Excitement is also high for the men's basketball tournament at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. After winning the World Championship last year, the German men's team is considered a medal contender. The clear favorite for the tournament is, of course, the USA, which will compete in Lille and Paris with numerous NBA stars. Among them are LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, and Kevin Durant, to name just a few.
Teams from Canada, Australia, and vice-world champion Serbia also have legitimate hopes for a medal.
The tournament will kick off on Saturday, July 27, at 11:00 AM with a blockbuster match between Australia and Spain. The German team, featuring FC Bayern players Andi Obst, Nick Weiler-Babb, Niels Giffey, and Oscar da Silva, will start their group stage two and a half hours later.
For more information on the format, schedule, and broadcast details, please refer to the following sections.
Basketball at the Olympics: Key Information at a Glance
- Event: Olympic Basketball Tournament 2024
- Dates: July 27, 2024 - August 10, 2024
- Format: Group Stage with Knockout Rounds
- Defending Champion: USA
- Venues: Stade Pierre-Mauroy (Group Stage, Lille), Bercy Arena (Knockout Rounds, Paris)
- Broadcasting on TV & Stream: ARD, ZDF, Eurosport 1 & 2, ARD Mediathek, ZDF Mediathek, Discovery+
Basketball in Paris 2024: The Format
A total of twelve nations will compete in the basketball tournament in Lille and Paris in 2024. They are divided into three groups of four teams each, with each team playing once against every other team in its group. The top three teams from each group, as well as the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarterfinals.
After the group stage, the action moves from Lille to Paris. Before the quarterfinals in the French capital, a draw will determine the matchups for the final eight teams. The two best teams from each group will be placed in Pot D, the third- and fourth-best teams will be in Pot E, the fifth- and sixth-best teams will be in Pot F, and Pot G will be reserved for the remaining two teams.
During the quarterfinal draw, teams from Pot D can only face teams from Pot G, and vice versa for Pots E and F. Additionally, teams from the same group cannot meet in the quarterfinals. Furthermore, it will be ensured that the two teams from Pot D (the top two teams from the group stage) can only face each other in the gold medal game.
This means: If Germany, alongside the USA, is one of the top two teams from the group stage, a matchup would only be possible in the final!
Olympic Basketball Tournament: The Groups
| Group A | Group B | Group C |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | France | Serbia |
| Greece | Germany | South Sudan |
| Canada | Japan | Puerto Rico |
| Spain | Brazil | USA |
Olympic Games: The Basketball Tournament Schedule
In Group B, Germany will face Japan one day after the opening ceremony, with flag bearer Dennis Schröder. Three days later, the reigning world champions will play against Brazil and then against one of the favorites, France, led by NBA star Victor Wembanyama.
Schedule of the German National Basketball Team
| Date | Opponent | Start Time | TV Coverage | Streaming Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, July 27 | Japan | 1:30 PM | ARD, Eurosport 1 (free) | ARD-Mediathek (free), Discovery+ (paid) |
| Tuesday, July 30 | Brazil | 9:00 PM | ZDF, Eurosport 1 (free) | ZDF-Mediathek (free), Discovery+ (paid) |
| Friday, August 2 | France | 9:00 PM | ARD, Eurosport 1 (free) | ARD-Mediathek (free), Discovery+ (paid) |
Olympic Games: The Basketball Tournament Schedule
- Group Stage: July 27 - August 3
- Quarterfinals: Tuesday, August 6
- Semifinals: Thursday, August 8
- Bronze Medal Game: Saturday, August 10 (11:00 AM)
- Gold Medal Game: Saturday, August 10 (9:30 PM)
Basketball Live: Coverage of the 2024 Olympic Games on TV and Streaming
ARD and ZDF, thanks to sublicenses, will broadcast up to 15 hours of Olympic Games coverage daily and offer approximately 1,500 hours of live sports in their media libraries, including all German basketball games live on TV and streaming.
Warner Bros. has secured the exclusive broadcasting rights for the Olympic Games in Europe. This includes the German TV channels Eurosport and the paid online service discovery+.
Eurosport 1 will be the only free-to-air channel in Germany providing live coverage from Paris around the clock, starting with the first events on July 24 in rugby sevens and football.
Discovery+ offers over 3,800 hours of live broadcasts and replays.
For information on additional games that ARD and ZDF will show on TV and streaming beyond those of the German team, you can check directly with the respective broadcaster: