The gold medal match for men's basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics took place nearly two years ago to the day, as Team USA defeated France 98-87 behind an impressive performance from Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.
Considering the 2028 Olympics are still about two years away, now is a great time to ask: If the Olympics were this summer, could an American team full of current Duke alumni win an Olympic gold medal for Team USA?
While the chances are slim to none, current Team USA managing director and former Duke alum Grant Hill could technically make it a possibility. But which 12 players would Hill choose? And would they be good enough to lead Team USA to gold?
Hypothetical Team USA roster filled with American Duke alumni
Guards
Kyrie Irving (Dallas Mavericks)
Jared McCain (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Grayson
Allen (Charlotte Hornets)
Forwards
Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)
Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)
Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic)
Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans)
Jalen Johnson (Atlanta Hawks)
Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
Brandon Ingram (Toronto Raptors)
Centers
Mark Williams (Phoenix Suns)
Wendell Carter Jr. (Orlando Magic)
Notable snubs:
Tre Jones (Chicago Bulls), Dereck Lively II (Dallas Mavericks), Cameron Boozer (Memphis Grizzlies), Luke Kennard (Phoenix Suns), Marvin Bagley III (Denver Nuggets) and Kyle Filipowski (Utah Jazz). Khaman Maluach and RJ Barrett were born outside of the United States. Kyrie Irving was too, but has represented Team USA in the past.
While the roster could stand to use another ball-handler or backup big man, each forward selected seems too talented to omit. Additionally, in an age of positionless basketball, this hypothetical Team USA could get by with playing Paolo Banchero, Cooper Flagg, Jalen Johnson or Zion Williamson at the four. Kon Knueppel could serve as a shooting guard at times, while Flagg, Johnson and Jayson Tatum are also capable of bringing the ball up the court. Leaving Cameron Boozer off this list hurts; however, six of the seven forwards chosen have averaged at least 21 points, five rebounds and three assists per game during an NBA season, something we've yet to see from Boozer. Knueppel is the only player who hasn't, but his inclusion on this roster is vital due to his 3-point shooting prowess, a must on any successful squad in today's game.
Coaching staff:
Mike Krzyzewski (Head coach)
JJ Redick (Assistant coach)
Jon Scheyer (Assistant coach)
Considering Coach K used to coach Team USA, it made too much sense to bring him out of retirement. He'd also be joined by his understudy in Scheyer and one of his best players in Redick, a current NBA head coach.
Notable snubs:
Quin Snyder (Atlanta Hawks)
Steve Wojciechowski (Utah Jazz)
Amile Jefferson (Boston Celtics)
Quin Snyder has 12 years of experience as an NBA head coach but has yet to tally 53 wins in a season, a feat Redick accomplished last season, in only his second year as an NBA coach.
Verdict: Yes
This team could conceivably win gold at the hypothetical 2026 Summer Olympic Games. Despite having to face the likes of Germany, Serbia and France, this USA squad would still enter as the favorites. Nikola Jokic would prove difficult to guard, in addition to a French lineup that included Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert. That said, this roster is too talented on the perimeter with a great mix of size, athleticism, physicality, scoring and shooting. Finally, this team may arguably have better chemistry than previous American Olympic teams, due to the fact that every player rostered has played under either Coach K or Coach Scheyer, not to mention a handful of players have previous experience playing with one another.
This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Could a team full of current Duke alumni win Olympic gold for Team USA?
