Representing your country on the Olympic stage is one of the biggest honors that any athlete can experience. It is one that Evan Mobley is currently projected to be snubbed from.
Colin Ward-Henninger of CBS Sports delivered an early outlook on the basketball stars that can be expected to don that Team USA jersey once the Olympic Games come to Los Angeles in the summer of 2028. Mobley was a notable omission from the list.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were not without representation altogether. Donovan Mitchell was highlighted among the 12 stars expected to defend the gold medal. The other 11 certainly leave question marks around Mobley's absence.
To go with Mitchell, Ward-Henninger listed the following players to represent Team USA: Bam Adebayo, Paolo Banchero, Devin Booker, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Haliburton, Jayson Tatum, and Jalen Williams.
Team USA outlook sparks debate after Evan Mobley gets left out
There is one frontcourt player that immediately sticks out as a sore thumb in his presence over Mobley. That would undoubtedly be Embiid.
At first glance, the Philadelphia 76ers superstar is a former MVP and one of the more dominant players of his generation. Why would Embiid not have a secure spot on Team USA? That much should be simple to explain.
The 76ers center would be 34 years old by the time of the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. It is difficult to imagine Embiid's body holding up until that age and him continuing to perform at an elite level by then, considering everything that has happened to this point.
The dominant center won his MVP in the 2022-23 season, stamping himself as one of the best players in the NBA. Since then, Embiid has struggled to stay on the court in the two seasons since.
The five-time All-NBA member played only 39 regular-season games in 2023-24. That was followed up by a disappointing 19-game campaign in 2024-25. Embiid's health remains a massive question mark heading into 2025-26, and there is warranted skepticism about whether the seven-time All-Star will return to being the dominant force fans are familiar with.
Mobley, on the other hand, would be 27 years old and entering his prime around the time of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The Cavaliers star has already established himself as one of the best players in the Eastern Conference, and should continue to rise in status.
Whatever way one tries to wrap their head around the matter, it is nearly impossible to get behind the idea of Embiid being the super selection to Mobley in 2028. The defensive versatility and overall malleability of the Cavaliers big man should make him an easy choice for Team USA.