Olympics basketball qualifying 2024: groups, where, teams, when

For basketball players, the most prestigious competition is the Olympic games. With Paris 2024 quickly approaching, there are some participants yet to be determined. 4 spots remain open and they are reserved to the best teams from 4 separate Olympics basketball qualifying tournaments. With the stakes higher than ever, let’s dive into the excitement surrounding the qualifiers, including the groups, locations, teams involved, and the pivotal games to watch out for.

Locations of Olympics Basketball Qualifying Tournaments

The basketball world will have its eyes set on four dynamic locations:

1. Piraeus (Greece)
2. Riga (Latvia)
3. San Juan (Puerto Rico)
4. Valencia (Spain).

These cities will host the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, where 24 teams will battle it out for the four remaining places in the tournament.

Time of Olympics Basketball Qualifying Tournaments

The qualification journey will take at the same time for all four tournaments. They are scheduled from July 2 to 7, 2024, so right after the NBA Finals and well after all European championships are concluded.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games for basketball will start on July 27^th and end on August 10^th.

Seven nations earned their spots through their performances, joining France, who automatically qualified as the host nation. The remaining four slots will be fiercely contested in the Olympics basketball qualifying tournaments.

Participants in the Qualifying Tournaments

Valencia, Spain

Group A:

1. Lebanon
2. Angola
3. Spain

Group B:

1. Finland
2. Poland
3. Bahamas

Overview & prognosis: The clear favorite is Spain. However, the Finnish and Bahamas squads are ones not to miss. They have NBA talent in DeAndre Ayton, sharpshooters Eric Gordon and Buddy Hield, the explosive Kai Jones and a few more. Finland is, of course, headed by the all star big man Lauri Markannen. Spain’s experience and depth, coupled with playing on home soil, position them as the frontrunners. However, basketball is a game of surprises, and they will have to beat at least one of these teams along the way.

Riga, Latvia

Group A:

1. Georgia
2. Philippines
3. Latvia

Group B:

1. Brazil
2. Cameroon
3. Montenegro

Overview & prognosis: Latvia will host some of the most competitive teams, each with its unique strengths and star players capable of changing the course of a game. Look for the host nation to leverage home-court advantage, rallying behind their passionate Baltic fans to deliver inspiring performances. However, Montenegro, and the experienced Brazil squad may be a tough nut to crack.

Pireaus, Greece

Group A:

1. Slovenia
2. New Zealand
3. Croatia

Group B:

1. Egypt
2. Greece
3. The Dominican Republic

Overview & prognosis: This tournament is set to be electrifying, with Slovenia, led by NBA superstar Luka Dončić, facing off against the NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece. Given both teams’ high-caliber rosters, this is the expected clash of titans for the final. Slovenia does have the better track record in big games, but the Greek Freak is no slouch, so it may depend on the performance of role players to determine the outcome. However, experts give Slovenes a narrow edge.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Group A:

1. Mexico
2. Ivory Coast
3. Lithuania

Group B:

1. Italy
2. Puerto Rico
3. Bahrain

Overview & prognosis: The San Juan Olympics basketball qualifying tournament may be one to bring the most surprising winner. The clear favorite is an Olympic frequent Lithuanian team with NBA and Euroleague talents but during recent campaigns the Baltic powerhowse have been underachieving. They even missed the 2020 Olympics for the first time since gaining independence back in 1990. So, a strong performance from streaky Italy or explosive Puerto Rico could bring a different winner. Leading teams here are known for their fast-paced play and tactical ingenuity. Expect intrigue