Power ranking every single sport at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics

4. Basketball

Some might consider basketball another sport that’s more famous elsewhere, and honestly, that’s a fair assessment, but there is nothing like Olympic basketball. There is no other best-on-best tournament where the athletes are representing their country. There are certain players who are the catalyst basketball player for their country, like Giannis Antetokounmpo or Nikola Jokic for Serbia. They could win games on their own and are two of the best players in the world.

In years past, this sport would be WAY down the list. The United States wildly dominated the sport. At least on the men’s side, that’s not expected to be the case. Team USA has won seven of the last eight gold medals after the Olympics allowed NBA players to join the fold. From the Dream Team to the Redeem Team, and now this star-studded roster with veterans like LeBron James and Steph Curry, the Americans are usually the stars of the show.

This year, the U.S. is still considered favorites, and huge favorites on the women’s side, but Canada, Serbia, Greece, and host France are all considered contenders. It’s going to be the last Games for legends like James, Diana Taurasi, and possible Kevin Durant and Steph Curry.

There’s also the 3x3 tournament, which was a new addition to the Tokyo Games. We’ve seen more proponents trying to get this style of basketball going, including specialty leagues. However, it hasn’t taken off. The Olympics is looking to build on the slight momentum, with names like Jimmer Fredette, Strahinja Stojacic (the world’s number one 3x3 player), and Cayden Barry (son of Hall of Famer Rick Barry).