Team USA is Paris-bound. The United States are one of 12 countries who will be competing in men's basketball in the 2024 Paris Olympics, and per usual, they have a stacked roster. The best American talent is teaming up again in a trend that has occurred in every summer Olympics since the Dream Team took form in 1992.
The 2024 squad is being coined as the Redeem Team 2.0, as Team USA is out for revenge after not medaling at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The United States has revamped the basketball roster and assembled a squad consisting of true megastar players in the quest to bring home Olympic gold for the 17th time. In this article, we will take a look at exactly who it is that will lace up their shoes and step foot on the hardwood for Team USA. Here are all 12 players on the United States' roster, ranked.
12. Jrue Holiday: Boston Celtics – Los Angeles, California
Jrue Holiday isn't the high-level scorer or an MVP-caliber player like some of his Team USA teammates, but he will serve as the team's glue. Holiday brings in winning experience and a winning style of play. He is fresh off contributing to his second championship in the NBA, this one of which came in his first season with the Boston Celtics.
Holiday might not be the megastar that his Olympic peers are, but he will surely find minutes in Steve Kerr's rotation. On a team where everyone needs touches, yet there is only one ball to go around, Holiday will be a player who doesn't need to get too many shots up.
His usage rate will be low offensively, and he can instead focus on being the defensive hound that he is. Holiday is one of the best perimeter defensive players in the world, and defense will be his role for the United States.
11. Derrick White: Boston Celtics – Parker, Colorado
Kawhi Leonard is out, and Derrick White is in for the United States Olympic men's basketball roster. Leonard, who earned the 12th and final roster spot, has been in jeopardy of losing his spot for weeks because of lingering injury issues. Now, Jrue Holiday's backcourt partner takes his place, and we have White ranked just above Holiday in these rankings.
White took his game to new heights last season. He has forever been an elite defensive player, but he improved drastically on offense during a year when many thought he was worthy of an All-Star spot. Now, Team USA has three players who are fresh off of a championship, and that certainly won't hurt as the Americans try and become world champions at the Olympics.
White is a somewhat comparable player to Holiday, and he only edges him out on the Team USA player rankings because he was a more effective scorer last season. He will do a lot of similar things to Holiday for this roster, though. Defense and hustle will be the priority for the guard who has worked his way up from Division II basketball all the way to the highest basketball stage in the world.
10. Tyrese Haliburton: Indiana Pacers – Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Tyrese Haliburton ranked outside the top 10 for the best players on Team USA when we first wrote this article, but that should not be viewed as a slight. Now, he nudges into the top 10 with Kawhi Leonard's departure from the team.
The fact that the Pacers' point guard was able to make the Olympic roster despite being only 24 years old is extremely impressive. Haliburton has established himself as one of the best up-and-coming players in the NBA, and the basketball world got to know him well as he led an elite offensive team in the Pacers all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Haliburton is an offensive engine, and he makes the Pacers run on that side of the ball. Part of the reason for Indiana's offensive success his because of Haliburton's scoring ability. Although it is unorthodox, the Iowa State product gets shots to fall. However, scoring his not his primary role with the Pacers, and it definitely won't be on Team USA.
As mentioned with Holiday, there are only so many shots to go around, so Haliburton will focus on what he does best, and that is playmaking. Haliburton is one of the best passers in the world, and he just led the NBA in assists per game. He will focus on setting up his teammates for easy looks in the Paris Olympics.
9. Bam Adebayo: Miami Heat – High Point, North Carolina
Team USA has an impressive center rotation, as Bam Adebayo will only be the team's third-stringer at that position despite being a top-five center in the NBA. The big man's unique skillset will be incredibly valuable for the Americans, though. Adebayo has traditional big man skills. He is an incredible rebounder and one of the best rim protectors in the world. He can also score effectively in the painted area.
It is the things that he does that most centers can't do that separates him, though. Adebayo has the rare ability for a big man to put the ball on the ground and make something happen off of the bounce. He is also one of the best passing centers in the NBA. The United States will be playing a number of European teams, where passing big men are more of the norm, so having a center who can do that in their own right will be valuable.
8. Anthony Davis: Los Angeles Lakers – Chicago, Illinois
Anthony Davis is one of two Lakers players on the Team USA roster. His level of play last season and recent statistics are extremely close to his Los Angeles teammate, who we will get to in a second. Davis is fresh off of his best and healthiest season in years, and the United States will hope he can bring that momentum to the Olympics.
