candidates for the 2016 Dream Team

28 players are being considered for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Marc Stein tweets:

In tweets of seven: LaMarcus Aldridge, Carmelo Anthony, Bradley Beal, Tyson Chandler, DeMarcus Cousins, Steph Curry and Anthony Davis

Another seven: Andre Drummond, Kevin Durant, Kenneth Faried, Paul George, Blake Griffin, James Harden and Gordon Hayward

Seven more: Dwight Howard, Andre Iguodala, Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Kyle Korver, David Lee and Kawhi Leonard

Last seven: Damian Lillard, Kevin Love, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Klay Thompson, Russell Westbrook and Deron Williams

Four years ago, USA Basketball added four more players to its pool a few months after the initial release, and the same could happen this cycle. John Wall, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, DeAndre Jordan and Michael Carter-Williams are among the players who would make sense as late additions. (Kobe Bryant, the lone 2012 Olympian not selected, has already announced his retirement from international play.)

Those 28(-plus?) will be parsed to 12 for each international event, but of course the biggest prize is a spot on the 2016 Olympic roster.

So, who has the best chance? Ignoring possible late additions to the expanded roster, some of whom would rank highly, here’s how the 28 already selected stack up for making the 2016 Olympic Team (age at the beginning of the Rio Games is listed in parentheses):

Hint: outside of the top 12: Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kyrie Irving.