The Road to Paris: USA Basketball Kicks Off Olympic Journey

The United States Basketball team has begun its journey to the 2024 Paris Olympics, with a convincing 86-72 win over Canada in an exhibition match. The game marked the start of the team’s preparation for the Olympic tournament, which takes place from July 27 to August 10.

The USA Basketball team in action against Canada

The match saw Anthony Davis score 13 points, Stephen Curry add 12, and Jrue Holiday chip in with 11 points. RJ Barrett led Canada with 12 points, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dillon Brooks each contributed 10 points.

The game was attended by a host of dignitaries, including former US President Barack Obama, Jerry Colangelo, Mike Krzyzewski, and Dwyane Wade, among others. The crowd of 20,757 at the T-Mobile Arena set a record for any game at the venue.

The second unit for the US, comprising Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, and Jayson Tatum, impressed with their performance. Each of these five players had a plus-minus of plus-10 or better, indicating the team’s dominance with them on the floor.

The USA Basketball second unit in action

The US team will play four more exhibition matches before heading to Paris for the Olympic tournament. The team’s preparations were given a boost with the announcement of the Olympic roster, which features a mix of seasoned players and young talent.

Meanwhile, Canada has also announced its Olympic roster, which includes former Stanford forward Dwight Powell. Powell becomes the sixth Olympian in Stanford program history and one of Canada’s most experienced FIBA players.

Dwight Powell in action for Canada

As the world’s top basketball teams gear up for the Olympics, fans can expect an exciting and intense tournament in Paris. With the US team looking strong and other nations like Canada and Australia also showing promise, the battle for Olympic gold is set to be fierce.

Other News

• The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee has approved Indianapolis as the host site for the 2026 Divisions II and III men’s basketball championship games, as well as the semifinals and finals of the National Invitational Tournament.
• The committee has also adopted new metrics, including the Torvik and Wins Against Bubble (WAB) rankings, to enhance the evaluation of teams.
• Irma Garcia has been appointed to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, while Keith Gill will serve as the committee’s vice chair for the 2024-25 season.