- Oddsmakers at BetOnline have released betting odds on which players will play for Team USA at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
- LeBron James and Steph Curry are the most heavily favored players to land on Team USA’s roster for the Olympic Games in Paris.
- The odds come on the heels of a disappointing effort for the Americans at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Following a disastrous outcome at the FIBA Basketball World Cup, Team USA is expected to bring a stacked roster to Paris for the 2024 Olympics. According to BetOnline, LeBron James and Steph Curry are huge favorites to play for the USA. Currently, James and Curry are -1500 to represent Team USA at the Olympics.
James and Curry have the largest odds to play for the USA, at BetOnline. With both players at -1500 odds, there is an implied probability of 93.8 percent that the talented duo will be on the American roster for the 2024 Olympic Games. Kevin Durant has the next highest odds to play in the Olympics.
The Phoenix Suns’ star has -1000 odds to suit up for Team USA next year. Following Durant, teammate Devin Booker has the best Olympic odds at -800.
However, there isn’t another player as likely to head to Paris than James and Curry. Regardless of who shows up, it should be a better showing than at the FIBA World Cup.
Team USA Goes Without Medal At FIBA Basketball World Cup
In a stunning display, Team USA didn’t win gold in Asia at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. At -125 odds, the American team was heavily favored to bring home gold. There wasn’t another country close to the USA in the FIBA World Cup odds. Canada had the second-best odds at +800.
In the semifinal round, the USA came up short against Dennis Schröder and Team Germany, 113-11. In the consolation match for bronze, it was another discouraging performance from Steve Kerr’s group. They faltered against Canada in overtime, 127-118.
Canada beats Team USA in overtime to take the bronze medal.
Dillon Brooks dropped 39 POINTS (7-8 from 3) 🤯 pic.twitter.com/YVDjPTFSum
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 10, 2023
Dillon Brooks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took the contest over to oust Team USA. None of the players who have the best odds to play for the USA at the 2024 Olympics were on the FIBA World Cup roster.
James, Curry, Durant, and Booker all took a pass on representing the country in the World Cup. However, Team USA wasn’t the only nation without top talent.
Jamal Murray and Andrew Wiggins didn’t opt in to play for Canada, while Serbia’s Nikola Jokić wanted to spend time back home after winning an NBA title.
Team USA didn’t bring a bad roster of players to Asia. Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Tyrese Haliburton should have been enough to at least finish in the Top 3.
Chemistry is always the big question mark in international competitions for the USA. There is going to be talent, but will the team gel together quickly? Kerr was unable to pull it off at the FIBA World Cup.
Regardless, according to oddsmakers, the 2024 Summer Games roster is shaping up to be a talent-laden force in Paris.
LeBron James Reportedly Committed To Olympics
James, 38, hasn’t gone to the Summer Olympics since 2012. He captured gold alongside Kobe Bryant at the 2012 London Summer Games.
Team USA defended their Olympic gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. However, James did not participate, as Durant and Paul George shouldered the load for the Americans.
Four years after winning the bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, James won his first Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with ‘The Redeem Team’.
According to recent reports, James has already committed to playing at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Despite no official statement from James, there appears to be some substance to the rumors.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania has reported that James is focused on joining Team USA for the Olympics in Paris. Per Charania, The four-time MVP and NBA champion has already started recruiting players for the Olympics.
Among the players that LeBron has reportedly spoken to include Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Draymond Green, Durant, and Curry. All these players have -500 odds or better of playing for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
James will be 43 for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The Lakers star debated about retiring in the offseason, but he ultimately returned to the Lakers.
Despite the Olympics being on home soil in five years, the 2024 Summer Olympics is likely to be his final hurrah in international competition.
