It's not an ideal draw, but probably the closest thing to one for the United States and Serbia. Both nations will start as logical favorites in this Olympic Group C, facing Puerto Rico and South Sudan.
The first day will even have the feel of a group final ahead of time and a revenge match between Team USA and the Serbs, who were outclassed on Tuesday, July 17 in preparation by Steve Kerr's squad. The defending champion will be able to control more for the rest of the operations, while refining his game without having to expose himself too much.
UNITED STATES
Four-time defending champions, who came to Paris with a five-star squad, the United States are the overwhelming favorites of the competition. But the time for superiority complexes is over. Yes, the talent pool of this roster is incomparable with the competition, and could remain historic at the end of the competition. But the last international meetings have proven that this is not always enough to believe one is safe.
Team USA didn't joke around against France in Tokyo with a defeat in the group stage and a narrow victory in the final. And the fall was even harder in the last two World Cups, concluded in 7th and 4th place. The XXL scare against South Sudan and the narrow victories against Australia and Germany in preparation are all reasons to be wary.
The workforce
Leaders: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers)
Backs – wingers: Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics), LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Derrick White (Boston Celtics)
Interiors: Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)
The coach: Steve Kerr
The star : LeBron James
Twelve years later, LeBron James is back at the Olympics, probably for the last time. And the best scorer in NBA history will neither be there in pre-retirement nor on a farewell tour. If LeBron James is making the trip to France, it's for the gold and nothing else. Except to possibly put on a show and have fun with some players who are among his main rivals for the rest of the season.
Qualification : among the two best teams in the Americas zone at the last World Cup
History at the Olympics: 20e participation, best result: 1er in 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1976, 1984, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020
PORTO RICO
“Los Doce Magnificos”, the twelve Magnificents lived up to their nickname at the beginning of July. Puerto Rico earned its ticket to Paris on merit, notably by dominating Italy, then Lithuania in the final, during its TQO.
Twenty years later, the islanders are back at the Olympics. They will hope to prove themselves worthy of the generation of Carlos Arroyo, who created one of the greatest sensations in the history of basketball at the Olympics by crushing the United States in the group stage (92-73), in 2004, the first defeat of Team USA since NBA players were sent to the Olympic Games. The challenge, however, promises to be immense for a team that is short in centimeters (only George Conditt IV is over 2m05), but not in heart.
The workforce
Leaders: Jose Alvarado (New Orleans Pelicans), Jordan Howard (Obradoiro), Tremont Waters (Guangdong Southern Tigers)
Backs – wingers: Gian Clavell (Granada), Aleem Ford (Leones de Ponce), Isaiah Piñeiro (Palencia), Davon Reed (Memphis Hustle), Stephen Thompson (Wisconsin Herd)
Interiors: George Conditt IV (Gigantes de Carolina), Chris Ortiz (Osos de Manati), Ismael Romero (Mets de Guaynabo), Arnaldo Toro (VEF Riga)
The coach: Nelson Colon
The star : Jose Alvarado
The only NBA player on the roster held his own during the OQT, finishing as the top scorer in the final (23 points) to beat the Lithuanians. “Grand Theft Alvarado” will have to play a larger role than the one reserved for him with the Pelicans, full of vice and energy. He will be able to count on Tremont Waters, a short-lived teammate of Victor Wembanyama at the Metropolitans 92 in 2022/23, next to him on the back line.
Qualification : winner of the San Juan TQO
History at the Olympics: 10e participation, best result: 4e in 1964
SERBIA
Talent on all lines, centimetres galore and above-average game intelligence, Serbia therefore presents itself as one of the main candidates for the medal. The timing is ideal, with the generation of Jokic, Bogdanovic or Micic all between 29 and 31 years old. Everything is there on paper to stand up to the best.
It remains to be seen whether this will be put into practice on the court, as the start of preparation was rather sluggish with a heavy defeat against the United States, the main opponent in Group C. Enough to tickle Serbian pride?
