Team USA from 2024 is rightfully earning comparisons to the Dream Team. It’s an assembly of the most elite and dynamic hoopers of the modern era. Their ride to the gold medal has mostly been merry. Every superstar has enjoyed it except Jayson Tatum, at least that’s what’s been perceived by everyone because of his and his mother’s actions. A major saga has erupted due to his inactive status, having only played one game on the electrifying roster so far. It doesn’t hamper the current team. But what about four years later?

Nick Wright named his biggest winners and losers from the current Paris Olympics setup, however controversial it’s been, or not. When speaking of the latter, his first pick was Grant Hill. The reason behind it was the dried-up talent tool after Jaylen Brown’s public callout and Jayson Tatum’s unflattering Olympics experience. Wright believes they might not pick up his calls for Los Angeles. “Here’s the thing USA basketball. Who’s going to play for 2028? Just curious. Anthony Edwards is in. Who else?”

“I don’t know if Tatum is in. I don’t know if Jaylen Brown is in. LeBron, probably, will be retired by then. So there is a real cost to building this team this way and then having Tatum iced out. Jaylen Brown not there,” Wright said on First Things First. No NBA star would want to spend 40 minutes on the bench during the Olympics. At least not Jayson Tatum, who just won an NBA championship and dropped 30 in the series-closing game. But that’s what he has had to do so far in this Olympics.

“Win or lose tomorrow, it’s just a rough spot. I don’t think all of a sudden he’s like hey now you’re a featured member of the rotation,” Nick Wright concluded. With his unexciting experience being considered, there is a chance he might not want to don the USA jersey.

But LeBron James didn’t want to either after being excluded from the starting lineup in the 2004 Olympics, eventually picking up bronze. “I’m sitting at the podium receiving the bronze medal like, ‘this sh*t was a waste of my time.’ At that moment, I definitely wasn’t playing for Team USA again,” he once confessed. However, he most definitely changed his mind later, and the rest is history. So why would Tatum drop an opportunity to be the cornerstone of Team USA in front of home support?

As Wright pointed out, LeBron James has publicly said this will be his last Olympics. Kevin Durant and Steph Curry too will be close to 40 by the time the 2028 Olympics comes around. By subtraction, it would make Jayson Tatum the mainstay of Team USA during the Los Angeles edition. Don’t forget, during the 2020 Olympics, he was among the star performers for the gold medal side.

However, even if he takes the Paris isolation to heart and decides not to play, Grant Hill will still have a wide variety to choose from. Kingpins such as Jalen Brunson, Ja Morant, and even Fox would all be available for selection.

Yet, the Managing Director of USA basketball doesn’t seem like someone to hold grudges. And not only could he ensure Jayson Tatum’s return, but the former Magic forward has vowed to break the ice with Jaylen Brown.

Grant Hill keeps the 2028 Olympics door open for Jaylen Brown

Unlike Jayson Tatum, who was selected for the Paris Olympics, Jaylen Brown wasn’t. And Hill had two chances to do so. Likewise, the player had reservations about the selection process and even crucified Nike publicly as the reason for his absence. As the reigning Finals MVP, he had every right to feel apprehensive about not being a part of the current Team USA. Grant Hill did address these concerns and clarified that the omission of the Celt was a purely basketball-related decision.

At this point, the Celtics ace has stronger motivation to deny a place on the 2028 Olympic roster. But Hill is keen on mending his relationship with the 27-year-old and has expressed his motives to include Brown when the Olympics graces the City of Angels. “I’m confident he and I will sit down at some point and talk about it and get to some level of understanding. He’ll be a candidate, if he wants, in 2028.

“One thing I’ve learned, you can’t take anything personal in this role. I haven’t personalized anything. My objective, my goal is to win,” he said on the Open Run podcast. If the dominos fall right, the Boston Celtics’ invigorating tandem could lead Team USA in 2028. Wouldn’t that be ironic? Two of Boston’s finest basketball players leading the contingent in the city of their arch-rivals.

What’s your prediction?

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.