The 2024 Paris Olympics will begin on July 26 and end on Aug. 11. During that span, hundreds of medals will be awarded for multiple sports, including women’s 5×5 basketball.
Team USA will be heavily favored, given that the country has won nine gold medals and seven-straight since 1996. While the rest of the world may still be behind the States, they are catching up, and France is a team that will have as good a chance as any at toppling the basketball superpower.
Tale of the tape
FIBA ranks France No. 7 in the world, and Les Bleues were impressive in their exhibition games, winning all five matchups. So, they’re entering these Olympics in good form. It’s also not just a recent hot streak; they had a strong showing at the last Olympic games, winning the bronze medal by defeating Serbia 91-76.
France also has a homecourt advantage, with the games taking place in Lille and Paris. It’s difficult to quantify how much that will factor in, but one has to imagine it will, at the very least, give France a slight boost and could create a scenario where every game they play is in front of a heavily pro-France crowd.
The one-two-punch
France has a powerful inside-out game with Iliana Rupert as the big and Marine Johannès as the guard. Johannès is known for her 3-point range and has the nickname “The Wizard” for a reason. Rupert is a player who, once she gets going, is tough to slow down. Their comfort, chemistry and leadership are a big reason why France is expected to get out of their group and medal in Paris.
Gabby Williams, the x-factor
Basketball is a team sport, but with only five players on the court, the individuals matter. You’ll need players who can play at a superstar level to pull off some upsets and potentially defeat Team USA. Gabby Williams fits that description.
When Gabby Williams plays in a high motion offense with a ton of shooting and creativity, she is just special
It’s simple stuff, but high ball screen with a quick flip into the roll
With the space she has to operate, just one of the very best creators in hoops pic.twitter.com/0lgwLzLv8O
— Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) July 22, 2024
She has the size, speed and strength you want in a dynamic forward and can still be a menace with the ball in her hands. Her quality has been on full display worldwide with stints with the Chicago Sky and Seattle Storm in the WNBA and ASVEL Féminin in France and the EuroLeague.
Williams also was a big part of the French team at the last Olympics, and while she may have lost a step since 2021, she’s still an impact player who can get a double-double in any given game. She was sensational in France’s 117-59 win versus Finland earlier this month, when she scored 14 points, grabbed four boards, and dished out two assists.
Closing thoughts
The Olympics matter, and this French team and its players take them seriously. After the last Olympics, when Williams decided not to play in the WNBA in order to prepare to represent France, she said, “I made the right choice,” when they took home the bronze.
Now, France is at home and aiming for gold. They will be a force to reckon with and whoever faces them in an elimination situation will have their hands full, Team USA included.
