Repeats are the central focus for basketball at the 2024 Olympics.
Team USA claimed gold in both the men’s and women’s tournaments in Tokyo, but it wasn’t exactly surprising.
Both teams have consistently dominated their respective competition en route to the prestigious gold medal, and they’ll be looking to do the same in France.
But it won’t be easy as other rising nations will be seeking glory of their own.
Here’s everything to know about basketball at the 2024 Paris Games:
The men’s games will run from Saturday, July 27, through Saturday, Aug. 10. The women’s games will start on Sunday, July 28 and conclude on Sunday, Aug. 11.
Bercy Arena, also known as Accor Arena, and Pierre Mauroy Arena will host 5-on-5 basketball games at the Paris Olympics. The former is known for its pyramid shape and has hosted numerous sporting events in the past, including NBA regular-season games.
Two teams comprised of five players on the court each play on a rectangular, indoor court. The object of the game is to score the ball into a net using only one’s hands. A pro basketball hoop is usually 10 feet above the ground, and shots are worth two or three points each depending on the distance.
Olympic basketball games are split into four 10-minute quarters.
In both the men’s and women’s tournaments, there are typically three groups comprised of four teams each. Those teams earn spots based on prior qualification rounds before the Olympics begin.
The teams play each other round-robin style, and the top two from each group, as well as the two best third-place teams, advance to the knockout stage. From there, teams play in the quarterfinals, semifinals and the gold- and bronze-medal games.
The court size in the NBA is 50 feet wide and 94 feet long, but the Olympics usually feature a smaller court that is 49 feet wide and 92 feet long. The FIBA 3-point line is also slightly shorter than the NBA’s, allowing for improved accuracy from deep.
Only four teams have won a gold medal in men’s basketball, with one historically dominant: the United States has won 16 times, the Soviet Union won twice and Yugoslavia and Argentina each have won once. The U.S. has won gold each time since 2004, when Argentina won.
Only three teams have won a gold medal in women’s basketball, with one also historically dominant on this side: the United States have won nine times, the Soviet Union won twice and the Unified Team — the name used for the former Soviet Union (except the Baltic states) in 1992 — won once.
The United States have won gold seven times in a row dating back to 1996.
WNBA champion A’ja Wilson reveals where she keeps her Olympic gold medal and what excites her most about Paris 2024.
The 3×3 basketball event was first introduced in the recent Tokyo Olympics. It features eight teams competing in one large group, with the top-two finishers automatically advancing to the semifinals and the following four highest teams facing off in the quarterfinals.
Games are played using just half a court. The winner is determined by which team has the most points after a 10-minute period or whichever team reaches 21 points first.
These games will occur from Tuesday, July 30, through Monday, Aug. 5. Place de la Concorde is the venue for the games.
Latvia won gold on the men’s side in Tokyo, while the United States did the same on the women’s side. The U.S. did not have a men’s team for this tournament, but it will be represented in both the men’s and women’s event in Paris.
