Sue Bird’s Eye View: Early Predictions for the 2028 Team USA Olympics Roster
With Sue Bird officially stepping in as the new managing director of the USA Women's Basketball National Team, the conversation around the 2028 Olympics roster is already heating up. And with Bird being a five-time gold-medalist herself, her insight will undoubtedly lead the next era of Team USA to continued success.
As the countdown to the Los Angeles games begin, here are some of the future standouts that could carry the torch for Team USA into the next chapter of global dominance.
1. Caitlin Clark
To say there’s been debate about Caitlin Clark’s omission from the 2024 Olympics squad would be an understatement. But if her current trajectory holds, she’s a lock for the 2028 roster. Clark is an elite shooter, visionary passer, and offensive engine who can run the point or slide into a shooting guard role seamlessly. She’ll be 26 in 2028, right in the prime of her WNBA career, and will predictably make a major impact on the international stage, on and off the court.
2. Paige Bueckers
A rookie this season in the WNBA, Paige Bueckers is a dynamic playmaker with an elite basketball IQ. And Bueckers has already demonstrated leadership and clutch performances as a newly minted women's NCAA national champion with UConn. She is a high-efficiency shooter and has the versatility to direct traffic at the point or cut backdoor for an easy bucket.
3. A'ja Wilson
Wilson will still be in her prime as a cornerstone of the team by the time 2028 rolls around. She can anchor a defense and carry an offense. Her mobility, footwork, and skill level fit the international style well, as was on display in the 2024 Olympic games. With her veteran experience, she can be a voice of leadership to help carry the squad all the way to the gold.
4. Breanna Stewart
Breanna Stewart has been a dominant force in the world of women’s basketball with a resume few, if any, can match. A three-time Olympian already, Stewart led the 2024 Paris Olympics in scoring and was a major contributor on defense. Her ability to impact both ends of the court drives home her status as one of the game's most complete players. On a team likely mixed with emerging stars, the leadership she can bring is priceless.
5. Juju Watkins
Despite going down late in the 2024-2025 women's NCAA season with an ACL injury, Juju Watkins is projected to be entering the WNBA in plenty of time to be ready for Los Angeles. She is one of the most prolific scorers in the game and can barrel her way through the paint for finishes. Her physicality and versatility as a two-way player will come in handy in the global setting.
6. Angel Reese
Angel Reese has a high motor, physical toughness and is one of the best rebounders of her generation. She owns the glass and makes it tough for opponents to get any second-chance looks. This season, she’s putting more focus on her passing, which makes her even more dangerous, especially when she’s kicking off fast breaks and flipping the momentum of a game.
7. Sabrina Ionescu
Sabrina Ionescu is a sharpshooter, most notable for her deep threes. But her midrange floaters and cuts through the paint exhibit her ability to score in a variety of ways. Ionescu can run the offense or play off ball, offering the option to mix and match line-ups for an unpredictable offense. She can also be a scrappy defender when needed, and with experience from the 2024 Olympic team, she adds valuable insight for teammates stepping into the scene for the first time.
8. Napheesa Collier
At 28 years old, Napheesa Collier will still be young enough to be in her athletic peak, but will also have the experience to be a leader on the Olympic stage. Her court awareness, positional flexibility and dangerous spin-move fadeaways make her a threat on any court. Collier can guard multiple positions and impact the game on both ends, giving the U.S. team exactly what it needs to face-off against international opponents.
9. Sarah Strong
Sarah Strong will just have entered her rookie season when the 2028 Olympics commence, but she has proven that she can level up and dominate, as her standout freshman year at UConn displayed. Her high basketball IQ and positional versatility, from beyond the arc to bullying through the paint, makes her a multidimensional threat any way you slice it.
10. Lauren Betts
Lauren Betts was the driving force in bringing her UCLA team to the 2025 women's NCAA Final Four. You cant teach 6’7” and that height is hard to match on the any court. She can set forceful screens defenders will have a hard time maneuvering around and has a quickness uncommon in her size. Betts is incredibly efficient under the rim and will be unguardable to almost any defender attempting to do so.
11. Kelsey Plum
Not only can Kelsey Plum shoot from beyond the arc at a high clip, but she can zip through defenders to finish at the rim with her quick feet. Her relentless drive and refusal to back down from challenges wears out anyone trying to keep up with her on the court. Like others on this list, Plum comes clad in Olympic gold from the 2024 Paris games, experience that younger teammates can never get enough of.
12. Jackie Young
Initially coming off the bench in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Young's breakout 19-point game against Germany earned her a spot in the starting lineup. Young is a versatile player with a quick pull-up game, making it hard for defenders to close out on her in time. She’s a combo guard who can defend and spot up on the wing, and yes, she too has an Olympic gold medal under her belt.
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Rosalina Lee is one of the premiere content creators in the women’s basketball space. She has written for such companies as Red Bull Sports and has teamed up with notable brands such as Madison Square Garden, going behind the scenes with the New York Knicks and Rangers. She is currently offering analysis and fresh takes into the world of women’s basketball on her YouTube channel, and now with Indiana Fever On SI and Women's Fastbreak On SI, keeping fans in the loop with all the latest action!
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