The workforce
Leaders: Aleska Avramovic (Partizan Belgrade), Vasilije Micic (Charlotte Hornets)
Backs – wingers: Bogdan Bogdanovic (Atlanta Hawks), Dejan Davidovac (Red Star Belgrade), Ognjen Dobric (Virtus Bologna), Marko Guduric (Fenerbahçe), Vanja Marinkovic (Partizan Belgrade)
Interiors: Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), Nikola Jovic (Miami Heat), Nikola Milutinov (Olympiakos), Filip Petrusev (Olympiakos), Uros Plavsic (Red Star Belgrade)
The coach: Svetislav Pesic
The star : Nikola Jokic
The three-time NBA MVP will definitely be one of the players to watch in the competition. But what is Serbia worth with the Nuggets' pivot as leader? At the 2016 Olympics, then at the 2019 World Cup, he was a very promising young lieutenant. For his only competition at the center of the Serbian game, he had dominated individually, but Serbia, despite being the main contender for gold, had taken the door of Euro 2022 in the round of 16 against Italy. Without the “Joker”, it only fell in the World Cup final against Germany last year.
Qualification : among the two best teams in the European zone at the last World Cup
History at the Olympics: 2e participation as Serbia, best result: 2e in 2016
SOUTH SUDAN
Barely seven years after its first official match, the South Sudanese team is already at the Games. The “Bright Stars” are one of the most beautiful stories of recent years, offering many basketball players from the Sudanese diaspora the opportunity to play for the country of their roots. A team like Luol Deng, now president of the South Sudanese federation and assistant to Royal Ivey, former NBA point guard now assistant to Ime Udoka in Houston. In Paris, South Sudan comes to learn and to be discovered in the eyes of the whole world. It has already started perfectly by only missing the feat of beating Team USA in preparation by a small point. The revelation is perhaps only just beginning.
The workforce
Leaders: Sunday Dech (East Perth Eagles), Mareng Gatkuoth (no club), Carlik Jones (Zhejiang Golden Bulls), Jackson Makoi (Cairns Taipans)
Backs – wingers: Deng Adel (Brisbane Bullets), Emmanuel Akot (Heroes Den Bosch), Peter Jok (Ottawa BlackJacks), Kuany Kuany (Bendigo Braves), Bul Kuol (Sydney Kings), Junior Madut (Kauhajoen Karhu), Lat Mayen (Wellington Saints), Kouat Noi (Darwin Salties), Nuni Omot (Maccabi Ironi Ramat Gan), Marial Shayok (Shandong Hi-Speed Kirin), Aher Uguak (Chemnitz 99)
Interiors: Deng Acuoth (Club Sagesse), Koch Bar (Horsens IC), Majok Deng (Al-Ahly Benghazi), Wenyen Gabriel (Vaqueros de Bayamon), Maker Maker (Raptors 05), Khaman Maluach (City Oilers), Mangok Mathiang (Maccabi Ironi Ramat Gan), JT Thor (Charlotte Hornets)
The coach: Royal Ivey
The star : Carlik Jones
Best passer at the last World Cup (10.4 assists on average!), the American-Sudanese will once again be the hub of his team in Paris. After having clung to his NBA dreams for a while via the G-League (MVP in 2023) and a “two-way contract” with the Bulls in 2022/23, he finally went into exile in China last season to try to show himself. Another big performance in an international competition would be as important for his selection as for his career.
Qualification : best team in the African zone at the last World Cup
History at the Olympics: 1D participation
The calendar
July 28, 11:00 a.m.: South Sudan – Puerto Rico
July 28, 5:15 p.m.: Serbia – United States
July 31, 5:15 p.m.: Puerto Rico – Serbia
July 31, 9:00 p.m.: United States – South Sudan
August 3, 5:15 p.m.: Puerto Rico – United States
August 3, 9:00 p.m.: Serbia – South Sudan
>> The presentation of group A
>> Presentation of group B with France
