The 2024 Paris Olympics was memorable for USA Basketball. The men’s and women’s teams clinched gold, proving that America was still the final boss in 5-on-5 basketball. However, that wasn’t the case in the 3-on-3 events, as the women’s team had to settle for bronze, while the men’s team finished seventh. To avoid a repeat of that disappointing showing in 2028, Trae Young has come up with a solution.
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During an appearance on Podcast P with Paul George, the host and the Hawks star discussed which NBA players should compete in the 3-on-3 event in the Olympics. The 76ers forward named Kyrie Irving and claimed the veteran guard would be unstoppable in that format. However, a superstar of the Mavericks’ guard’s caliber will refrain from participating in the 3-on-3 event.
Young suggested a viable solution to the problem. He proposed that excellent two-way players who likely won’t make the 5-on-5 team should participate in the 3-on-3 event to add an Olympic gold medal to their resume. He even named two players, saying,
“A guy like Naz Reid, like a Jaden McDaniels… Like those type of guys, who may not make a Olympic team, but you still at the Olympics with 3×3. But if you had Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels with Jimmer, it may have been a different story.”
The US Men’s 3v3 Basketball Team is yet to win an Olympic medal. It’s surprising considering how deep the nation’s talent pool is. With the 2028 Olympics scheduled on home soil, perhaps the selection committee should pick a Dream Team like they did in 1992 to establish dominance.
It’s unclear whether they’d consider that proposition. However, they’ll undoubtedly field a better team than they did in Paris.
Team USA 3×3 roster in need of a facelift
The US Men’s 3×3 Basketball roster was surprisingly underwhelming. The team boasted Canyon Barry, Jimmer Fredette, Kareem Maddox, and Dylan Travis. Compared to the LeBron James-led 5-on-5 superteam, the 3-on-3 roster was severely underpowered.
The 3-on-3 team’s performance also left a lot to be desired. They won only two of their seven outings and were one of two teams alongside China that failed to make it past the first round.
USA Basketball needs to reevaluate its 3-on-3 basketball program as it did for the 5-of-5 team after their bronze medal finish in the 2004 Athens Olympics. They should ideally pick a roster that would dominate the competition and win gold in LA in 2028.
