Pelicans Forward Zion Williamson Predicted for 2028 U.S. Men's Olympic Roster

Could Williamson be the first New Orleans franchise player in more than a decade to make the 2028 Olympic roster?

Apr 14, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) fight for position during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The U.S. Men's National Team seeks the Gold Medal in this year's 2024 Olympics in Paris. There are no New Orleans Pelicans representatives on this year's team, and there have not been since 2012. One NBA writer thinks Pelicans' star Zion Williamson could have a legitimate chance to make the roster in 2028.

Joe Mussatto from the Oklahoman published his piece on what the future roster for the U.S. National Team could look like. His future starting lineup in 2028 consists of Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, newly-crowned Celtics champion Jayson Tatum, Lakers power-forward Anthony Davis, and 76ers MVP Joel Embiid.

Davis was the last New Orleans franchise member to make an Olympic roster. The then-named New Orleans Hornets drafted Davis with the No. 1 overall pick in 2012 before a rash of injuries allowed Davis to play in the Olympics that summer before ever suiting up in an NBA uniform. Davis appeared in seven Olympic games, averaging 3.7 points and 2.7 rebounds. Team USA won the Gold Medal after defeating Spain in the title game.

The article continues that Williamson could earn his spot with the lack of available big U.S.-born big men in the league. Zion could compete for a roster spot with Bam Adebayo or Chet Holmgren for the reserve big-man slot. Mussatto points out health is a major consideration for Zion's consideration in a few years. Williamson is coming off the healthiest season of his career, playing in a career-high 70 games last season. He did injure himself in the Play-In Tournament game loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, ending his season after another hamstring injury.

U.S. Basketball will be in search of younger talent in the next Olympic Games hosted in Los Angeles. LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant will be 43, 40, and 39 respectively when the 2028 games are played. Jrue Holiday will be 38 and has played in two straight Olympics, so he may not look to participate a third consecutive time.

Williamson just turned 24 early this month, meaning he'll be in the thick of his prime in 2028. The U.S. Team has placed a major emphasis on role players in the makeup of the teams, having guys like Jrue Holiday on the roster and using Derrick White to replace the injured Kawhi Leonard. This could open the door for players like Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III to be considered for future teams as well. Murphy III was selected to the U.S. Select Team this summer to scrimmage against the National Team, preparing them for the Olympic Games.