In anticipation of the upcoming Paris Olympic Games, former NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony, who has clinched three Olympic gold medals for the U.S., stressed the importance of the U.S. men’s basketball team being fully prepared to defend their title.

With France, the host nation, eager to claim victory against the 16-time gold medal-winning United States team, Anthony highlighted the competitive spirit that will pervade the tournament.

The U.S. team, which is the reigning Olympic champion, finds itself in Group C alongside a formidable Serbia team, South Sudan who are making their Olympic debut, and the victor of a qualifying tournament set to take place in Puerto Rico this July. This placement was determined during a draw at the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) headquarters in Switzerland, setting the stage for what promises to be a riveting Olympic tournament.

“As a country, as Americans, we understand that we have to come to play,” Anthony remarked, reflecting on the legacy and the high standards the U.S. team embodies in the realm of international basketball.

On the other side, France, which narrowly lost to the U.S. in the Tokyo Games 2020 final by five points, has been drawn in Group B. The French team, still in pursuit of its first Olympic title after finishing second three times, will compete against Germany, Japan, and the winner of another qualifying tournament to be held in Latvia.

This year’s Olympics will see four slots in the men’s draw filled by winners of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, taking place in notable cities including Riga, Latvia, Valencia, Spain, Piraeus, Greece, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, from July 2-7.

The women’s tournament will also feature strong competition, with the nine-time Olympic champion U.S. team set to face Germany, Japan, and Belgium during the group stage. Penny Taylor, who secured silver medals with Australia in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, acknowledged the formidable challenge posed by grouping with the U.S., Belgium, and Japan.

“I think every group has their level of difficulty. But I think obviously the USA, Belgium, and Japan in one group, that’s a challenge,” Taylor commented.

As the Olympic torch draws nearer to its Paris destination, teams and fans alike are gearing up for what promises to be a show of basketball excellence and international camaraderie. The U.S. teams, both men and women, carry the weight of their successful legacies into the tournament, facing high expectations and the thrilling prospect of adding to their storied Olympic histories.