Paolo Banchero has an inside track to be on Team USA in 2028

Typically when Orlando Magic fans hear one of their top players is eyeing Los Angeles, it is a time for panic.

The small-market Magic have lost two Hall-of-Fame centers to the bright lights of the Los Angeles Lakers and there are still a ton of sore feelings about it. Magic fans are in a constant state of paranoia about keeping their stars.

The Magic will likely sign Banchero to a five-year rookie max extension next summer. Those concerns should be put to rest (for now).

But a few hours after the United States completed its gold medal victory over France, it did not take long for the basketball world to think about who would defend that gold medal on the home floor at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles in 2028.

In this case, Banchero going to Los Angeles is a very good thing. And considering he was a part of the FIBA World Cup roster in 2023, it feels like Banchero has an inside track to be the Magic's first Team USA representative at the Olympics since Dwight Howard in 2008.

In fact, Joe Vardon of The Athletic reported Banchero was under "serious consideration" for this year's Olympic roster before the team moved in another direction. To say the least, after a big lobbying effort last summer, Banchero is part of Grant Hill's future plans for Team USA.

Banchero will wear red, white and blue again and likely in 2028 at the Los Angeles Olympics.

That indeed speaks to how well Banchero is thought of around NBA circles, especially after gaining his first All-Star appearance while averaging 22.6 points per game and 6.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. He confirmed that status with a stellar playoff showing, averaging 27.0 points per game, 8.6 rebounds per game and 4.0 assists per game on a relatively efficient 45.6/40.0/75.5 shooting split.

The wide assumption is that the 21-year-old forward will continue to get better during the next four years. At 25 years old, Banchero should be just entering his prime and have multiple All-Star games under his belt. If things go right for the Magic, he likely would have a few all-NBA bids too.

That is the kind of resume that gets a player on the star-studded Team USA. In four years, Banchero may be among the league's most important players.

Looking at the roster pool even today, it is clear Banchero is in the mix

There were 14 American players voted ahead of Banchero in All-NBA voting last year. Only five were not with Team USA this summer (Kawhi Leonard was with the team in training camp before withdrawing for a sixth).

It is easy to see Jalen Brunson, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey joining Team USA next time around. Paul George will probably be aged out (he will be 37 for the 2028 Olympics). And Zion Williamson is a mystery. Assuming LeBron James, Stephen Cury and Kevin Durant retire from international play, Banchero is next in line to join the team.

Banchero then is already in the mix of players who will be pushing to be on Team USA. And, again, if he improves the way everyone anticipates, he should be in the mix. Whether that means he will sign up for a summer in Qatar for the 2027 World Cup is another story. That might depend on how far he advances and how Team USA is shaping up.

This will be a case of Banchero taking care of his work early.

If he is a multi-time All-Star and All-NBA player, his inclusion should be a foregone conclusion. If the Magic continue growing as a team and advancing deeper into the Playoffs, Banchero's bid will be undeniable.

Everything works with each other.

The only thing working against Banchero, perhaps, will be a loaded frontcourt and perhaps Team USA being a little less willing to try Banchero as the backup center full-time as they did during the 2023 World Cup.

Assuming all the top players want to go in 208–and with the games in Los Angeles, there should be a lot of interested players just like there were for Paris this summer— that leaves a player pool of wings with Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards and Jayson Tatum from the current Olympic team. Durant has flirted with thinking about returning for another Olympic run, but he will be 39 in 2028.

It likely throws Paolo Banchero into a group of newcomers that includes Mikal Bridges and Jaylen Brown. That is six players to fill two positions on a 12-man roster. Banchero's versatility and size stands out among that group. He is the only one of these players who is a natural 4 to backup Tatum.

That size is probably a benefit because of how thin the U.S.'s group of centers are.

Bam Adebayo is likely to return for a third try at a gold medal. Anthony Davis could be in too. That solidifies the U.S.'s center rotation. But beyond them, it gets rough.

Jaren Jackson Jr. struggled a ton in the World Cup with his fouling and rebounding, pushing Paolo Banchero into a more prominent role as a center in the more physical FIBA play. That was ultimately good for Banchero's development but probably not good for the Americans' hopes of winning in the Philippines last summer.

The center options behind him would be rising versatile big men like Chet Holmgren and Cooper Flagg. Or they could turn to Cleveland Cavaliers big men Jarrett Allen or Evan Mobley.

Again, there is a lot of basketball to play in the next four years.

And the U.S. will likely add in some role players like Josh Hart, Derrick White, Herb Jones, Alex Caruso or even Jalen Suggs (a sneaky candidate to join Team USA in four years after he played with the Select Team this summer).

As things stand, Banchero is in the mix. And if he continues to grow and develop the way we anticipate he will, Banchero should find himself on the Olympic team. If he is in All-NBA consideration in four years, that is almost a guarantee that he makes the Olympic roster.

At long last, Magic fans will be excited about one of their players going to Los Angeles.