Kerr expects Banchero in Team USA for the Olympic Games

By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net

Before the meeting between the Golden State Warriors and the Orlando Magic in Kia Center, Steve Kerr opened up about Paolo Banchero, mentioning that he would be surprised if he missed out on a potential opportunity to play for Team USA in the Olympic Games 2028 and also explaining why he was cut from the list for last summer’s Paris Olympics.

Choosing to represent the United States over Italy, Banchero debuted in the FIBA World Cup 2023. He averaged 9.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per contest with the team coached by Kerr settling in fourth place of the final standings.

“He’s such a talented guy and versatile,” the former head coach of Team USA described Banchero’s showings in the World Cup during the pregame press conference on Thursday, “Playing off of other superstars, you can imagine the force and impact of his athleticism. So, he was right in the mix, and ultimately, it just came down to roster construction and what we needed. We ended up deciding more on guard play than frontcourt. But, yeah, he’s a great young guy. Really enjoyed coaching him and amazingly talented.”

On the wrong end of a season-high 56 points by Stephen Curry, among the Team USA leaders and a member of the FIBA All-Star Five in the most recent basketball Olympic tournament, Banchero had 41 points in a losing effort against the Warriors. He is averaging 23 points per contest in the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season.

Photo Credit: FIBA

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