Former USA Basketball head coach Steve Kerr expressed confidence that Magic forward Paolo Banchero will be a part of Team USA when the Olympic Games take place in Los Angeles in 2028.
According to Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, Kerr said he would be surprised if Banchero isn’t on the roster, given his talent and versatility.
Banchero was very close to cutting the 2024 Olympic team. As reported by Beede, Kerr revealed that the young forward was strongly considered until the final roster decisions were made.
“He was right in the mix [until] the last second for Paris,” Kerr said. “That’s how strongly we felt about him in the Philippines during the [FIBA] World Cup.
“He’s such a talented guy and versatile. … He was right in the mix, and ultimately, it just came down to roster construction, what we needed. We ended up deciding more on guard play than frontcourt.”
Banchero has played 3 seasons for the Magic. He has averaged 21.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 179 regular-season games.
He was selected to play in 1 All-Star game and has won the Rookie of the Year award.
And-Ones: Warren, Baker, 2025 Draft, Banchero https://t.co/wFIkCQdsoX pic.twitter.com/QxaLuyXX9D
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) February 28, 2025
