Men’s basketball became an official Olympic sport at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Women’s basketball was added at Montreal 1976, while 3×3 basketball was introduced at Tokyo 2020 as part of the city sports programme.
Here’s everything you need to know about basketball at Paris 2024.
Paris Basketball Schedule and Venues 2024
There are two different basketball formats at the Olympics: the traditional five-on-five format and the smaller three-on-three format.
Basketball will take place from 27 July to 11 August. The preliminary rounds will take place at the Stade Pierre Mauroy and the final will be played at the Bercy Arena.
There will be two medal events – for men and women – with the men’s final taking place on August 10 and the women’s final on August 11.
The 3×3 basketball tournament will take place at Place de la Concorde and will last from 30 July to 5 August. The finals for both the men and women will be played on 5 August.
Scoring and Rules in Basketball
In Olympic basketball, two teams of five people play against each other in games divided into four quarters of ten minutes each.
Teams score points by shooting the ball through the hoop. Shots from outside the three-point line are awarded three points, and shots from inside the three-point line are awarded two points.
If the score is level after 40 minutes, extra time will follow.
Players are disqualified if they commit five fouls.
If a team is charged with a technical foul (a non-contact foul), the team is awarded one to three free throws. Each shot scored is worth one point.
Scoring and Rules in 3×3 Basketball
3×3 basketball has similar rules to basketball, but is played on a smaller scale by two teams of three players.
Only one half of the basketball court is used and both teams attack and defend the same hoop, alternating possession after each shot.
Players must score points by shooting through the hoop. The winner is the team with the highest score at the end of 10 minutes or the first team to reach 21 points.
Shots from outside the ‘two-point zone’ are worth two points, shots from inside the ‘two-point zone’ are worth one point.
In free throws, the player who committed the foul is allowed to take one or two shots on goal. Any score is worth one point.
Who has won the most medals in Olympic basketball?
The United States has dominated both men’s and women’s basketball since joining the Olympic program, winning a total of 25 gold medals (16 for men and 9 for women).
Latvia became the first men’s team to win Olympic gold in the 3×3 basketball event at Tokyo 2020, while the United States won gold in the women’s event.
Team GB did not qualify to participate in any of the basketball events.
Who is on the US basketball team for the Olympics?
Full Men’s Roster: Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), Derrick White (Boston Celtics), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics), Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
Full Women’s Roster: Jewell Lloyd (Seattle Storm), Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces), Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), Kahleah Copper (Phoenix Mercury), Chelsea Gray (Las Vegas Aces), A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces) , Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury), Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces), Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun), Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury)
