Golden State Warriors and former Team USA coach Steve Kerr was effusive in his praise for Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero. Kerr said he'd "be surprised" if Banchero wasn't a part of Team USA's roster for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Kerr said Banchero was close to making Team USA for this past summer's Olympics in Paris.
"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 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."
During the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the Magic forward averaged 9.3 points on 57.5% shooting for the United States. Given the 2024 Olympics roster featured several older players, that should open room for younger players like Banchero to step in. Team USA will also have a new coach, as Kerr is stepping down from the position.