The 2024 Paris Olympics are underway, which means that the world’s greatest basketball players will be competing for a chance to bring a gold medal back to their home country.
The 2024 Paris Olympics are underway, which means that the world’s greatest basketball players will be competing for a chance to bring a gold medal back to their home country.
While the best concentration of basketball talent comes from the United States, many players from the league opted to play for their countries of origin.
Ranging from former NBA MVPs and champions to veterans and role players, here’s a list of all the NBA players to look out for in tomorrow’s Olympic competitions.
A third-year player in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies, Aldama had his best year as a pro during the 2023-24 season. With a depleted Grizzlies squad due to injuries, he averaged 10.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists — all career highs. In Aldama’s first game of the Olympics, he led Spain in scoring with 27 points in its game against Australia.
Garuba is currently a free agent, but most recently was signed with the Golden State Warriors. He played sparingly, however. During Spain’s match against Australia, Garuba chipped in with three points and seven rebounds.
Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo couldn’t lift Greece over a stacked Canada squad in their Paris Olympics opener. (Getty Images)
“The Greek Freak” is widely regarded as one of the best basketball players in the world. The two-time NBA MVP is coming off his second straight season averaging over 30 points per game and nearly 12 rebounds as well. Just as he is the face of the Milwaukee Bucks, he is also the face of Team Greece. In the squad’s first game against Canada, Antetokounmpo led his team with 34 points.
Canada has the second-most NBA players on its roster in the Olympics, but there may be no bigger star on the team than Gilgeous-Alexander. The Oklahoma City guard is coming off a season where he averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds and was runner-up in MVP voting. To start off Olympic competition, Gilgeous-Alexander put up 21 points to go along with seven assists and five rebounds against Team Greece.
Murray has already won it all in the NBA, but now he’s looking to do the same with Canada in the Olympics. An NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets last year, Murray has been a steady presence for his squad. This past season he averaged 21.2 points and 6.5 assists for the Nuggets. In the opening game of the Olympics, Murray contributed eight points and three assists.
International basketball has been known for its increased physicality and extra competitive nature compared to the NBA. Luckily for Canada, Brooks plays with those traits day in and day out. After landing with the Houston Rockets in free agency, Brooks has averaged 12.7 points to go along with tough, physical defense on the perimeter. He was the third-leading scorer for Canada in its match against Greece, scoring 14 points while also adding five rebounds and an assist.
Barrett is poised to be a key member for Canada during this Olympic run. The forward was traded to the Toronto Raptors midway through the season from New York and he once again showed the promise that had him selected third overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. With averages of 21.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists along with multiple 30 point nights for his team, he will be called upon to be a main scoring threat for his team. Case in point: Barrett led Canada in scoring against Greece with 23 points.
Alexander-Walker is what many would consider to be the prototypical 3-and-D shooting guard in today’s NBA. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged eight points a game while shooting just under 40 percent from 3 for the Minnesota Timberwolves this past season. While he didn’t do much in Canada’s latest game against Greece, he undoubtedly is one of the better shooters on the roster and will get his time to shine eventually.
Dort is coming off of another productive year for the Oklahoma City Thunder. In his fifth year in the league, he averaged 10.9 points and just under a steal per game. While his numbers took a dip due to a much more balanced Thunder roster, his defensive impact has never been more important. Against Greece, he had eight points along with a steal and a block.
(L-R) Canada’s Trey Lyles, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dwight Powell celebrate at the end of the men’s preliminary round group A basketball match between Greece and Canada during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, northern France, on July 27, 2024. (Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP via Getty Images)
Lyles has been on five different teams since joining the league back in 2015, but seemingly has found a good fit as a floor-spacing four with the Sacramento Kings. He averaged 7.2 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 38 percent from deep. In the contest against Greece, he went scoreless in 14 minutes, but had three rebounds and an assist.
Nembhard has the least NBA experience out of anyone on Canada’s roster, but he showed he’s as poised as they come this past postseason. The second-year guard for the Indiana Pacers averaged only nine points during the regular season, but in the playoffs he improved that to 21 points per game by the Eastern Conference finals. He scored two points and dished out an assist against Greece, but don’t be shocked if he has a dominant outing at some point during the Olympics.
Olynyk has been a steady contributor to whatever team he’s been on during his NBA career. The 11-year vet is currently on the Toronto Raptors, where he’s been averaging 12.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists after being traded from the Utah Jazz earlier this year. Olynyk had four points and six rebounds in Canada’s latest game against Greece.
Powell has been a big man for the reigning Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks for the past 10 years. While this season he averaged only around three points and three rebounds with minimal minutes, he brings a veteran locker room presence to the team. Powell had six points and four rebounds against Greece.
Daniels has been developing over the last two years in the NBA with the New Orleans Pelicans and now will have the opportunity to showcase his skills for a major gold medal contender. This past season he averaged 5.8 points and 1.4 steals per game. Against Spain, Daniels had 13 points on 75 percent shooting from deep along with seven rebounds and a steal.
