It was Team USA’s worst performance of the tournament and it still prevailed. The 2028 team should be quite different with players such as Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, Chelsea Gray, Alyssa Thomas, and Kahleah Copper likely to move on. Jewell Loyd and Kelsey Plum could return, but Team USA will have its share of new blood.
At least four current WNBA rookies or college players should be locks to make the 2028 team. Meanwhile, mainstays such as Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson will still be among the best players in the world. Speaking of the world, they are indeed catching up.
France pushed the US to the brink. Nigeria made an inspiring run to the knockout round and will only improve. Canada was a disappointment in Paris but should have enough talent to make a run in 2028. Let’s take a look at the projected Team USA women’s roster. We’ll project the men’s roster next week.
Breanna Stewart: She’ll be the senior member of the Los Angeles 2028 team and still in her prime. An encouraging development is how well Stewart and Wilson worked together on the floor. Stewart played more of a perimeter role, while Wilson did the dirty work in the paint. There’s no reason to believe that combination won’t be lethal enough to lead the US to a ninth consecutive gold medal.
Juju Watkins: With three years of eligibility at USC, Watkins is headed toward being the top pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft. By 2028, Watkins should be a top-five player in the world and a cinch to make the Olympic team. She averaged 27.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a freshman.
Paige Bueckers: Hard to believe Bueckers has one year left in college, but by the time Los Angeles 2028 arrives, she should be an established WNBA star. Bueckers’s only issue has been health.
Caitlin Clark: It’s not Monday-morning quarterbacking to say Clark should have been on the team in Paris. Taurasi, the 42-year-old legend who earned her sixth Olympic spot, made two baskets during the tournament and was eventually replaced in the starting lineup by Jackie Young. Team USA struggled with point guard play in Paris, but that won’t be the case in LA.
A’ja Wilson: Wilson is the best player in the world and she will still be in her prime in 2028. Wilson acknowledged that the international game is different because officials constantly reminded her to tone down her enthusiastic style, but she will be the centerpiece for Team USA in 2028, as she was in Paris.
Angel Reese: Reese arguably could have made the Paris roster because of her rebounding ability, but she will definitely be one of the cornerstones in Los Angeles. Reese already is the game’s best rebounder and should have more of an offensive arsenal when 2028 comes around. The pairing of her and Wilson should be unstoppable.
Cameron Brink: Brink was a dark horse WNBA Rookie of the Year candidate before tearing her ACL prior to the Olympic break. But she should return healthy next season, giving the former Stanford star plenty of time to impact the WNBA and earn a spot in Los Angeles.
Sabrina Ionescu: The Liberty point guard will continue her ascension as one of the WNBA’s top playmakers and should assume the role as Team USA’s point guard. Gray was the starter in Paris, with mixed results.
Aliyah Boston: There wasn’t much buzz around Boston’s name when it came to the 2024 team but that should change in a few years, especially if she continues to form a formidable tandem with Clark for the Fever. With Griner aging, there will be a frontcourt void in 2028.
Napheesa Collier: Collier is quietly one of the WNBA’s best players and she’ll still be in her prime in 2028. There’s no reason to believe the Lynx forward won’t be one of the primary options for Team USA.
Hannah Hidalgo: Hidalgo, who is entering her sophomore season at Notre Dame, will be in her second WNBA season in 2028. She is a dynamic scorer and playmaker who was overshadowed last season by Reese and Clark. Hidalgo should be a top-three WNBA pick in 2027 and push for a roster spot at either guard position. She averaged 6.2 rebounds last season despite being 5 feet 6 inches.
Jackie Young: Young, one of the WNBA’s most improved players over the past few years and a 2024 Olympian, will be 30 for Los Angeles. She eventually gained the trust of Team USA coach Cheryl Reeve and carved out a role at shooting guard.
SECOND-HALF TOP 10
More matchups not to be missed
Last week, we highlighted 10 matchups not to be missed during the first half of the upcoming NBA season. Here’s 10 more from the second half:
Feb. 23, Knicks at Celtics: The Knicks return to TD Garden for a second time after facing the Celtics on Opening Night. New York was one of the more active teams in the offseason, re-signing OG Anunoby for the express purpose of defending Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The Knicks added swingman Mikal Bridges from the Nets to fortify their defense. The only concern for New York is whether coach Tim Thibodeau’s rigorous practice regimen and propensity for playing his main players extended minutes will take a toll. Also, the return of Julius Randle from injury will be interesting considering he’s no longer the No. 1 option with the emergence of Jalen Brunson. The Knicks will have to find a way to integrate Randle into their offense, giving him a role that will maximize their talent.
Feb. 27, Nuggets at Bucks: This could be a battle of teams whose championship windows are closing quickly. The Nuggets will need good health and an engaged Jamal Murray, who looked lost during his Olympic stint with Canada. Murray was a shell of his normal self as Canada was thumped by France in the quarterfinals. Nikola Jokic became a bronze medalist and led Serbia to a near upset of the US. He returns to his normal job as Denver’s cornerstone, seeking a fourth MVP award. Giannis Antetokounmpo also had some success in leading Greece to the knockout round of the Olympic tournament. But the question is, how much does his supporting cast in Milwaukee have left after three consecutive playoff falters since winning the championship in 2021?
March 2, Thunder at Spurs: The Thunder are the vogue pick to come out of the Western Conference as general manager Sam Presti acquired Alex Caruso and then spent $89 million on Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein. Their playoff experience last season should prove helpful for another deep run as many of their weaknesses were exposed by the Mavericks, including the lack of a quality center. The Spurs may have playoff aspirations, and for the sake of keeping Victor Wembanyama long term, they need to show they are progressing after some dismal years. Chris Paul is the newest Spur and his impact on Wembanyama should be dramatic. San Antonio essentially wasted Wembanyama’s rookie year by using forward Jeremy Sochan at point guard.
