The Australian men’s basketball team will launch its Paris 2024 Olympic campaign on July 27.
Group stage matches for the men’s basketball tournament will be held at Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille, France, while the knockout rounds will take place at the Bercy Arena in Paris.
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Olympic
The Boomers earned their spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics by finishing 10th in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, making them the top-ranked team from Oceania.
Men’s basketball has been an Olympic staple since the Berlin 1936 Games. The USA holds the record for the most gold medals in the sport, with 16, and a total of 19 Olympic medals.
Australia’s men’s team made history at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by winning bronze, becoming the first nation outside the Americas and Europe to medal in men’s basketball. They were defeated by the eventual champions, the USA, in the semi-finals but secured their bronze by overcoming Slovenia 107-93. Previously, Australia had finished fourth in 1988, 1996, 2000, and 2016.
The Paris 2024 men’s basketball tournament will feature 12 teams divided into three groups of four. Australia, ranked fifth, is in Group A with Canada (No. 7), Greece (No. 14), and Spain (No. 2). The USA, ranked first in the world, will compete in Group C, while the Tokyo 2020 runners-up and hosts France are in Group B.
After the round-robin stage, the top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarter-finals on August 6. The semi-finals are scheduled for August 8, with the bronze and gold medal games taking place on August 10.
Patty Mills will lead the 12-member Australian men’s basketball team as captain.
Boomers’ Paris 2024 Olympics Squad: Patty Mills and Joe Ingles are set to compete in their fifth Olympics. The squad also includes NBA stars Josh Giddey, Jock Landale, Dyson Daniels, Dante Exum, and Duop Reath.