The Detroit Pistons should be well represented in the 2028 Olympics.
It was recently reported that both Ausar Thompson (along with twin brother Amen) and Isaiah Stewart will play for team Jamaica in the games, which will be played in Los Angeles.
The fact that this is a home soil Olympics will likely attract more American players to represent countries other than the United States that they might have connections to. And why not? It would make the Olympics more competitive and fun and give NBA players who have no chance of making Team USA a chance to play against the best competition in the world.
Team USA has not yet been announced, but there is a good chance Cade Cunningham will be asked after an All-NBA campaign, especially with big turnover expected as guys like LeBron, Steph and Jrue Holiday pass the torch to the next generation.
Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis will be in their mid-30's, so who knows, by 2028, Cade’s teammate Jalen Duren could make the team as well.
It could set up some interesting matchups between teammates.
Ausar Thompson making life hell for Cade Cunningham
A lot can happen between now and 2028. You can’t just assume a player’s trajectory or that any of these guys will even be teammates in three years.
But if things continue on their current path, Ausar Thompson is poised to be one of the best defenders in the league and could end up making life miserable for Cade Cunningham in the Olympics, which would be a great head-to-head matchup I’d love to see.
The Jamaican roster is stacking up with the Thompson Twins, Isaiah Stewart, Devin Vassell and most recently Scottie Barnes reportedly committing to the team.
With those five guys, the Jamaican team would be a nightmare defensively, as all of them can defend multiple spots, switch all over the place and get out and run. The FIBA pre-qualifiers are in August, so this is a team we could see unleashed this summer and it would be a fun one to watch.
There’s a long history of players going to the next level after participating in the Olympics and other international events, as you are going up against the best players in the world in games but also every day in practice, which gives a great opportunity for growth.
The Detroit Pistons are set up with some of the young talent that will represent the United States among others, which is a great sign for their future as a franchise.