今年夏天早些时候，美国男子奥运会篮球队再次夺冠，自美国开始派遣职业球员以来，他们在八届奥运会上获得了第七名的第一名。尽管充满了天赋，但美国队开局并不稳定，输掉了多场表演赛，在第一场台球比赛中输给了法国队。虽然他们最终会找到自己的立足点，但他们早期的奋斗证明了世界其他地区在篮球发展方面已经走了多远。对于美国队来说，随着他们展望未来，这种发展只会变得更加可怕。到2024年，最有可能成为世界最佳球员的三位候选人是外国出生的。如果美国希望保持领先地位，他们将不得不在三年内把最好的东西送到巴黎。让我们预测哪些球员届时将处于最佳状态，并尝试为2024年奥运会构建最佳阵容。
杨将在2024年年满25岁，没有理由认为他届时不会成为联盟中最好的控卫之一。他已经是比赛中最好的传球手之一，他的三分投篮使他成为国际篮球的理想人选。防守无疑是一个问题，但美国队可以接受，如果这意味着他们可以有一个斯蒂芬·库里·利特作为他们的首发控球后卫。
如果比尔在奥运会开始前没有被列入健康和安全协议，他本可以在今年夏天早些时候进入2021年的名单。看到他在夺回金牌的过程中再次获得突破将是一件好事，2024年他31岁的时候很可能仍然处于巅峰状态。他在场上或在场下的能力使他非常适合美国队的平均主义进攻，并且当他被锁定时，他可以发挥足够的防守能力。
美国队喜欢把以前的球员带回来，因为他们已经适应了国际比赛，并且了解球队的体系。格雷格·波波维奇（Greg Popovich）可能已经退休很久了，因此体制可能会有所不同，但塔图姆仍然可以带来经验和领导力，今年夏天早些时候在东京赢得了金牌。哦，到那时他仍然是联盟中最好的前锋之一。26岁时，他将成为一名边路得分手和外线防守球员，进入他的绝对巅峰。他可以打2、3或4号位置，控球，在角球区得分，在关键时刻他是一个很好的选择。如果他健康的话，他是个不假思索的人。
除了安特托库恩波、埃姆比德和顿契奇，威廉姆森也是2024年世界最佳球员的另一位候选人。他仍然只有24岁，但鉴于他在第二个赛季就已经成为全明星球员，没有理由认为他届时不会成为一个成熟的小沙克。
威廉姆森将是美国队一个有趣的合适人选，因为他不是杰里·科兰杰罗和他的同事们通常追求的那种长时间、投篮的边锋。即便如此，他的天赋是不可否认的，在国际比赛中，他将在小型球队中尽情享受比赛。他也可能与一名完美掩盖自己缺陷的中锋并肩作战。
戴维斯将是威廉姆森的最佳搭档，因为他会在一端保护篮筐，在另一端为他铺地。他们是一场伟大的比赛，讽刺的是如果戴维斯没有要求交易给湖人，他们本可以在新奥尔良一起比赛。
戴维斯甚至在打NBA篮球之前就已经打过奥运会篮球了，他在2012年的新秀赛季之前在伦敦赢得了金牌。他是一名出色的防守锚，在31岁的时候，他在坦克里还有很多剩余的东西。伤病一直是他关心的问题，但如果他在2023-24赛季后身体健康，他应该是首发中锋位置上的一把锁。
另一支美国队的中流砥柱，欧文也在很小的时候就为国际比赛而努力，并在2016年里约热内卢队开始担任控球后卫。2024年他将32岁，但他刚刚结束了职业生涯。像塔特姆和戴维斯一样，他对国际比赛也很熟悉。
另一位回归的球员布克也将在2024年达到巅峰，当时他27岁。上赛季在凤凰城的决赛中表现出色，布克已经成为联盟中最具活力的后卫之一。你永远不会有足够的控球、投篮或艰难的投篮，布克会把所有这些都变成黑桃。
塔图姆的竞选搭档正是一个理想的美国队角色扮演者的样子，如果科兰杰罗在实验室里建造一个这样的角色，他长得很长，很有活力。他可以在过渡中跑动边路，命中定点跳投，必要时创造运球机会。上赛季他第一次全明星亮相，到27岁的时候，他可能会成为一个完全实现的超级巨星，但即使他仍然是现在的球员，他也是一个完美的人选。
如果布朗是美国队完美的后援，那么阿德巴约就是完美的后援中锋。今年夏天，作为东京的首发中锋，他为自己的国家发挥了巨大的作用，巩固了美国的防守，并在进攻端做了肮脏的工作。当2024年奥运会临近时，他将在27岁时进入巅峰。
莫兰特击败威廉姆森成为2020年度最佳新秀，他在今年早些时候对阵犹他爵士队的季后赛处子秀中表现出色，场均30.2分和8.2次助攻，使他成为联盟未来的明星之一。如果美国队需要加快速度，在进攻中注入一些运动精神，他将是替补席上的一个伟大火花塞。一枚金牌将是他25岁生日的绝佳礼物。
如果对方国家的球队有外围威胁需要关闭，布里奇斯是这项工作的合适人选。布里奇斯在2024年可能成为联盟中最好的外线防守球员，那时他将在28岁的巅峰年龄。上赛季他三次投篮命中率达到惊人的42.5%，这使他成为了完美的角色扮演者。
波特有点神秘，但如果他保持健康并保持目前的轨迹，到2024年，他绝对有资格获得一个名册上的位置，那时他将在26岁时处于黄金时代。他6英尺10英寸的身材使他走路不协调，而且他可以与其他控球球员一起打球。除了一位目前在布鲁克林打球的三届金牌得主之外，作为一名外围得分手，在大量尝试中的真实射门率达到66.3%是前所未闻的。波特可能永远也达不到凯文·杜兰特的水平，但一旦杜兰特退出，他可以为美国队担任类似的角色。但谁知道呢？杜兰特在32岁的时候看起来仍然是世界上最好的球员，所以他可能会在2024年获得第四枚奖牌。
原标题：
Way-too-early predictions for the 2024 US Men’s Olympic basketball roster
原文：
