Paris 2024 basketball: Can Germany repeat their FIBA World Cup success at the Olympics? (2024)

There may not be a men’s team in world basketball right now heading to the Olympic Games Paris 2024 with greater momentum than Germany.

At FIBA EuroBasket 2022 (the men’s European championships), a German team led by captain Dennis Schröder earned a deserved bronze – the country’s first international medal since winning silver at EuroBasket 2005. A year later, Germany stunned the world by triumphing at the FIBA World Cup 2023, winning the competition for the first time and qualifying directly for Paris 2024 as Europe’s best-ranked team in FIBA’s flagship event.

  • Dennis Schroder inspires Germany to first world title

Since then, Die Mannschaft (The Team) have risen to third in the FIBA World Rankings, behind only two-time world champions Spain and 16-time Olympic gold medallists USA.

Now that Germany have captured everyone’s attention, what can they produce for an encore in Paris?

Paris 2024 basketball: Can Germany repeat their FIBA World Cup success at the Olympics? (1)

Germany players, coaches and team officials pose for photos with the Naismith Trophy after the FIBA Basketball World Cup Final victory over Serbia in Manila, Philippines. Germany won 83-77.

Picture by 2023 Getty Images

Germany’s undefeated run at the World Cup proves they can medal in Paris

Germany came into the 2023 World Cup as the no. 11 team in the world and reigning European bronze medallists – a solid if not outstanding resume. Few, if any, pundits predicted they would go on to win the competition.

Eyebrows were raised after Germany topped Group E with a 3-0 record, which included an 85-82 win over Tokyo 2020 bronze medallists Australia, but the idea of Germany reaching the final still seemed unlikely.

Yet when an 81-79 quarter-final win over Latvia was followed up with a stunning 113-11 victory over the USA in the semi-finals, the prospect of a first world title for Die Mannschaft suddenly became a real possibility.

Germany’s veteran experience and team cohesiveness (this is a roster that has remained largely unchanged for the past four years) proved decisive in the final against Serbia, resulting in an 83-77 win that secured the trophy and a spot at Paris 2024.

Their performance and experience at the World Cup proves Germany can execute in the biggest moments on the international stage; the roster that will be assembled for the Olympics will likely mirror the ‘23 team, meaning Die Mannschaft will bring a seasoned, winning group to France that will no longer be seen as underdogs, but rather as realistic podium finishers.

Paris 2024 basketball: Can Germany repeat their FIBA World Cup success at the Olympics? (7)

Germany celebrates after winning the FIBA Basketball World Cup Final between Germany and Serbia at Mall of Asia Arena on September 10, 2023 in Manila, Philippines. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

Picture by 2023 Getty Images

Dennis Schröder and elite NBA and EuroLeague talent can shine on Olympic stage

While not traditionally seen as a basketball powerhouse, there have been several players with German heritage who have achieved considerable success at the highest level of basketball. Most notable among them are Detlef Schrempf (a three-time NBA All-Star and two-time Sixth Man of the Year) and Dirk Nowitzki (2011 NBA champion & Finals MVP, 2007 NBA MVP, 14-time All-Star, and 2002 FIBA World Cup bronze medallist).

  • Read more: Dirk Nowitzki’s legendary career – stats, records and numbers

While the current members of Germany’s squad have yet to match the individual success of Nowitzki and Schrempf, they have surpassed them on the international stage by virtue of their World Cup success. And, as a collective, the 2024 Olympic team will undoubtedly be the best German team ever assembled.

Captain Dennis Schröder, who was named the FIBA World Cup MVP at the tournament, will almost certainly return alongside Franz and Moritz Wagner of the Orlando Magic. Daniel Theis of the Los Angeles Clippers is an eight-year NBA veteran, while Maxi Kleber (Dallas Mavericks) and Isaiah Hartenstein (New York Knicks), both of whom were not part of the 2023 team, could be called upon for Paris.

Then there are the players currently competing in Europe, such as center Johannes Voigtmann of Olimpia Milano, a FIBA Europe Cup champion in 2016; Andreas Obst, who scored 24 points (including the go-ahead jumper) against the USA in the World Cup semi-final, is a current member of Bayern Munich; Maodo Lô is a four-time Bundesliga champion; and Isaac Bonga, a veteran of three NBA teams and current member of Bayern Munich.

With the amount of talent and continuity among this current crop of players, Germany’s success at the World Cup, on reflection, perhaps shouldn’t be that surprising. It would behove us all, therefore, to not underestimate them again at the Olympic Games.

Paris 2024 basketball: Can Germany repeat their FIBA World Cup success at the Olympics? (8)

Andreas Obst #42 of Germany controls the ball against Anthony Edwards #10 of the United States. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

Picture by 2023 Getty Images

Germany's group at Paris 2024

Germany has been drawn into Group B along with Japan, hosts France and the winner of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) Latvia, with those countries being Latvia, Georgia, Philippines, Brazil, Cameroon and Montenegro.

Germany beat Japan in their opening game of the World Cup last summer, and have won three of their last four showdowns at major events against France.

Germany Group Phase Games

vs Japan (July 27)
vs Winner OQT Latvia (July 30)
vs France (August 2)

Paris 2024 basketball: Can Germany repeat their FIBA World Cup success at the Olympics? (2024)

FAQs

Paris 2024 basketball: Can Germany repeat their FIBA World Cup success at the Olympics? ›

Their performance and experience at the World Cup proves Germany can execute in the biggest moments on the international stage; the roster that will be assembled for the Olympics will likely mirror the '23 team, meaning Die Mannschaft will bring a seasoned, winning group to France that will no longer be seen as ...