Davis is an elite shot blocker, and he will be one of many bigs making life hard for Olympic opponents in the paint. He also has an impressive offensive game. Although his shooting efficiency was down last year, Davis is more than capable as a jump shooter, and he always has a dominant interior game to fall back onto.
7. LeBron James: Los Angeles Lakers – Akron, Ohio
LeBron James is one of the best basketball players ever and still playing at an extremely high level. While entering year 22 in the NBA, though, the kid from Akron is no longer the clear-cut best player in the NBA like he once was. In fact, he only ranks as the seventh best player on Team USA's roster this year.
Even so, what James is doing is defying the odds, unlike anything we've seen from a basketball player before. James is more than deserving of a spot to play with the United States in Paris, and the leadership he possesses and the respect he has from his teammates will be vital for a run at Olympic gold.
To this day, James is still a versatile player. He is a freak athlete who can score, rebound, and assist at a high level. James first played in the Olympics back in 2004, and he has always done a little bit of everything for Team USA. He ranks top five in points (273), rebounds (95), three-pointers (95), and steals (36), and his 88 assists are the most in Team USA's history.
King James skipped the last two Olympics, but he is back now, 20 years after first suited up for Team USA. The team won't be as reliant on him as they have been in the past, but he will still play a big role in Paris.
6. Devin Booker: Phoenix Suns – Moss Point, Mississippi
Devin Booker started in five of Team USA's six games in the 2020 Olympics. It is still to be determined whether Booker will be a starter again this year or if he will come off of the bench. Either way, Booker is arguably the best shooting guard in the world, and he will have a big impact in Paris.
Booker can score at will from all three levels of the floor. His shot making will be a nightmare for opposing defenses, especially considering they can't give him their undivided attention with so many other stars on the team. After a disappointing first-round exit in the 2024 NBA playoffs, Booker will look for redemption in the Olympic Games.
5. Jayson Tatum: Boston Celtics – St. Louis, Missouri
An Olympic gold medal would make it quite the summer for Jayson Tatum. He already won the NBA Finals, so a championship in Paris would make it a plentiful summer for winning for the Celtics star. Tatum is a two-way player who has been atop of the basketball world his whole career.
Tatum has made it to at least the conference finals in five of his seven NBA seasons, and he already won a gold medal in the 2020 Olympics. Experience under the bright lights is not an issue for Tatum, despite being only 26 years old, and he is surely riding an all-time confidence high after the NBA postseason.
4. Kevin Durant: Phoenix Suns – Washington, DC
Kevin Durant is the best player in Team USA history, yet he only ranks fourth for the most talented players on the team this year. Team USA's record books are littered with Durant's name. He has won gold all four times he played for Team USA, including the three prior times he was in the Olympics.
Other countries have not been able to figure out how to slow Durant down. He ranks first in Team USA history in points (435), three-pointers (74), and free throws (69). Durant scored 156 points in the 2012 Olympics and 155 points in the 2016 Olympics, both of which rank first and second for single-tournament scoring in Team USA history. He even has the highest single-tournament point per game average from when he scored 20.7 points per game in the 2020 Olympics.
Durant has been a go-to scorer throughout his basketball career, both in the NBA and for the United States. This is illustrated by the Team USA record 38 points he put up against Lithuania in the 2010 FIBA World Championship.
The current Phoenix Suns star hasn't slowed down when it comes to putting the basketball in the bucket, either. Durant can score any way he wants, and that will likely remain true in the 2024 Olympics. The Slim Reaper is nearly 7-foot tall, yet he is unstoppable in the mid-range, from deep, and off the drive.
3. Anthony Edwards: Minnesota Timberwolves – Atlanta, Georgia
Ranking Anthony Edwards above a player as accomplished in world play as Kevin Durant was hard, but Ant Man announced himself to the world as one of the five or six best active basketball players during the Timberwolves run to the Western Conference Finals. While Durant is in the twilight of his career, Edwards is just getting started.
That doesn't mean that the former first overall pick isn't ready to make an impact now, though. He has the killer mentality and will to win of a champion. Edwards has already confirmed that he believes that he is Team USA's number one option, and he believes that the team should revolve around him.
While you can chop up Edwards' comments to his playful personality, his belief in himself isn't delusional. Edwards was by far Team USA's best player last year during the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and the United States men's basketball team didn't really get going until after Edwards cemented his place as the squad's top dog. Edwards will need to embrace a team-first approach during the Olympics, but he has the skills the dominate the competition.