Exum returned to the NBA this season after two years overseas, joining the Dallas Mavericks as a key rotation player on their way to the NBA Finals. The former fifth pick in the 2014 NBA Draft averaged 7.8 points on a scorching hot 49 percent from three point range. He has yet to suit up for Australia as he is recovering from a dislocated finger, but there is hope he will play Tuesday.
Giddey is a third-year player who just finished his season with the Oklahoma City Thunder before being traded to the Chicago Bulls during the offseason. The 21-year-old averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game last season. His game has translated well so far to Olympic play, as in his first game against Spain, he had a statline of 17-8-8.
Australia’s Dyson Daniels goes to the basket in the men’s preliminary round group A basketball match against Spain during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, northern France, on July 27, 2024. (Photo by Thomas COEX / AFP)
Along with his teammate Exum, Josh Green is also coming off of a trip to the NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks. He averaged eight points a night while shooting 38 percent from 3-point range. Against Spain, he chipped in two rebounds and four assists.
The elder statesman of the Australian team is Joe Ingles. He currently is one of the veterans on the upstart Orlando Magic teams and comes off the bench. Ingles averages only 4.4 points and three assists per night for the Magic. He did not score against Spain in two minutes of action.
Landale has been on three teams in three years during his NBA tenure. He most recently played with the Houston Rockets as a backup big man. However for Team Australia, he might be a major star for them. In Australia’s first game against Spain, Landale led the team with 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
McVeigh might be an unknown factor for avid NBA fans. Last season, he played in the NBL for the Tasmania JackJumpers and averaged 16.5 points a night before being signed to a two-way deal with the Houston Rockets in the offseason. Against Spain, McVeigh put up 13 points and seven rebounds.
Reath is coming off his rookie season in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers. He averaged 9.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game off the bench. Reath did not play in Australia’s opening match.
Hachimura has been a key contributor on the Los Angeles Lakers for the last two seasons. He’s coming off a season where he averaged 13.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists. He looks to be one of Japan’s go-to scorers. Last time out against Germany, Hachimura had a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double.
A star of this year’s NCAA tournament, Keisei Tominaga is known as a sharpshooter and a scorer. For the Nebraska Cornhuskers, he scored 15 points a night before being drafted by the Indiana Pacers. Tominaga, however, played sparingly in Japan’s first match against Germany.
Yuta Watanabe is currently a member of the Memphis Grizzlies after spending part of last season with the Phoenix Suns after a career season on the Brooklyn Nets. The forward averaged only 2.6 points off the bench during his time with the Grizzlies. Against Germany, however, Watanabe showed off the scoring ability he showed flashes of during his time in Brooklyn with 16 points.
Victor Wembanyama of Team France talks to Mathias Lessort during the Men’s Group B game against Brazil on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade Pierre Mauroy on July 27, 2024 in Lille, France. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The French Revolution has arrived in the NBA, and it’s led by Wembanyama. The 7-foot-4 big man averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and a league-leading 3.6 blocks per game en route to winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award. In France’s opening matchup against Brazil, he had 19 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks.
Known as “The Stifle Tower,” Rudy Gobert has been a force in the interior for Team France going all the way back to the 2016 Rio Games. Currently a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Gobert averaged 14 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. Gobert also won his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award this past season, just ahead of his fellow Frenchman Wembanyama. Against Brazil, Gobert had seven points, three rebounds and two blocks.
Batum is another veteran for Team France. He’s currently 15 years into his NBA career and most recently played with the Philadelphia 76ers where he averaged 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds. But Olympic Batum and NBA Batum look to be two very different players. In the opening match against Brazil, Batum scored 19 points and chipped in five rebounds and two steals.
Another member of the modern French Revolution in the NBA, Coulibaly is coming off his rookie season with the Washington Wizards. The lengthy forward averaged 8.4 points and 4.1 rebounds a night. In his Olympics debut, he scored three points and had a block as well.
Evan Fournier has been known as a shooter for much of his NBA career. He last played with the Detroit Pistons this past season and averaged 7.2 points per game, although the shooting percentage from deep was below average for him at 27 percent. Against Brazil, he had seven points.
Santos was a second-round pick out of Brazil for the Golden State Warriors in 2022. However, he didn’t make his NBA debut until this year where he averaged just over three points a night. In Brazil’s match against France, Santos put up nine points, three assists, three steals and two rebounds.
Schröder is an 11-year NBA vet who knows how to put the ball in the basket. He spent the later half of the year with the Brooklyn Nets where he averaged 14.6 points and six assists per game. Against Japan, Schröder scored 13 points and dished out 12 assists.
Theis has been a reliable big man off the bench for many teams in the NBA. He most recently played with the Los Angeles Clippers where he averaged 6.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. However he looks like he will be a star for Team Germany. Theis scored 18 points on perfect efficiency and grabbed seven rebounds.
Franz Wagner is only three years into his NBA career, but he looks like he is on the verge of stardom. He’s coming off a season for the Orlando Magic where he averaged 19.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Wagner looks to be one of the stars of the German squad. Against Japan he had 22 points and six boards.
Moritz Wagner is the older brother of Franz and is just as important to this team as his sibling. Wagner is on the Orlando Magic alongside his brother and he averaged 10.9 points and 4.3 boards a night. In the matchup with Japan, Wagner had 15 and five.