Which sport has been dropped from the Paris Olympics 2024? ›

DROPPED SPORTS

Baseball and softball have also been dropped from the Paris 2024 programme, but will make a return in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. The former is a men's-only sport and has been featured six times since 1992, whereas the latter—a women's-only sport—has only made five appearances at the Games since 1996.

What are the 5 new sports for the 2024 Olympics? ›

But since 2020, host cities have been allowed to add up to six new sports to their Olympic program. The 2024 Summer Olympics, set to kick off in Paris, France, on July 26, will include four extra sports. They are breaking, surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing.

Is Wemby playing in the 2024 Olympics? ›

Wemby headlines 19-man France squad for the Olympics - Paris 2024 Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament 2024 - FIBA.

Which sport will make its debut at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games? ›

The 2024 Olympics will see the inclusion of two new events: breaking and kayak cross. While some may believe skateboarding, surfing, and climbing are new additions, they actually debuted at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

What sports are changed in Paris 2024? ›

What are the new sports for the 2024 Olympics? Breaking, an urban dance style with roots in hip-hop culture, is the only sport that will make its debut in the 2024 Olympics.

What sport was removed from the Olympics? ›

Since the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, as many as ten sports have disappeared completely from the schedule, such as croquet, cricket, jeu de paume, pelota, polo, roque, rackets, tug-of-war and motor boating. The Winter Olympics also has a few sports and events that have been discontinued.

Which game will be removed from the Olympics in 2024? ›

Baseball and softball are also out in 2024 — but they'll be back. Baseball and softball will not be included in the Paris Olympics, after having made a return in Tokyo. Baseball is a men's-only sport at the Olympics, and has been officially featured six times at the Games since 1992.

What is the new sport breaking in the 2024 Olympics? ›

Breaking takes inspiration from many different corners of the globe, from Latin dancing to kung fu. It involves acrobatic moves and complex footwork, from flips and tricks to a dancer spinning on their head.

What is the new sport for the 2026 Olympics? ›

In addition to those, the 2026 Winter Games will also include men's and women's dual moguls, mixed team skeleton, women's doubles luge, and women's large hill ski jumping. Here is a full list of sports appearing at the 2026 Winter Olympics: Cross-country skiing. Ice hockey.

Will Katie Ledecky compete in 2024 Olympics? ›

Katie Ledecky will likely be headed to Paris later this summer to compete for a few more gold medals and into the history books for Team USA at the 2024 Olympics. Ledecky is one of the most recognizable female athletes of this generation. She picked up seven gold medals before turning 30.

Has Nikola Jokic played in the Olympics? ›

A six-time NBA All-Star, Jokić has been named to the All-NBA Team on six occasions (including four first-team selections), and won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for the 2020–21, 2021–22, and 2023–24 seasons. He represents the Serbian national team, with which he won a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Which city is going to hold Olympics 2024? ›

Where will the 2024 Olympics be held? The next Olympics will be hosted by the city of Paris, which is the capital of France. Paris previously hosted the Olympics in 1900 and 1924, and will join London (1908, 1948 and 2012) as the only two citites to host the Olympic three times.

How many athletes are at Paris 2024? ›

At the Olympic Summer Games in Paris in 2024, around 10,500 athletes from 206 NOCs will compete. At the Olympic Winter Games, there are usually around 2,900 athletes from more than 80 NOCs taking part in the competitions.

What is the main Olympic stadium in Paris 2024? ›

For the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Stade de France, the country's largest stadium, will transform into the Olympic Stadium after three decades of hosting France's biggest sports events. Built in Saint-Denis, the Stade de France was designed by architects Macary, Zublena, Regembal and Costantini.

What three things are going to be new to the olympics in 2024 in paris? ›

At the 134th IOC Session in June 2019, the IOC approved the Paris Organising Committee's proposed optional sports of breaking (breakdance), along with skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing—three sports that debuted at the then-upcoming 2020 Summer Olympics.

Why is there no softball in the 2024 Olympics? ›

On a granular level, the reason behind softball's ebb and flow on the Olympic calendar boils down to its popularity because, per the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) rules, host cities are now allowed to add sports to their program, according to USA Today.

Why is baseball not in the 2024 Olympics? ›

The IOC cited the absence of the best players as the main reason for baseball being dropped from the Olympic program. In contrast, Nippon Professional Baseball has allowed its players to compete in the Olympics, and paused its 2021 season for the duration of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021).

Why was the skeleton removed from the Olympics? ›

Skeleton first appeared at the Winter Olympics in 1928 and 1948 but was then dropped from the games because it was deemed too dangerous, according to the official Pyeongchang website. But the sport was reintroduced to the Olympics in 2002, when women's events were added. It's been a part of the Winter Games ever since.

Why was Tug of War removed from the Olympics? ›

After the 1920 Games, Tug of War was removed from the Olympic Programme along with 33 other sports. During this time, the IOC decided their were too many sports and too many participants competing, so took the decision to remove a number of sports, and unfortunately, one of those was tug of war.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Margart Wisoky

Last Updated:

Views: 5421

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Margart Wisoky

Birthday: 1993-05-13

Address: 2113 Abernathy Knoll, New Tamerafurt, CT 66893-2169

Phone: +25815234346805

Job: Central Developer

Hobby: Machining, Pottery, Rafting, Cosplaying, Jogging, Taekwondo, Scouting

Introduction: My name is Margart Wisoky, I am a gorgeous, shiny, successful, beautiful, adventurous, excited, pleasant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.