2. Steph Curry: Golden State Warriors – Charlotte, North Carolina
Surprisingly, this will be Steph Curry's first time on an Olympic roster. Despite having tons of success in FIBA play, Curry has never actually suited up for Team USA at their highest stage. Curry is now finally adding that to his resume; a resume that already has tons of accolades.
As the NBA's all-time three-point leader, Curry is already the best shooter the game has ever seen, and he even has a case as the best point guard ever. His prowess from deep will help spread the floor for the rest of the great athletes playing for the United States. Curry has also long been an underrated playmaker, and that attribute will be valued amongst his teammates.
Curry already has two gold medals, but both came in the FIBA World Cup/Championship. An Olympic gold is the missing hardware for Curry's career.
1. Joel Embiid: Philadelphia 76ers – Cameroon
Joel Embiid is the one player who wasn't born in the United States who will be playing for Team USA. The Cameroon native moved to the United States to focus on basketball when he was 16 years old, and he has been a citizen since 2022. Embiid is also a citizen of France, so his decision to play for the United States over France or Cameroon was controversial for some.
Team USA is more than happy to have him, though, as he is arguably the team's best player. Embiid has finished second or first in NBA MVP voting in three of the last four seasons, and he was the frontrunner to win the NBA's most prestigious individual award last season before he went down with an injury.
Embiid is a dominant big man, capable of forcing his will inside and using high-level skill outside. All three American centers are inside-outside players on both sides of the play, which will give Team USA plenty of schematic options to utilize.
Starters
The basketball community is wondering how Steve Kerr will navigate playing time for such a loaded roster. That predicament will be a lot harder for the Golden State Warriors/Team USA coach now than it was during FIBA play last year, and we still don't even know who will start for the team.
Our best guess is Steph Curry will be Kerr's first choice to start. Obviously Kerr has familiarity with the point guard who has played the last 10 seasons for him, and the duo have won four championships together. Curry won't get the starting gig just because he is close with Kerr, though, but he is more than worthy of starting at the point guard position.
Curry's three-point shooting prowess makes everything easier on his teammates, so he is the perfect fit in the starting lineup, as spacing is always key in the modern game. Additionally, Curry is by far the team's best lead guard as the point guard position is arguably Team USA's weakest, considering Jrue Holiday and Tyrese Haliburton ranked at the end of the above list.
Alongside Curry in the backcourt, we think Devin Booker will get the nod. Booker was Team USA's starting shooting guard in the last Olympics in which they won the gold, so it doesn't make much sense to fix something that isn't broken.
Booker's teammate, Kevin Durant, makes the most sense to start at the small forward spot. Durant is not only familiar with his Suns teammate, but he also previously played under Kerr and alongside Curry with the Warriors. Durant's chemistry with the starters is one reason to start him, but the obvious one is he is Team USA's most accomplished Olympic player ever.
Although we didn't rank LeBron James in the top five current Team USA players, we can't see a world where he isn't a starter. Sacrifices have to be made on the Olympic team, but James has started 1,490 of his 1,492 NBA games. James isn't the type of player who comes off of the bench, and he has done enough in his career to warrant a starting spot.
We think the starters will be rounded out with Joel Embiid at the five. Plenty of fans have made a case that the 76ers center is the best player in the world, and his two-way talent will fit great alongside the other starters.
Lineups
It is possible we see Kerr use platoon swaps to get in substitutes, and there are likely situations for all 12 players on the roster to play. If there is a clear-cut sixth man, though, we think it will be Anthony Edwards. Edwards gained the trust of Kerr during the FIBA World Cup, and the Timberwolves star has the raw scoring ability to work as a spark plug scorer off of the bench on this roster.
Kerr will likely use players situationally, rather than having a well-defined rotation. He played all 12 of his players in all eight of the FIBA World Cup games in 2023, so a player being stuck on the bench likely isn't realistic. If Kerr does limit his rotation to 10 players, then Bam Adebayo and Tyrese Haliburton are the two players most likely to get the short end of the stick.
Adebayo is almost certainly only going to be the team's third option at center, and it is hard to find minutes for three big men. Meanwhile, Haliburton is the second youngest player on the team, and there is a world where he loses minutes to the more defensive-minded Jrue Holiday.
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