Paris 2024 Olympic Games: USA to meet Serbia in potential Nikola Jokic showdown as basketball draw made

The draw for the Paris 2024 Olympic basketball tournament group stage has been announced.

The United States head to the Games as the defending champions in both the men’s and women’s basketball competitions.

Serbia and South Sudan await the US men’s team in Group C, as well as a team from the Olympic qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico.

The draw sets up a potential encounter between Nikola Jokic and his fellow NBA stars, with the two-time MVP winner set to represent Serbia at the Games.

Group B features France, who clinched the silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Victor Wembanyama is among those up for selection for the hosts, who are joined in their group by Germany, Japan and a team from the Olympic qualifying tournament in Latvia.

There are two teams still to be determined in Group A, which features Australia and Canada.

In the women’s tournament, the US team will aim to continue their impressive unbeaten run which stretches back to the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games.

They will come up against Germany, Japan and Belgium in Group C in their hunt for an eighth successive Olympic gold medal. Japan were the silver medallists at Tokyo 2020, while Germany are set to compete at the Games for the first time.

Group A features Serbia, Spain, China and Puerto Rico, while Group B comprises Canada, Nigeria, Australia and hosts France.

The group stage matches for both tournaments are set to be held at Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille, with the knockout and medal matches played at the Bercy Arena in Paris.

The men’s tournament will run from July 27 to August 10, while the women’s event is scheduled for July 28 to August 11.