For years, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has made no secret of his frustration with the Olympic model for NBA players. In his eyes, the NBA assumes all the risk while global governing bodies like the IOC, FIBA, and broadcasters pocket billions.
“I complained about it every single year,” Cuban said in 2016. “With my attitude, guys are going to play for the Olympics, Comcast NBC is making billions… and we are giving all these guys for free and taking all the injury risks.”
His solution? Follow soccer’s blueprint, cap the Olympic roster at Under-21 players, save the marquee names for a USA-controlled World Cup, and let the Olympics become a proving ground for rising stars. With the 2028 Los Angeles Games approaching, Cuban’s idea feels more relevant than ever.
The problem is that finding players under 21 years old by the time 2028 arrives would be too difficult to predict. After all, any teenager with amazing basketball talents might be under the radar and suddenly blossom. However, it would be far easier to create an Under-23 lineup and gauge the current talent in the USA’s talent pool.
So, what would a hypothetical Team USA Under-23 lineup look like if his vision came true? Here’s a glimpse at the future faces who could carry the flag on home soil.
Point Guards
Dylan Harper, Darryn Peterson
The No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft (San Antonio Spurs), Dylan Harper, brings combo-guard versatility at 6’6″ with a 6’10” wingspan. He averaged 19.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 4.0 APG in his freshman year at Rutgers, showcasing elite rim pressure, playmaking, and defensive instincts.
Scouts rave about his pace control and body control at the rim, calling him a “big-bodied, do-it-all playmaker. Even with questions about shooting consistency, his physical tools, IQ, and on-ball defense project a future floor general by 2028.
A consensus five-star guard (born Jan 2007), Darryn Peterson won Naismith Prep POY and shared MVP honors at McDonald’s All-American. At Prolific Prep, he averaged 30.4/7.2/7.4 with 50/44/86 splits, earning comparisons to Damian Lillard and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Scouts regard him as the best guard prospect of the decade outside Luka Doncic, 6’5″, 6’10” wingspan, strong frame, and full-three-level scoring. By 2028, Peterson projects as a multi-level scorer and offensive leader with NBA-ready size.
Shooting Guards
Bronny James, Tre Johnson, Ace Bailey
Based on his Summer League performances, Bronny James has emerged as a credible two-way contributor and the likely starting shooting guard for U-23 Team USA in 2028. We have seen improvement from Bronny in some areas where he needed to focus quickly.
In Las Vegas, he logged consecutive standout outings, dropping 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in a competitive loss to the Clippers. His athleticism and defensive chops are carving out a defined role as a developmental 3-and-D guard.
Tre Johnson, (early 2006 birth) Texas sharpshooter chosen 6th overall in 2025, offers two-way wing play with shooting and defensive upside; already earning praise for Summer League performances.
A Rutgers standout, Ace Bailey is a rangy 6’10” wing with shot-blocking and off-ball shooting, drafted mid-lottery by the Wizards. Analysts compare him to MPJ and Rashard Lewis. He excels defensively across positions and is an intelligent shooter, ideal as a modern 3-and-D wing by ’28.
Small Forwards
A.J. Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer
At 6’9″, A.J. Dybantsa is the prototypical modern wing, athletic, long, creative, and winning MVP at the FIBA U-19 World Cup. He’s called the most coveted archetype in pro basketball: think prime Tracy McGrady in physical gifts. By 2028, expect a multi-level scorer who can defend 1-4.
A 6’9″ forward (class of ’07), Boozer brings strong rebounding, floor-spacing, and shooting, an ideal fit for U-23 international play, and complements Dybantsa’s explosiveness. He is also the son of former All-Star Carlos Boozer and has similar mental and physical gifts.
Power Forwards
Cooper Flagg, Nate Ament, Caleb Wilson
The consensus No. 1 pick in 2025, Cooper Flagg, is the generational forward, superb shot-creator, defender, and athlete. Scouts describe him as a superstar in the making. By 2028, he’ll anchor Team USA’s frontcourt with length, intelligence, and switchability.
Flagg has high expectations for the 2025-26 NBA season, and based on what we have seen from him so far, he is the real deal. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and reach his potential because he can achieve great things in his career.
Nate Ament (‘07 forward) drew Kevin Durant comparisons in high school. He offers size, scoring touch, and rebounding instincts, breaking out on the college level soon and fitting as a stretch PF. Time will tell how good Ament can be, but based on his hype, we see him being Flagg’s backup.
Another ‘07 big, UNC forward Caleb Wilson, is already known for rebounding and interior defense. With added muscle and skill polish, he projects as a high-energy bench power forward by ’28. We could be wrong about Wilson, but he has higher potential than most players in the 2025 Draft outside the top five.
Centers
Derik Queen, Chris Cenac Jr.
Derik Queen will likely anchor the center position for U-23 Team USA in 2028. A one-and-done phenom at Maryland, he averaged 16.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.1 STL, and 1.1 BPG per game, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-Big Ten honors.
Scouts rave that Queen brings a rare blend of ball-handling, face-up scoring, and playmaking for a near-7-footer, a perfect fit opposite Cooper Flagg in forming a dynamic, modern frontcourt by 2028.
A 7-footer born in 2007, Chris Cenac Jr. is a developing rim protector with length and mobility, solidified through youth national team experience. Expect improved screening, blocking, and occasional pick-and-pop by Olympic time. Cenac Jr. will be Queen’s backup and we don’t anticipate a better center suiting up for the Americans in time.
How Good Will The Under-23 Team USA Be In 2028?
By 2028, this U-23 Team USA roster, anchored by generational talents like Cooper Flagg, complemented by rising NBA stars such as Dylan Harper and A.J. Dybantsa, would be one of the most athletically gifted and versatile squads ever assembled under the U-23 banner. Their blend of perimeter-shooting, playmaking size, and switchable defense mirrors the modern NBA’s evolution toward positionless play.
While they may lack the seasoned star power of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, or Kevin Durant, their ceiling remains sky-high, with multiple lottery picks likely primed for breakout performances at home. Expect a team capable of dominating the early rounds through athleticism and depth, but there are major questions.
The global basketball landscape has never been more formidable. As Hall-of-Famer Shaquille O’Neal warned, the gap between the US and Europe is narrowing fast, with contenders like France (led by Victor Wembanyama), Serbia, Germany, and Australia loaded with NBA-caliber pros.
The single-elimination Olympic format means that a misstep, like France nearly beating the USA in 2024 or Serbia’s fight in the semis, could cost gold.
Bottom line: this U-23 team projects as a talented team, certainly, but we don’t see them being a squad that can bring Gold home. There are too many better squads on the international stage, and without superstar names such as Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Jalen Williams, and obviously the retired and aforementioned James, Curry, and Durant, it wouldn’t end too well for the Americans.
While Mark Cuban’s statements are valid and make sense in many areas, it wouldn’t do international competition too much justice because the USA has the best players in the world, and it might make sense to have the elite suit up without seeing a lesser side represent them.
