Males’s Olympic basketball groups at 2024 Paris video games, ranked by gold medal possibilities

USA Basketball can now not declare to be the one dominant worldwide power it as soon as was within the males’s division. Poor showings on the final two FIBA World Cup competitions — a seventh place end in 2019 and a fourth place end in 2023 — confirmed cracks within the armor. The tip of Staff USA’s 25-game Olympic successful streak to France on the 2021 Tokyo video games proved that even this system’s greatest rosters will be crushed. There’s little doubt the remainder of the globe is catching up. With the arrival of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Staff USA is out to show it nonetheless runs the world.

The People known as of their largest stars for Paris, with LeBron James returning to the staff after an eight-year hiatus at age-39, and Stephen Curry signing on for the primary time in his profession. USA Basketball did effectively to place collectively its absolute best roster, however with so many NBA superstars taking part in for different international locations, one other gold medal is way from assured.

Nikola Jokic leads Serbia. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray energy a proficient Canadian staff. Giannis Antetokounmpo stars for Greece. Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert carry the host nation desires for France. That is essentially the most proficient males’s Olympic match ever, and something can occur in a single-elimination format within the knockout rounds. Earlier than the 2024 Paris Olympics start, let’s rank each staff within the area by their gold medal possibilities.

12. South Sudan

South Sudan is within the Olympics for the primary time ever with a roster put collectively by former Chicago Bulls All-Star ahead Luol Deng. There’s some official NBA expertise right here: JT Thor, Wenyen Gabriel, and Carlik Jones every have expertise on the highest stage. There’s are additionally some former school stars on the roster, together with Iowa’s Peter Jok, Louisville’s Deng Adel, and Virginia’s Marial Shayok. The true participant to look at right here is Duke incoming freshman Khaman Maluach, a cellular 7-footer with a likelihood to be a top-5 decide within the 2025 NBA Draft. South Sudan could also be final on this checklist, however they’ve sufficient size and ball dealing with to be aggressive.

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11. Japan

Los Angeles Lakers ahead Rui Hachimura is the headline star for Japan, and it is going to be fascinating to see how he performs in a high-usage function as the primary identify on the opposing scouting report. Hachimura could have some shooters round him: Yuta Watanabe cashed 37 p.c of his three-pointers in 213 NBA video games, whereas former Nebraska star Keisei Tominaga (at the moment on a try-out cope with the Indiana Pacers) has a lot vary he earned the nickname “the Japanese Stephen Curry” in school. France and Germany will likely be anticipated to come back out of Group B, however Japan can be blissful to play the spoiler with a pair scorching capturing nights.

10. Brazil

This isn’t the strongest Brazil roster in comparison with what its despatched to the Olympics previously, however there are a number of acquainted names to NBA followers. Bruno Caboclo is now not “two years away from being two years away” — he’s a 28-year-old able to play a starring function for his dwelling nation. Raul Neto will add a gradual veteran ball handler who can create his personal offense, whereas Golden State Warriors ahead Gui Santos provides some size and energy on the wing. Former Pelicans draft decide Didi Louzada and former Bulls middle Cristiano Felicio ought to spherical out Brazil’s five-best group. Brazil and Japan face a steep climb to advance out of Group B, however their matchup will likely be a blast to look at.

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9. Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is again within the Olympics after an exhilarating win over Domantas Sabonis and Lithuania within the qualifying match. The energy of the staff is the backcourt of Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado, former NBA guard Tremont Waters, and former Marquette star Jordan Howard. Alvarado could have his plate full because the staff’s greatest scorer, greatest defender, and emotional chief, however the 6-foot guard seems up for the problem. Puerto Rico has some legit measurement within the center with former Iowa State middle George Conditt IV, whereas former San Diego school star Isaiah Piñeiro provides some would possibly on the wing. This looks like Alvarado towards the world with the U.S. and Nikola Jokic looming in Group C, however he gained’t go down and not using a battle.

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8. Greece

Greece beat Croatia within the qualifying match to punch its first males’s Olympic basketball berth since 2008. Every part runs by means of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has an opportunity to be the most effective participant within the match if he’s in peak kind. There’s some expertise round Giannis: former Kings lottery decide Georgios Papagiannis is an enormous 7-footer within the center, whereas Nick Calathes and Thomas Walkup man the perimeter as former school stars. There’s just one drawback for Greece: they’re within the Group of Dying with Spain, Australia, and Canada all included in Group A. Antetokounmpo goes to need to be superb simply advance to the knockout rounds.