The US men’s olympic basketball squad took home the gold once again earlier this summer, claiming their seventh first-place finish in the eight Olympics since the US started sending professional players. Despite being loaded with talent, Team USA got off to a shakey start, losing multiple exhibition games and falling to France in their first game of pool play. While they would eventually find their footing, their early struggles were a testiment to how far the rest of the world has come in terms of basketball development. For team USA, this development only gets scarier as they look to the future. Three most likely candidates to be the best player in the world by 2024 are foreign-born. If the US hopes to remain on top, they’re going to have to send their best to Paris in three years. Let’s project which players will be in their primes at that point and attempt to construct the best possible roster for the 2024 Olympics.
Young will be 25 in 2024, and there’s no reason to think he won’t be one of the best point guards in the league at that point. He’s already one of the best passers in the game, and his three-point shooting makes him an ideal fit for international basketball. Defense will no-doubt be an issue, but Team USA can live with it if it means they can have a Steph Curry-lite as their starting point guard.
Beal would’ve been on the 2021 roster earlier this summer were he not placed in health and safety protocols just prior to the start of the games. It would be great to see him get another crack at taking home a gold medal, and he’ll likely still be on the tail-end of his prime at age 31 in 2024. His ability to play on or off the ball makes him a great fit for an egalitarian Team USA offense, and he can play sufficient defense when he’s locked in.
Team USA loves to bring back former players, as they’ve already adjusted to international play and understand the team’s system. Greg Popovich might be long-retired by this point, so the system might be different, but Tatum can still bring experience and leadership having won gold earlier this summer in Tokyo. Oh, and he’ll still be one of the best forwards in the league by that point. At age 26, he’ll be entering his absolute apex as a wing scorer and perimeter defender. He can play the 2, 3 or 4 position, handle the ball, spot up in the corner, and he’s a great go-to option in clutch situations. He’s a no-brainer lock if healthy.
