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How to Watch 2024 Olympic Men’s Basketball Tournament & Schedule
The United States, led by LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry, are looking to bring home its 17th gold medal, but the international competition will be as tough as it's ever been.
It’s hard to imagine a Summer Olympics without basketball, and perhaps even harder still to imagine it without a U.S. team competing for another gold medal in the sport.
Since basketball first became an Olympics sport in 1936, there have been 20 tournaments to determine hardcourt supremacy. The United States has walked away with gold 16 times, a mark of dominance seldom seen in sports.
And in the process, the U.S. has provided some of the most indelible moments in Olympics history. Who can forget the 1992 Dream Team, which saw professional NBA stars enter the Olympics for the first time, delighting crowds with its sheer talent and star power in Barcelona?
RELATED: Who's on Team USA? Here's a List of the Athletes Qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics
Well, it’s time to make some more memories, and the United States is sending some of its all-time greats like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry to the 2024 Paris Olympics to bring home gold once more. But, as has been a growing trend over the last couple of decades, the international game is growing stronger, and victory is by no means assured.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Olympics Men’s Basketball Tournament in Paris.
Who’s qualified for the Olympics 5x5 Men’s Basketball Tournament?
Twelve nations will vie for gold in men’s basketball. Here’s who have earned their tickets to Paris:
- United States
- France
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- Germany
- Greece
- Japan
- Puerto Rico
- Serbia
- South Sudan
- Spain
What’s the format for the Olympics 5x5 Men’s Basketball Tournament?
The 12 qualified teams will be divided up into three groups of four and play each team in their group once. Teams will get two points for a win, one point for a loss and zero points for a loss by forfeit. The top two teams in each group will advance to the knockout phase, as well as the two third-place teams with the most points. In the event of two teams being tied, the result of their head-to-head matchup will determine who advances.
All Group stage games will be held at Pierre Mauroy Stadium, located in Lille, about 140 miles north of Paris. All knockout round games will be held in Bercy Arena in Paris.
Groups and Schedule
Group A Teams:
Australia, Canada, Greece, Spain
Group A Schedule (all times Eastern):
Saturday, July 27, 5:00 a.m.: Australia vs. Spain
Saturday, July 27, 3:00 p.m.: Greece vs. Canada
Tuesday, July 30, 5:00 a.m.: Spain vs. Greece
Tuesday, July 30, 7:30 a.m.: Canada vs. Australia
Friday, August 2, 7:30 a.m.: Australia vs. Greece
Friday, August 2, 11:15 a.m.: Canada vs. Spain
Group B Teams:
France, Germany, Japan, Brazil
Group B Schedule (all times Eastern):
Saturday, July 27, 7:30 a.m.: Germany vs. Japan
Saturday, July 27, 11:15 a.m.: France vs. Brazil
Tuesday, July 30, 11:15 a.m.: Japan vs. France
Tuesday, July 30, 3:00 p.m.: Brazil vs. Germany
Friday, August 2, 5:00 a.m.: Japan vs. Brazil
Friday, August 2, 3:00 p.m.: France vs. Germany
Group C Teams:
United States, Serbia, South Sudan, Puerto Rico
Group C Schedule (all times Eastern):
Sunday, July 28, 5:00 a.m.: South Sudan vs. Puerto Rico
Sunday, July 28, 11:15 a.m.: Serbia vs. United States
Wednesday, July 31, 11:15 a.m.: Puerto Rico vs. Serbia
Wednesday, July 31, 3:00 p.m.: United States vs. South Sudan
Saturday, August 3, 11:15 a.m.: Puerto Rico vs. United States
Saturday, August 3, 3:00 p.m.: Serbia vs. South Sudan
What’s the format of the knockout rounds?
The eight teams who move beyond the group phase will be drawn randomly against each other, with some key restrictions:
- The two teams with the highest point totals will be placed in the same pot, meaning they’ll be placed on opposite sides of the bracket.
- Teams from the same initial group can’t be drawn against each other in the quarterfinals.
What’s the schedule for the knockout rounds?
(All times Eastern)
Tuesday, August 6, 5:00 a.m.: Men’s Quarterfinal 1
Tuesday, August 6, 7:30 a.m.: Men’s Quarterfinal 2
Tuesday, August 6, 11:15 a.m.: Men’s Quarterfinal 3
Tuesday, August 6, 3:00 p.m.: Men’s Quarterfinal 4
Thursday, August 8, 11:30 a.m.: Men’s Semifinal 1
Thursday, August 8, 3:00 p.m.: Men’s Semifinal 2
SaturdayW, August 10, 5:00 a.m.: Men’s Bronze Medal Game
Saturday, August 10, 3:30 p.m.: Men’s Gold Medal Game
How to Watch the Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament
Every event from the Summer Olympics, including every game of the men’s basketball tournament, will be broadcast live on Peacock, which will be home to an innovative Olympics hub that will include "curated rails of live and upcoming events, dedicated in-depth hubs for nearly 40 sports, medal standings and an interactive schedule."
Additionally, every day during the Summer Olympics, NBC will offer fans at least nine hours of daytime coverage of the Games’ most exciting events, including live finals coverage of swimming, gymnastics, track and field, and more. Considering the time difference (Paris is six hours ahead of the U.S.’s eastern time zone, fans will be able to watch the day’s most popular events live on NBC in the morning and afternoon. NBC will also deliver an enhanced Olympics primetime show each night, providing three hours of must-see entertainment.
Originally published May 13, 2024.
