On the latest episode of ‘The Ticket & The Truth’, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett discussed the state of Team USA moving forward. With the NBA’s biggest superstars reaching their mid-30s and beyond, the Boston Celtics legends expressed some concern for USA’s roster during the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. According to Garnett though, 43-year-old LeBron James could be part of the answer.
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“We in trouble come the 2028 Olympics,” the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year began. “Bron ain’t gonna be there, KD not gonna be there, Steph not gonna be there,” his former teammate Pierce added. However, Garnett wasn’t ready to predict the King’s next move.
“You don’t know what Bron gonna be at, boy! I said the same thing — this man 40! I don’t know P. Bron [LeBron James] in everything, f**k you mean. It’s in LA too?” KG questioned.
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The prospect of representing Team USA on home turf could be too tantalizing for LeBron to pass up on. But whether he is able and willing to play at the age of 43 is another question altogether.
Last year, after he lead USA to the gold medal in Paris, James indicated that he had already played his final Olympic game. “I can’t see myself playing in L.A.,” the four-time NBA champion told ESPN’s Marc Spears.
The vacuum left by the King will undoubtedly be difficult to fill. But his 2024 Olympic teammate Kevin Durant is more optimistic about the future of USA Basketball than Garnett and Pierce.
Kevin Durant believes Team USA will not be dethroned
Earlier this month, the Slim Reaper joined Zach Randolph and Tony Allen on their podcast ‘Out the Mud’. During the same, he touched on whether Team USA will remain infallible as its old guard approaches retirement.
“Yeah, it’s gon’ be some players like Victor [Wembanyama], [Nikola] Jokic. [But] if you gon’ look at three players and say they caught up to the rest of Americans when we had hundreds and hundreds of Americans to do the same. You can’t just use three players to make that claim,” Durant argued.
Along with Wemby and Jokic, the two-time NBA champion also gave the nod to European stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic as potential threats on the Olympic stage.
However, the 36-year-old believed in strength in numbers and according to him, Team USA will always be able to boast a deeper roster due to the nation’s athletic infrastructure. “I don’t believe it’s close,” the four-time Olympic gold medalist added.
Durant himself will be 39 in 2028 so it’s unlikely that he will be able to gun for a fifth gold medal. However, he isn’t wrong about the sheer depth Team USA can boast.
Players like Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker, Bam Adebayo and Tyrese Haliburton could all return to the national team. Then there are younger prospects like Cade Cunningham, Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren who could make their debuts in an impactful manner. Regardless of who suits up though, the 2028 Olympics will undoubtedly represent a passing of the baton for Team USA.
