The Hornets Have Never Sent a Player to Team USA

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games just wrapped up, and now all eyes turn to the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. The U.S. men's ice hockey team picked up its third gold medal on Sunday, taking down archrival Canada in overtime in dramatic fashion. Meanwhile, the men's basketball team will look to stay on top of the world, aiming for its sixth straight gold medal.

Could a Charlotte Hornet be a member of Team USA in the Olympics for the first time ever?

Kemba Walker was on the team for the FIBA Cup in 2019, but not for the Olympics. Larry Johnson was a member of the team in the Tournament of the Americas, but not with the 1992 Dream Team. Alonzo Mourning did participate in 2000, but of course, that was when he was with the Miami Heat.

When the time comes for the roster to be pieced together, three Hornets, you would imagine, would get serious consideration: LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel. ESPN's Zach Kram recently predicted the top 12 players for that squad and mentioned one of the Hornets' big three.

"(Tyrese) Haliburton and (Anthony) Edwards grab the two starting backcourt spots as returning members of the 2024 roster. But the third spot goes to a new player: (Kon) Knueppel. With a 43% 3-point stroke on a high volume of attempts, he's set to be one of the NBA's most effective shooters for years to come, and that's a valuable skill in international play. With decent size and playmaking ability, Knueppel can also contribute in other ways beyond 3-point shooting."

The others that Kram featured in his prediction? Cooper Flagg, Jalen Duren, Amen Thompson, Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Tyrese Haliburton, Bam Adebayo, and Jayson Tatum.

What about LaMelo and B-Mill?

Feb 22, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) celebrates a after taking a shot during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

If the Hornets continue to trend in the right direction and this duo is a huge part of that (mainly health being the only concern), then yeah, they're going to be heavily considered, and I would be surprised if one of them did not join Knueppel. Kon's elite shotmaking is what will ultimately give him the best shot of the three to make the team, as well as reliability. He's missed just one game so far this season. Ball and Miller need to elevate their respective games to another level and stay on the floor. Both have taken huge steps this season in both areas.