LeBron James was never going to play in the FIBA World Cup. Kawhi Leonard has never suited for USA Basketball. Kevin Durant is recovering from surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon, and the same goes for Paul George with regard to both his shoulders.

Ever since USA Basketball was overhauled in the mid-2000s following a disappointing string of finishes on the international stage, the Americans have been most unstoppable due to their unparalleled size, athleticism, and overall talent on the wing. But with the NBA's best domestic-born forwards out of the running for this version of Team USA, coach Gregg Popovich is relying on a pair of a young players to quickly usher in the next era of USA Basketball.

So far, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have proven up to the task. The Boston Celtics wings provided a glimpse of what's to come in China next month during an exhibition against Spain on Friday, rocking the rim with a pair of powerful dunks.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
cG9zdDoyODEwNzky-thumbnail

Erin Achenbach ¡

image idea: Brian Scalabrine next to an angry-looking Udonis Haslem. There can be swear symbols ("$@#!") in a speech bubble coming from Haslem

Daniel Donabedian ¡

Joel Embiid of the (76ers) as the annoyed Cricket fan meme

Rexwell Villas ¡

Tatum and Brown are shoo-ins to make Team USA's final roster, though both will likely come off the bench in China.

Many players in the past have used eye-popping turns with USA Basketball as a springboard to superstardom. After a promising lead up to World Cup play, no one would be surprised if Tatum and Brown follow that blueprint by leading the Americans to gold.