favorite for her third WNBA MVP award this season, and her performance in Paris was similar. She was the U.S. women’s best player in points (18.2 PPG), rebounds (9.6 RPG), blocked shots (2.4 BPG) and steals (1.6). Wilson’s birthday is in early August, so she’ll be nearly 32 by the time the 2028 Olympics roll around, but likely still at her best.
Breanna Stewart, F, New York Liberty
Age for 2028 Olympic Games: 33
Previous Olympic experience: 2016, 2020, 2024
Like Wilson, Stewart celebrates her birthday in August; she will be a month shy of her 34th birthday at the next Olympics. But she should still be an elite post player and the American with the most Olympic experience. Along with Wilson, she was the U.S. team’s top offensive force in Paris (18.0 PPG) and also ranks second in rebounds (5.8 RPG) and blocks (1.6 BPG).
Age for 2028 Olympic Games: 31
Previous Olympic experience: 2020, 2024
Collier wasn’t a big scorer in Paris (6.6 PPG), but that wasn’t her main job. She knows how to get a team to score, as she proved with the Lynx, but she also had no trouble adjusting to the demands of Team USA. Collier played the third most minutes in Paris behind Wilson and Stewart.
Aliyah Boston, C, Indiana Fever
Age for 2028 Olympic Games: 26
Previous Olympic experience: none
Boston has been training with the U.S. national team and will likely be on the team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, allowing her to prepare for the Olympics. Boston, who was named the 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year and has won the Lisa Leslie Award as the best college center four times, is expected to be at the peak of her career at the Los Angeles Games.
Age for 2028 Olympic Games: 26
Previous Olympic experience: none
Brink made the U.S. 3×3 team for the Paris Games, but suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Sparks’ June 18 game, limiting her rookie season to 15 games and costing her Olympic experience. But assuming Brink makes a successful return, she will be at her best in 2028 and is considered a strong candidate for the 5-on-5 team with her offensive and defensive versatility.
Angel Reese, F, Chicago Sky
Age for 2028 Olympic Games: 26
It could be that Brink or Reese make the team in 2028, but not both. USA Basketball might be more comfortable with another veteran instead — either a true post (if Griner is still in good shape, for example) or a wing (like Copper). As a rookie, rebounding was Reese’s biggest strength — and it’s an elite strength. Her game will likely be more versatile by 2028, and her drive and competitiveness should be big assets as well.
Age for 2028 Olympic Games: 30
Previous Olympic experience: 2020 (3×3), 2024
At the Tokyo Games, Young was a late replacement for Katie Lou Samuelson on the 3×3 team and fit perfectly on that team, where she won gold. This year, she was on the 5-on-5 team and was promoted to the starting lineup at the Paris Games. At 11.0 points per game, Young is the only player other than Wilson and Stewart to average double-digit points for Team USA. She is also an excellent and versatile defender.
Kelsey Plum, G, Las Vegas Aces
Age for 2028 Olympic Games: 33
Previous Olympic experience: 2020 (3×3), 2024
As was the case this year, there are so many good guards — experienced and young — that the selection committee will face difficult decisions. Will it opt to have three guards with previous 5-on-5 Olympic experience and three without, as we suggest here? Plum, the oldest of the guards on our 2028 list, could be left out in favor of a younger player. But Plum’s ability to score in a variety of ways, her experience and her connection to her longtime Aces teammates Wilson and Young are all huge advantages.
Age for 2028 Olympic Games: 30
Previous Olympic experience: 2024
Ionescu and Young were the youngest players on the 2024 U.S. roster at 26 years old. While Young seems to be a sure bet for 2028, that’s not so certain for the other 2024 Olympic guards. However, experience will play a role, which works in Ionescu’s favor, as will her ability to play both guard positions equally well and provide another major threat from behind the arc.
Caitlin Clark, G, Indiana Fever
Age for 2028 Olympic Games: 26
Previous Olympic experience: none
Clark’s exclusion from the 2024 team was the subject of much debate. Her fans wanted to see her in Paris. Her game has developed so quickly that she wouldn’t have been out of place as a young star learning from Team USA’s experienced players. But coach Cheryl Reeve didn’t want a WNBA rookie on that roster, and Clark likely wouldn’t have gotten much playing time. The rest Clark got should help her for the rest of her rookie season. All indications are that Clark will be in Los Angeles in 2028.
Age for 2028 Olympic Games: 26
Previous Olympic experience: none
The question may be whether USA Basketball is willing to use three Olympic rookies at guard in Clark, Bueckers and Watkins. Depending on how well the veterans still play, it will be just as difficult to overcome the guard shortage in four years as it was this summer. We’ll know a lot more when Bueckers turns pro; she could be an irrefutable fit for 2028. Her versatility as a guard, her ability to score and her defense are all plus points.
Age for 2028 Olympic Games: 23
Previous Olympic experience: none
Watkins will turn 23 the day after the games begin in Los Angeles and is expected to play her second WNBA season. As a freshman last season, she was a candidate for college player of the year honors and is one of the NCAA basketball team’s most exciting stars. The U.S. women had no one under 25 on the 2024 Olympic team, but Watkins could be the youngest on the next Olympic team. And while USA Basketball seemingly dismissed the idea of pandering to marketing this year — pretending Clark’s massive fan base wasn’t important — it should be obvious that having the also-very-popular Watkins play her first Olympics in her hometown could be a big deal.
Also considered
Age for 2028 Olympic Games: 28
Previous Olympic experience: 2024 (3×3)
Howard, the 2022 WNBA Rookie of the Year, won bronze in 3-on-3 in Paris. She could go the way of Young and Plum, moving from the 3-on-3 team at one Olympics to the 5-on-5 team at the next. Or maybe she’ll stick with 3-on-3. Howard’s size and strength as a guard, along with four more years of experience developing her game, could make her a valuable and versatile asset to either team in 2028.
Head Coach
It’s not unusual for the same coach to coach for more than one Olympic cycle: UConn’s Geno Auriemma coached Team USA in 2012 and 2016. So Reeve could be back in 2028, but looking at USA Basketball’s overall history, a return seems less likely. The top candidates for 2028? Two of Reeve’s current Team USA assistants could be in the mix. Duke’s Kara Lawson won Olympic gold as a player for Team USA in 2008 and coached the 3×3 Olympic team that won gold in Tokyo. Curt Miller of the Los Angeles Sparks also has an extensive coaching history with USA Basketball and as a college and WNBA head coach.
