Lakers star Anthony Davis already eyeing enhanced Olympics legacy

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis has won everything there is to win at the highest levels of competitive basketball. That's quite a statement, but one look at his résumé supports the claim in a way that overqualifies him for the Hall of Fame.

True to his competitive nature, Davis is already looking ahead to the next opportunity to win at the highest level—both in the NBA and abroad.

Davis was the National Player of the Year and the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player when the Kentucky Wildcats captured the 2012 NCAA championship. He's also a five-time All-NBA honoree who played a co-starring role when the Los Angeles Lakers won the 2020 NBA title.

After recently capturing his second career Olympic gold medal, this time as a featured player on Team USA, Davis made it clear that he isn't done with winning on the international stage.

On a recent episode of Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective, it was revealed that Davis intends to play for Team USA during the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

"The point is: The French have really good young players and Team USA’s best players were all in their mid-to-late 30s. Even AD is [31]. AD said: ‘I’m going to be there for LA’ and I was like ‘OK you’re going to be [35], let’s see.’”"

A 35-year-old Davis competing for an Olympic gold medal in 2028 sounds unlikely, but considering 36-year-old Stephen Curry and 39-year-old LeBron James just won it all in 2024, it's not impossible.

Anthony Davis wants to win another Olympic gold medal in 2028

Davis could retire today and have a guaranteed place in the Hall of Fame. In addition to his NBA, NCAA, and Olympic championships, he helped Team USA win the 2014 FIBA World Cup and has five NBA All-Defensive Team nods on his résumé.

The greatest competitors don't settle once they've won, however, and Davis is epitomizing that with his forward thinking as far as a third career Olympic gold medal is concerned.

It's also worth noting that Davis still has his eye on winning championships in the NBA. It's an ambitious goal considering the Lakers lost in the first round of the 2024 playoffs, but they also reached the Western Conference Finals in 2023.

With an ideally healthier roster in 2024-25, it's possible that Davis can help Los Angeles return to prominence with a momentum boost in the form of a 2024 Olympic gold medal.

It's also worth noting that Davis is coming off of one of the best seasons of his NBA career. He averaged 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.1 offensive boards, 3.5 assists, 2.3 blocks, and 1.2 steals while appearing in 76 games.

In the process, he became the only player to earn All-NBA and All-Defense honors during the 2023-24 season.

With Davis playing at a superstar level and LeBron James still looking the same part, it's plausible that the Lakers can contend again. Changes to the roster and general strategic approach are necessary, but few teams have a duo as potent as Davis and James.

Perhaps between now and 2028, Davis will have another NBA championship before potentially joining the rare class of three-time Olympic gold medalists.