The 2028 Olympic Games are just over the horizon, and USA Basketball is already thinking ahead about its final roster picks. Duke University will host Team USA's senior training camp for the 2026 FIBA World Cup team this weekend, led by Blue Devils and new national team head coach Kara Lawson, alongside new national team managing director Sue Bird.
Both Lawson and Bird are at the helm and deciding the final roster for the first time, and they have plenty of high-profile options to choose from. They already have their work cut out for them when it comes to evaluating talent for next year's World Cup in Germany, but Bird is also looking forward to picking the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games squad.
“At the LA Olympics, the women's basketball team will be the biggest storyline,” Bird said in an interview with Front Office Sports.
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Bird is nearly guaranteed to be set up for success and follow through on that promise, given the caliber of players that are available for Team USA's roster. For the training camp that's taking place from December 12-14, the list of invited stars includes Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Kahleah Copper, Kelsey Plum, Aliyah Boston, Sonia Citron, Dearica Hamby, and Cameron Brink, among others. Bird will even have the option to choose NCAA stars JuJu Watkins and Lauren Betts, although neither of them will participate in physical drills over the weekend.
Along with WNBA head coaches Natalie Nakase, Nate Tibbets, and Stephanie White, Bird is almost sure to put together a final roster that will turn heads the way she predicts.