In addition to Antetokounmpo, Embiid and Doncic, Williamson is another candidate for the best-player-in-the-world title by 2024. He’ll still only be 24, but seeing as he’s already an All-Star in just his second season, there’s no reason to think he won’t be a full-fledged mini-Shaq by that point.
Williamson will be an interesting fit for Team USA, seeing as he’s not the usual lengthy, shooting wing that Jerry Colangelo and co. normally pursue. Even so, his talent is undeniable, and he’ll have a field day feasting on smaller teams in international play. He might also be playing alongside a center that masks his deficiencies perfectly.
Davis would be an excellent fit next to Williamson, as he’d protect the rim on one end and spread the floor for him on the other. They’re a great match, which is ironic considering they could’ve played together in New Orleans had Davis not demanded a trade to the Lakers.
Davis has been playing Olympic ball even before he was playing NBA ball, winning gold in London back in 2012 prior to his rookie season. He’s a great defensive anchor, and he’ll still have a lot left in the tank at age 31. Injuries are always a concern with him, but if he happens to be healthy following the 2023-24 season, he should be a lock at the starting center spot.
Another Team USA mainstay, Irving was also molded for international play at an early age and started at point guard for the 2016 Rio team. He’ll be 32 in 2024, but he just came off of arguably a career year. Like Tatum and Davis, he’ll be familiar with international play.
Yet another returning player, Booker will also be at his apex in 2024 at age 27. Coming off an impressive Finals run last season with Phoenix, Booker has already become one of the most dynamic guards in the league. You can never have enough ball-handling, shooting or tough-shot-making, and Booker brings all of those in spades.
Tatum’s running mate is exactly what an ideal Team USA role player would look like if Colangelo were to build one in a lab. He’s long, switchable and athletic. He can run the wing in transition, hit spot-up jumpers and create off the dribble when necessary. Coming off of his first All-Star appearance last season, he might be a fully-realized superstar by the time he turns 27, but even if he remains the player he is now, he’s a perfect fit.
If Brown is the perfect Team USA supporting wing, then Adebayo is the perfect supporting center. He played great for his country this summer as the starting center in Tokyo, anchoring the US’s defense and doing the dirty work on the offensive end. He’s yet another player that will be entering his prime at age 27 when the 2024 games roll around.
The man who beat out Williamson for the 2020 Rookie of the Year , Morant was spectacular in his postseason debut earlier this year against the Utah Jazz, averaging 30.2 points and 8.2 assists and making his presence known as one of the faces of the league’s future. He’d be a great spark plug off the bench for Team USA if they need to push the pace and inject some athleticism into their offense. A gold medal would be a great 25th birthday present for him.
If there’s a perimeter threat on an opposing country’s team that needs to be shut down , Bridges is the man for the job. Snubbed for an All-Defensive team spot this season Bridges could be the best perimeter defender in the league in 2024, when he’ll be at the peak age of 28. He also shot a spectacular 42.5% from three last season, making him essentially the perfect role player.
Porter is a bit of a mystery box, but assuming he stays healthy and maintains his current trajectory, he could absolutely be deserving of a roster spot by the time 2024 rolls around, when he’ll be in his prime at age 26. His 6’10 frame makes him a walking mismatch, and he can spread the floor playing alongside other ball-dominant players. A true shooting rate of 66.3% on a high-volume of attempts as a perimeter scorer is downright unheard of, beyond a certain three-time gold medalist who currently plays in Brooklyn. Porter will probably never reach Kevin Durant’s level, but he can fill a similar role for Team USA once Durant calls it quits. But who knows? Durant still looks like the best player in the world at age 32, so he might just go for a fourth medal in 2024.