March 8, Lakers at Celtics: The rivalry resumes at TD Garden and Kristaps Porzingis should be healthy enough to return to the starting lineup for Boston. The Lakers will have a new coach in J.J. Redick and it will be fascinating to see if any of the concepts he implored during his television stint will translate to winning for the Lakers, who were out in the first round one year after reaching the Western Conference finals in 2023. The Celtics should be in prime form for this matchup as they return all the key pieces of their championship roster, including Tatum on a new $314 million extension.
March 11, Bucks at Pacers: This became a real rivalry last season when the Pacers won four of the five matchups, including during the In-Season Tournament when Antetokounmpo thought one of the Pacers ran off with the ball from his 50-point game. Milwaukee may have one more year to compete for the title with its current core around Antetokounmpo. Khris Middleton is 33 and injury prone, Brook Lopez is 36, and Damian Lillard is 34. The Bucks’ main offseason acquisition was former Toronto guard Gary Trent Jr. on a minimum deal. There isn’t much left for Doc Rivers’s club. The Pacers should be a top-four or -five seed if healthy, led by Olympic gold medalist Tyrese Haliburton.
March 17, Heat at Knicks: These longtime rivals will meet at Madison Square Garden and the question is whether the Heat will still be a contender in the East. The Heat have been ravaged by injuries the past few years, but players such as Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro have said they can compete for a title if health holds up. But that’s always a big question, especially with Butler and Herro. Miami added rookie Kel’el Ware and he’s expected to start at center, with Bam Adebayo moving to power forward. The Knicks should be in prime form by this time and if they can stay healthy, they’ll be the main competition for the Celtics in the East.
April 3, Warriors at Lakers: The Warriors are going to be different without Klay Thompson, but they could be better with offseason additions that include Kyle Anderson, De’Anthony Melton, and Buddy Hield to give them depth and shooting. This could be the final run for the core with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, and the importance of Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody is unquestioned with this reshaped team. The Lakers are going to run it back with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but they’ll need D’Angelo Russell to play his best basketball to make a deep playoff run. Their biggest offseason acquisition was drafting LeBron’s son, Bronny James.
April 9, Rockets at Clippers: There will be pressure on second-year Rockets coach Ime Udoka to get to the playoffs after coming close in his first season. This could be a key game to determine seedings between teams vying for a top-six spot in the Western Conference. The Clippers are different with Paul George off to the 76ers. James Harden, back on a two-year, $70 million deal, is now the cornerstone along with Kawhi Leonard. The Clippers signed Nicolas Batum, Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn, and Kevin Porter Jr. to compensate for the loss of George. It could take a few months for this team to mesh into a contender in the West.
April 11, Grizzlies at Nuggets: It will be interesting to see where the Grizzlies will be in the final week of the season. Memphis was considered a contender in the West before it was decimated with injuries throughout last season. Everybody, including Ja Morant and Marcus Smart, is healthy and the Grizzlies should be a playoff entry if they can avoid bad luck. The Nuggets may not be the team that won the title two seasons ago, losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency, but they added Russell Westbrook and Dario Saric for perhaps one final deep playoff run with their current core. And three-time MVP Jokic remains the centerpiece.
April 13, Pacers at Cavaliers: These Eastern Conference teams meet on the final day of the season and this could be a matchup to determine seedings or perhaps a play-in spot. The Pacers ramped up after last season’s run to the Eastern Conference finals by re-signing Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin, as well as bringing in former second overall pick James Wiseman. The Cavaliers essentially did the same by bringing back their core that reached the conference semifinals. Neither club is expected to compete with the likes of the Celtics, 76ers, or Knicks for the top three seeds, but this could be a 4-5 playoff matchup.
Layups
We’re approaching September, Cavaliers swingman Isaac Okoro remains a restricted free agent, and few teams have enough money for a legitimate offer sheet. It’s likely the defensive ace returns to Cleveland for another year before becoming an unrestricted free agent. Okoro has value around the league, but his shooting struggles have stopped him from becoming a true 3-and-D player. Okoro had his moments in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Celtics, but the Cavaliers have been busy re-signing higher-priority players such as Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen to make Okoro a legitimate extension offer. The other 29 teams were eligible to offer Okoro a contract that the Cavaliers had a right to match, but he hasn’t received that interest. Restricted free agency has essentially died a slow death in recent years with teams opting to bring those players who don’t receive offer sheets back or renounce their rights . . . Blessings and farewell to the great Al Attles, the legendary Warriors coach, executive, and player who died this past week at age 87. Attles was an institution in the organization, a teammate of Wilt Chamberlain, and the second Black coach to lead an NBA team to a championship (Bill Russell was the first). Attles opposed Celtics great K.C. Jones and his Bullets in the 1975 NBA Finals, leading Golden State to its first title since moving to San Francisco/Oakland. The Warriors would not win another championship for 40 years. Attles was one of the game’s statesmen and a staple at Oracle Arena and Chase Center before his health declined. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019 for his many contributions to the game . . . Another intriguing free agent who remains on the market is former Nets guard Lonnie Walker IV, who turned into a productive scorer off the bench. Walker averaged 20.1 points per 36 minutes for Brooklyn in 58 games last season. Walker spent four years with the Spurs before playing a season with the Lakers and then signing a one-year deal with the Nets. Walker is likely going to have to accept a league-minimum contract but could emerge as a value signing.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.
