In a disappointing result for the basketball powerhouse, the United States finished in fourth place at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, leaving the competition empty-handed for the second straight time. Germany won gold after going undefeated throughout the tournament, Serbia took silver, and Canada nabbed bronze. All three countries qualified for Paris as a result.

The U.S. World Cup roster included several notable NBA players such as Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Jalen Brunson, Brandon Ingram and Paolo Banchero, but the country’s biggest stars mostly opted out of the tournament.

In the aftermath of that World Cup result, reports emerged that LeBron James was interested in playing at the Olympics for the first time since 2012 and was actively recruiting other players to join him in Paris. James was officially named to the 12-man Olympic roster in April as part of a star-studded cast. Four of the players on that roster (James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid) have won NBA MVP awards, and 11 of the 12 were selected as All-Stars during the 2023-24 season.