What is the 2024 Paris Olympics Men's Basketball bracket? Closer look at all groups and teams
The stage is set, the hardwood gleams and the world's best basketball players are ready to battle it out for glory in the City of Lights. As the 2024 Paris Olympics loom large, fans worldwide are waiting with bated breath to see which teams will clash for the coveted gold medal.
Twelve teams will participate in the tournament, divided into four pots of three teams each, based on their FIBA World Ranking. The three groups were formed by drawing one team from each pot. Teams from the same continent could not be placed into the same group, except for European teams, where each group must include a minimum of two and a maximum of three teams.
The basketball games at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris will happen between July 27 and Aug. 11. Regular games with teams of five players will be played first at Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille. Then, the final games will be held at the Accor Arena in Paris.
Let's dissect the bracket and see which teams are primed for glory. The format features three groups, each with four teams vying for a spot in the knockout stages. Here's a closer look at each group and team.
2024 Paris Olympics Men's Basketball bracket: Teams and groups
Group A
GAMES | STREAK | GAME POINTS | POINTS | NEXT | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | TEAM | GP | W | L | % | LAST 5 | FOR | AGT | -/+ | FA | AA | ||
1 |  Australia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||
2 | Greece | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||
3 | Canada | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||
4 | Spain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||
This group promises fireworks. We've got the firepower of the Australian Boomers, fresh off a strong showing in the FIBA World Cup. They'll face a determined Spanish squad boasting a core of seasoned veterans hungry for gold.
Greece, with its never-say-die attitude and two-time MVP and NBA champion, Giannis Antetokounmpo, on the roster, and a strong Canadian team with NBA vets eager to prove themselves, add another layer of intrigue.
Group B
GAMES | STREAK | GAME POINTS | POINTS | NEXT | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | TEAM | GP | W | L | % | LAST 5 | FOR | AGT | -/+ | FA | AA | ||
1 | France | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||
2 | Germany | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||
3 | Japan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||
4 | Brazil | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||
This group is wide open. Germany, a European powerhouse and the current FIBA world champions, will be looking to dominate. Japan, with its speed and ever-improving 3-point shooting, shouldn't be underestimated.
The host nation, France, boasts the defensive duo of Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert, who will disrupt opposing offenses. With a passionate home crowd behind it, France will be a formidable opponent. Additionally, a talented Brazilian team will challenge these basketball powerhouses, making for an exciting competition.
Group C
GAMES | STREAK | GAME POINTS | POINTS | NEXT | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | TEAM | GP | W | L | % | LAST 5 | FOR | AGT | -/+ | FA | AA | ||
1 | Serbia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||
2 | South Sudan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||
3 | Puerto Rico | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||
4 | USA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||
This could be the group of death, featuring the young guns from South Sudan, a team brimming with athleticism and raw talent that recently gave Team USA a run for its money, losing by just one point, 100-101.
Team USA remains the overwhelming favorite to win the gold medal, but it will be tested by a gritty Puerto Rican squad known for its tough defense and clutch play, as well as the formidable Serbian team led by the current NBA MVP, Nikola Jokic.
The Knockout Stages
Each team in the group stage will play six matches, facing each opponent twice. The top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed teams will advance to the knockout stages. This is where the real excitement begins: it’s win or go home, with every possession becoming a nail-biter and every basket eliciting roars from the crowd.
After the preliminary round, a draw will determine the pairings, with a seeded team facing an unseeded team. The qualified teams will be divided into four pots:
- Pot D: The top two-ranked first-placed teams from the group phase.
- Pot E: The lowest-ranked first-placed team and the best-ranked second-placed team from the group phase.
- Pot F: The remaining second-placed teams from the group phase.
- Pot G: The two best third-placed teams.
Draw principles:
- Teams from Pot D will be drawn against teams from Pot G.
- Teams from Pot E will face teams from Pot F.
- Teams from the same group cannot be drawn against each other in the quarterfinals.
Team USA is always a force to be reckoned with, but basketball is a global game now and the beauty of the Olympics lies in its unpredictability. With group play tipping off on July 27, the next few weeks promise to be a thrilling display of athleticism, strategy and national pride.