In the aftermath of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Team USA already has its leaders for the next event. With the gold medal still hanging on their necks, Anthony Edwards and Devin Booker announced their intention to take the reigns for the 2028 games in Los Angeles.
Devin Booker: “Ima see you in LA boy!”
Anthony Edwards: “Me and Book running the show in LA!”
Booker and Edwards were the young bucks for Team USA this year and they played more of a secondary role behind the main core group of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant. Those three came through for the USA and were crucial in delivering another gold medal to the country.
All the while, Booker and Edwards were holding down the fort off the bench. They provided scoring in the backcourt and kept the US afloat when the star veterans were off the floor. At 23 and 27, respectively, Edwards and Booker will have another chance to represent the USA and, in fact, they will likely be the ones leading the show in the next Olympics.
Anthony Edwards: “Me and Book runnin the show in LA [2028 Olympics].”
Book and Ant together are hilarious 😂 pic.twitter.com/hqeRv7841p
— CantGuardBook (@CGBBURNER) August 20, 2024
LeBron James is just a few years out from retirement and Stephen Curry already revealed that this was his first and last Olympic appearance at 36 years old. The order of succession naturally leaves Edwards and Booker as the next stars in line and it seems that they are more than willing and capable to take up the mantle.
In the case of Booker, there are still lingering questions about his ability to carry a team to a title but he still has more than enough time to prove himself as one of the best in the game. He averaged 27.1 points per game for the Suns last season and was a consistent go-to scorer for the USA this summer.
By 2028, Booker will be on the other side of 30 but still in the window of his best years on the court. He’ll be a perfect candidate to lead Team USA, especially since he’ll have years of experience leading the Phoenix Suns to a position of power in the West.
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards is facing arguably even more pressure to succeed. After his explosive performance in the 2024 playoffs this spring, where he led the Timberwolves to the West Finals, the whole basketball world is looking at him as the next face of the league.
He was a loud voice at the Olympics this summer and a favorite in Steve Kerr’s rotation. In four years, Edwards will likely be considered a top player in the game and his claim as the leader of Team USA should go unchallenged.
Whether it’s Edwards, Booker, or some other unlikely star, we’re at a point now where things are starting to change and soon USA basketball will have a new leader on the roster. In this new era, there may be no bigger American names than Devin Booker and Anthony Edwards and it’s their talents that will make or break this next stage of Olympic basketball.