Team USA men’s basketball has won gold in four straight Olympics. Will they make it a fifth in Paris?
The Americans are heavily favored, and it’s easy to see why. LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are potentially the best trio ever assembled. There’s not much drop-off throughout Team USA’s entire roster.
The gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world is closing, though. Look no further than their narrow victories over South Sudan and Germany in exhibition games for proof. There are some other great teams in this tournament, featuring MVP-winners and numerous NBA players.
Here’s how all 12 teams rank, from strongest to weakest.
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Olympics men’s basketball power rankings
1. USA
Team USA doesn’t have the continuity of some of these other rosters. That shouldn’t matter too much.
Curry has never played in an Olympics, but he’s already fit in seamlessly with LeBron as an interesting pick-and-roll partner. Durant has proven throughout several Olympics that he is one of the best closers of all time in these international formats. And Joel Embiid is the best center in the world behind Nikola Jokic.
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Team USA also has better defenders than it has in the past. Jrue Holiday has absolutely harassed international guards, and Derrick White has fit in like a glove. The guards are so deep that Tyrese Haliburton has struggled to find minutes.
If all of that wasn’t enough, the Americans have an embarrassment of riches at the coaching position. Behind Steve Kerr are Erik Spoelstra and Ty Lue, who are two of the best in-game tacticians in the league. The three have combined for seven NBA championships and 15 Finals appearances.
2. Canada
Canada has one of the deepest rosters in this tournament. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray, there are a ton of NBA names on this team. They have tenacious perimeter defenders in Lu Dort, Dillon Brooks and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. RJ Barrett can provide some scoring on the wing.
Canada does have some skilled centers in Kelly Olynyk and Dwight Powell, but they lack a true defensive giant which may become important against some of the bigger teams in this tournament.
3. Serbia
Nikola Jokic is the best player in this tournament. He has a good supporting cast behind him. Bogdan Bogdanovic can score in bunches, and Vasilije Micic is one of the most creative passers at the guard position.
That group was good enough to finish second in the FIBA World Cup last summer without Jokic. They’re the best dark horse in this tournament.
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4. Germany
Germany was the best international team last summer, where they won the FIBA World Cup behind the strong play of Dennis Schroder. Franz and Mo Wagner add some great scoring punch to this team, and the Germans have continuity and chemistry that some of the more talented teams above them lack.
Germany has size to bash other teams with, which also benefits them under an international rules format that removes defensive three seconds and features more lenient goaltending rules. They’re used to dominating in these types of tournaments.
5. France
France has the obvious home-court advantage, along with an unstoppable defensive duo of Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama. Good luck scoring inside on those two.
France also has some experienced veterans with Nicolas Batum, Evan Fournier and Nando de Colo. They don’t have quite the guard play of some of these other teams, but they can win some rock fights.
6. Greece
Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to make Greece a tough competitor, but he doesn’t have much help. Thomas Walkup had a cup of coffee in the NBA and played well in last summer’s international competition. Nick Calathes is an experienced guard.
There’s not much else, and Greece has the added challenge of playing in the Group of Death. They will have to fight hard to make the knockout portion of the Games.
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7. Australia
Australia is coming off a bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics. They’ve gotten younger, with Dyson Daniels and Josh Giddey now on the team. Veterans Patty Mills and Joe Ingles are still shooting 3s, along with Jock Landale holding down the interior. Matthew Dellavedova is always going to bring scrappy play.
8. Spain
Spain is coming off a sixth-place finish in the Tokyo Olympics, and their roster has gotten older since then. The Gasol brothers are replaced by the Willy and Juancho Hernangomez, Rudy Fernandez is now 39 years old and Santi Aldama is the best NBA player on this team.
9. Brazil
Brazil has some former NBA players on its roster. Raul Neto is a solid yet unspectacular point guard, while Cristiano Felicio and Bruno Caboclo add size. Gui Santos played well in small spurts for the Warriors last season.
Brazil is led by Marcelinho Huertas, who at age 41 is still a good international player.
10. Puerto Rico
Jose Alvarado has been doing his best Curry impression during preliminary games. Tremont Waters played three years in the league as a 5-10 point guard. Those two bring toughness to a fun underdog team.
11. South Sudan
South Sudan has the best story of the Olympics. They faced long odds to even have a basketball team. There are no indoor courts in the entire nation. Luol Deng was able to make it happen, finding Royal Ivey to coach the team and convincing the country’s top athletes to join.
Wenyen Gabriel and Carlik Jones have been fringe NBA players. Jones has proven his scoring at every level aside from the NBA, winning G League MVP in 2023.
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12. Japan
Japan qualified for the Olympics after hosting last year’s FIBA World Cup and playing well in that tournament. Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe lead the team. Keisei Tominaga can absolutely light it up from deep. And big man Josh Hawkinson was one of the best players in last summer’s World Cup.