Can Devin Booker become Team USA's definitive leader?
Yes—after back-to-back Olympic gold medals, Devin Booker is positioned to become a definitive Team USA leader by 2028. The Phoenix Suns star is projected for a third Games in Los Angeles as veterans like LeBron James and Stephen Curry are expected to step aside.
Key Takeaways
- Devin Booker has won Olympic gold with Team USA in Tokyo and Paris and is projected to return for 2028.
- NBA insider Evan Sidery has Booker on a projected 2028 U.S. Olympic roster.
- By Los Angeles 2028, stars such as LeBron James and Stephen Curry are expected to be gone, opening a leadership vacuum.
- Coaches have praised Booker for defending, cutting, and sacrificing stats—traits that fit a veteran starter role.
- His Suns No. 15 jersey, the same number he wore for Team USA, is now on sale as a visible link to that Olympic identity.
Why does Devin Booker's Team USA role matter now?
According to Yahoo Sports, Booker has quietly built one of the strongest international résumés in American basketball. A third consecutive Olympics would not be a ceremonial cameo. It would place him among the veterans setting Team USA's standard in FIBA play, where chemistry often outweighs individual talent.
For fans tracking Olympic coverage and highlights, keep an eye on our Streaming & TV Alerts desk for where Team USA games and related programming land.
Can Devin Booker fill the leadership vacuum after 2024?
By 2028, many faces from Team USA's recent golden era—including LeBron James and Stephen Curry—are expected to be gone. That creates space for Booker to move from fitting around legends to helping set the tone.
His willingness to defend, move without the ball, and sacrifice statistics has already earned praise from coaches in prior Olympic runs. Those habits make him a natural starter candidate alongside projected stars such as Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Jalen Brunson, and Cade Cunningham.
Every elite roster needs players who impact winning beyond the scoring column. Booker has repeatedly embraced that responsibility for Team USA.
How does Phoenix benefit if Booker leads Team USA?
Having the Suns' franchise player serve as a Team USA leader keeps Phoenix visible on a global stage and strengthens Booker's Hall of Fame case through sustained success outside the NBA season. Gold medals burnish résumés; leadership shapes legacies.
There is also a tangible fan symbol. Booker switched from No. 1 to No. 15 for his 12th NBA season in honor of his father, Melvin, who wore 15 at Missouri. Per Arizona Sports, that No. 15 kit—the same number Booker wore for Team USA in 2021 and 2024—is now available at the Suns team shop online and in person.
If Booker reaches Los Angeles as a veteran voice and starting guard, it would mark more than another medal chase. It would symbolize Team USA passing the torch to one of the game's most respected stars.