Four former Zags could take center stage in Paris as the group stage for 5-on-5 men’s basketball is officially set.
The group stage for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris is set following the conclusion of four FIBA qualifier tournaments around the globe.
Puerto Rico, which hadn’t appeared in an Olympic basketball tournament since 2004, claimed one of the final four tickets on Sunday after a 79-68 win over Lithuania and former Gonzaga standout Domantas Sabonis in the final round of the San Juan qualifier. The Sacramento Kings’ All-NBA forward had 10 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks, but it wasn’t enough as New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado finished with 23 points, six rebounds, and two steals, including four 3-pointers, for Team Puerto Rico.
“We let this game get away from us,” Sabonis said. “We couldn’t find ways to score on the offensive end and especially get stops when we needed to.”
Along with Puerto Rico, Brazil, Greece, and Spain punched their tickets to Paris as well.
Sabonis helped guide Team Lithuania to three victories to open the Olympic qualifier, including a 22-point, 9-rebound effort against Ivory Coast in the group phase. After a win over Mexico (a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double for Sabonis), Lithuania’s scorching offense was brought to a halt by Alvarado and company. Even with help from the tournament’s leading scorer, Marius Grigoni (17.5 points per game), Sabonis won’t have a chance to represent his home country in Paris later this month.
Still, a slew of former Zags are set to compete for the gold medal in 5-on-5 basketball — including the program’s head coach, Mark Few, who will be an assistant coach with Team USA.
With the 12-team group stage set, here’s an updated look at which past Bulldogs could be making the trip to Paris:
Note: Some national teams have yet to narrow down their 12-man rosters and likely won’t do so until the group stage starts on July 27.
KELLY OLYNYK, CANADA
Olynyk participated in Team Canada’s training camp held in Toronto last week ahead of an exhibition against Team USA in Las Vegas on July 10. The 33-year-old is expected to secure a spot on the 12-man roster that will make the historic trip to Paris. He played a crucial role as a veteran presence last summer during the World Cup, helping Canada qualify for its first Olympics in men’s 5-on-5 basketball since 2000. Ranked No. 7 in FIBA’s World Rankings, Canada is poised to contend for the gold medal with key players like All-NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), NBA champion Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets), RJ Barrett (Toronto Raptors), Olynyk, and several other NBA talents leading the charge.
After its exhibition against Team USA, Team Canada (Group A) will start the group phase against the winner of the Greece Olympic Qualifying Tournament on July 27. They will then face Australia on July 30 and Spain on August 2.
ANDREW NEMBHARD, CANADA
Nembhard has the opportunity to join Olynyk on Team Canada after the 6-foot-5 guard accepted an invitation to training camp following an impressive playoff debut with the Indiana Pacers. The second-year pro played a significant role in guiding Indy to the Eastern Conference Finals, highlighted by a 20-point performance in Game 7 of the second round against the New York Knicks and a clutch 3-pointer in Game 3 of the series that prevented the Pacers from falling into a 3-0 deficit. During his 17 playoff games, Nembhard averaged 14.9 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 56.0% from the field and 48.3% from beyond the arc.
RUI HACHIMURA, JAPAN
Hachimura is set to lead Team Japan’s 16-man roster announced in late June, with the 6-foot-8 forward likely to represent his home country in consecutive Olympic Games.
While this marks a historic achievement for Japan — having not qualified in men’s basketball for back-to-back Games since 1972 and 1976 — the team is keen to improve upon their performance from the 2020 Games. In Tokyo, Japan finished 11th out of 12 teams with a winless record of 0-3. After qualifying at the World Cup last summer (which Hachimura missed), Team Japan aims to capitalize on their momentum with most of the roster returning for the upcoming Olympics in Paris.
In Group B, Japan will face reigning World Cup champion Germany on July 27, followed by a matchup against France on July 30.
FILIP PETRUSEV, SERBIA
Petrusev has been selected as one of the 16 candidates vying for a spot on the Serbian national team’s final 12-man roster. The team is expected to feature three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, alongside several other former and current NBA players.
Petrusev played a key role in Serbia’s silver medal win at the World Cup, where he averaged 8.2 points and 3.5 rebounds across six games. His performance included a 10-point outing in the final against Germany.
After achieving a EuroLeague Final Four appearance with Olympiacos, Petrusev is reportedly nearing a return to Crvena Zvezda, a top Serbian club in the ABA League. He previously played for them in 2022 after a brief stint in the NBA Summer League with the Philadelphia 76ers. The 6-foot-10 forward-center made his NBA debut with the Sixers last October before being traded (and subsequently released) by the Sacramento Kings, leading him to join Olympiacos.
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