7. Australia

Australia basketball has been steadily on the rise during the last decade, and it earned its first Olympic males’s medal ever within the Tokyo video games behind a celebrity efficiency from Patty Mills. Mills is again once more as staff captain simply forward of his thirty sixth birthday, and he’s surrounded by a veteran staff with loads of NBA expertise. Joe Ingles and Matthew Dellavedova are fellow elder statesmen who will present capturing and defensive toughness. Dante Exum and Josh Inexperienced add pace and driving on the perimeter, whereas huge males Jock Landale and Duop Reath clear up inside. Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels is perhaps the 2 most enjoyable prospects to trace right here as former NBA top-10 picks nonetheless early of their careers. Giddey could have the ball in his fingers loads as a lead guard, and might want to have a powerful efficiency if the Boomers need to get out of Group A alongside Spain, Greece, and Canada.

6. Spain

Spain has been a powerhouse in males’s basketball for almost 20 years and is at the moment No. 2 on this planet rankings, however there isn’t as a lot star-power right here as there usually is. The Hernangomez brothers have changed the Gasol brothers as a brand new twin towers inside, and Memphis Grizzlies ahead Santi Aldama could possibly be poised to grow to be the staff’s new main man. There are nonetheless some acquainted faces right here — Rudy Fernandez continues to be taking part in at 39 years previous! — however this largely looks like a staff in a transition part. Solely two groups are getting out of Group A with Canada, Australia, and Greece able to knock out Spain, making this really feel like the most important take a look at of Spanish basketball’s supremacy but.

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5. France

Victor Wembanyama’s Olympic debut in entrance of a hometown crowd in Paris will likely be one of many match’s largest storylines. The 20-year-old was probably the most hyped rookies in NBA historical past final season, and someway exceeded expectations. Now he’s becoming a member of loaded roster coming off a silver medal in Tokyo. Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert kind a monster entrance line with unprecedented size and rim safety. Nic Batum is again for another run on the Olympics as a flexible ahead, and Evan Fournier will add capturing on the wings. The massive query right here is the guard play. Can a staff medal on the Olympics taking part in virtually solely by means of their huge males? France will strive.

4. Germany

Germany is contemporary off a shocking gold medal run within the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and now it’s able to earn its first Olympic medal ever in males’s basketball. Brothers and Orlando Magic teammates Franz and Moritz Wagner are Germany’s largest stars, with Franz as an outsized ball handler and Mo doing the soiled work inside. Dennis Schröder provides a brilliant quick ball handler on the perimeter whose sport would possibly work higher in FIBA play. Don’t sleep on Andreas Obst both as a essential flooring spacer and out of doors shooter. The Germany-France sport in Group B must be electrical.

Photograph by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Photos

3. Serbia

The very best participant on this planet performs for Serbia. Nikola Jokic is competing for his dwelling nation on the Olympics for the primary time since 2016, and this time round he’s on the peak of his powers. Serbia proved its a superb staff even with out Jokic by incomes a silver medal on the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and it might probably realistically dream about Olympic gold with Joker within the lineup. Bogdan Bogdanović is the one different main NBA contributor on the roster, and he’s arguably the second-best shooter within the area behind Stephen Curry. Serbia doesn’t have the identical quantity of NBA gamers as different gold medal contenders, nevertheless it’s a staff that is aware of methods to play collectively. With Jokic within the center, Serbia can get an excellent look on almost each possession. If you happen to’re in search of a sleeper who may find yourself on prime of the rostrum, that is it.

2. Canada

That is the second Canadian males’s basketball has been ready for. After incomes its first medal in a serious worldwide competitors with a bronze within the 2023 World Cup, Canada joins the Olympic stage with its greatest roster ever. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a real celebrity on the controls for Canada, and has a case as the most effective guard within the area. Jamal Murray joins SGA for a star-studded backcourt as a harmful three-level scorer who can takeover a sport when he has to. Canada has powerful, defensive-minded wings in Dillon Brooks and Lu Dort, and a few versatile bigs with Kelly Olynyk and Trey Lyles. With 11 NBA gamers on the roster, Canada has the kind of depth and star-power that solely the U.S. can match. Simply making it out of Group A will likely be an accomplishment, however Canada can realistically dream a lot greater than that.

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1. United States

It’s gold medal or bust for the US at each Olympics, and there are actually no excuses this time round. USA Basketball bought each dedication it needed to ship its absolute best staff to Paris. The names on the roster learn like an inventory of all-time nice gamers: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant are top-20 gamers in NBA historical past who nonetheless carry out at an extremely excessive stage late of their careers. Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, and Bam Adebayo kind a dream huge man room for Staff USA. Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards are the way forward for this system, whereas Jrue Vacation and Tyrese Haliburton can expertly fill their function. For nearly as good as this American staff is, it’s essential to recollect there are not any best-of-7 sequence within the Olympics — one unhealthy night time, and also you’re out within the knockout rounds. Can the U.S. keep on prime of the rostrum? With gold medals in seven of the final eight summer season Olympics and certainly one of its strongest rosters ever readily available, Staff USA is the apparent favourite heading into the match. It simply gained’t be straightforward with the remainder of world doing their greatest to dethrone the People.