Who are the favourites to win basketball Olympic gold in Paris 2024?

The countdown for the highly promising Olympic basketball tournament is nearly up, with the best basketball nations in the world starting their run to Olympic gold on the 27th of July.

The tournament starts with 12 teams, but only one can get their hands on the greatest prize in sports. Here are the five contenders who are favored to go all the way!

This USA basketball squad may be the best ever assembled at an Olympic Games, with LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant joining a team full of All-Stars and champions in the NBA.

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The 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid has decided to suit up for the USA, and 2024 NBA champions Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday are also in the mix. Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton are going for their first shot at major success. Will the USA win their fifth gold in a row?

Sporting News reports that Canada has become a hotbed for basketball in recent years and could emerge as a serious threat to the USA at the Olympics. The Canadians boast a backcourt of MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous Alexander and 2023 NBA champion Jamal Murray.

The Canadians have a good balance to match their star power in the backcourt, with Dillon Brooks, Lu Dort, and Andrew Wiggins being elite NBA defenders to complete a strong starting five. Their offensive firepower and defensive stability make them real contenders this year.

The host nation, France, will be expected to perform well at this Olympics, with NBA superstar and Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama expected to play a pivotal role in helping France beat the USA.

According to the Olympic website, France is yet to win a gold in basketball but came agonisingly close in 2020, securing a silver. With three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert playing, France has a tremendous amount of rim protection and a lob threat.

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Featuring three-time NBA MVP and the best player in basketball, Nikola Jokic, Serbia has an almighty chance to go far in this tournament, with Jokic's unique ability to create chances for his teammates and chances for himself.

NBA star Bogdan Bogdanovic was instrumental in helping Serbia reach the World Cup final in 2023 and complements Jokic with his playmaking ability. Another to add to the forte is Charlotte guard Vasilije Micic, who averaged 10.7 points in 30 games for the Hornets last season.

You can't make a list and not include the reigning world champions Germany in there. Franz Wagner, Andi Obst, and Dennis Schroder have been intricate to their success in recent years, which has seen them come third at the 2022 EuroBasket and winners of the 2023 World Cup.

According to the ETicketing website, Schroder is a whole new player in German colours and averaged 19.1 points in their World Cup run, in which he was named MVP. His hyperactive defense and ability to close games will be crucial if the Germans are to win in Paris.

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