The road to squad USA’s record ninth straight Olympic gold medal on home soil in Los Angeles has officially begun. New stars like Angel Reese are joining the national squad for the first time. The first training camp for the organization this December, led by new head coach Kara Lawson and managing director Sue Bird, gave fans a first look at what the future holds.

The 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin is the next big event, but the 2028 Olympics, which will have the most-watched roster in the history of the sport, is already casting a long shadow over every move. According to Olympics.com, Angel Reese, the forward for the Chicago Sky and one of the ten first-time attendees, quickly saw how important the young energy was that filled the sessions.

“They didn’t just select us for no reason,” Reese observed, a note of quiet confidence in her assessment of the young core. “They know that we can bring something to the table.” Her feelings show that USA Basketball is making a planned change to include its best young players, including Reese, Caitlin Clark, and Paige Bueckers, in the system years before the LA Games.

Reese’s connection with Bueckers was a big part of this integration. The two spent a lot of time together during camp, and Reese intimated that their bond could form the basis for the national team for years to come.

Bueckers even talked about this experience, saying, “Our young core wants to bring the energy, soak up everything, and grow.” Their shared experiences strengthened the group’s common goal: to learn, mature, and eventually take over from the renowned veterans who won gold in Paris. But this influx of young people arrives at a very important time.

Angel Reese’s team will carry on a legacy

The 2024 Olympic team won the gold medal game against France by a score of 67–66. They relied largely on established talents like A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, who are likely to be key players in 2028. But the fact that Diana Taurasi isn’t there and other veterans are getting older has made room for a new group.

The selection process for 2028 will be a difficult balancing act between the valuable Olympic experience of the veterans and the undeniable potential and marketability of the new players. Sue Bird has sent mixed messages.

On the one hand, she has publicly stressed how important it is for veterans to be there in high-pressure situations. On the other hand, she has boldly predicted that the women’s basketball team will be the “biggest storyline” of the LA Games. This is easier to do by featuring the sport’s most exciting young players.

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The message from this first camp, though, was clear: the future of USA Basketball has arrived, and they don’t want to wait their turn. They have been invited to the table, and as Angel Reese made clear, they plan to contribute everything they have.