Author
Christopher Boan is the lead writer at BetArizona.com after covering sports and sports betting in Arizona for more than seven years, including stops at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.
While spring has only recently sprung, summer is just around the corner, which means that the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris is drawing nearer by the day, with some of the worldâs best basketball players taking to the City of Light in July. This summer, the United States will look to extend its winning streak at the Summer Games, with the U.S. taking home all but one of the gameâs gold medals since NBA players were allowed to compete in 1992. Safe to say, they will again be the favorites across Arizona sports betting.
The exception was in 2004, when the U.S. crashed out of the menâs side of the bracket, finishing with a bronze medal in Athens to snap the countryâs gold medal streak at three, though theyâve gone on to capture said award without much trouble in the 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 Games.
This summer, head coach Steve Kerr will have to narrow down a star-studded player pool from 41 to 12 in time for the opening contest of the 2024 games, with Kerr and Managing Director Grant Hill having the honor of picking this yearâs menâs team.
With that in mind, BetArizona.com broke down some hypothetical odds on which NBA stars could find their way onto the 2024 team, with Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker and forward Kevin Durant making the cut ... for now. You won't yet find these odds on Arizona betting apps, so stick with BetArizona.com in the leadup to the Games.
Player | Odds | Percentage Chance |
1. LeBron James, Lakers | -100000 | 99.9% |
2. Kevin Durant, Suns | -100000 | 99.9% |
3. Stephen Curry, Warriors | -100000 | 99.9% |
4. Jayson Tatum, Celtics | -100000 | 99.9% |
5. Joel Embiid, 76ers | -100000 | 99.9% |
6. Anthony Davis, Lakers | -15000 | 99.3% |
7. Devin Booker, Suns | -15000 | 99.3% |
8. Damian Lillard, Bucks | -2000 | 95.2% |
9. Bam Adebayo, Heat | -1800 | 94.7% |
10. Jrue Holiday, Celtics | -500 | 83.3% |
11. Anthony Edwards, T'Wolves | -250 | 71.4% |
12. Kawhi Leonard, Clippers | -150 | 60% |
Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers | +250 | 28.6% |
Jimmy Butler, Heat | +500 | 16.7% |
Paul George, Clippers | +700 | 12.5% |
Jaylen Brown, Celtics | +1000 | 9.1% |
Draymond Green, Warriors | +1000 | 9.1% |
Chet Holmgren, Thunder | +2000 | 4.8% |
Mikal Bridges, Nets | +6000 | 1.6% |
Paolo Banchero, Magic | +6000 | 1.6% |
The Field | +4000 | 2.4% |
The odds-on favorites to reach the 2024 games are all future Hall of Famers, with LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry all sure to make the cut if they want to play for the U.S. once again this summer.
Throw in 2023 MVP winner Joel Embiid and the Celtics' Jayson Tatum (an MVP candidate over at bet365 Arizona) and you have the full list of players that are virtual locks to play for the U.S. in 2024, with all five listed at -100000 to make the team.
Throw in other virtual locks like Anthony Davis of the L.A. Lakers and Booker (-15000 each) and you have the top seven for Kerr and his staff in 2024. Current fringe candidates include Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks (-2000), Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat (-1800), Jrue Holiday of the Celtics (-500), Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves (-250) and L.A. Clippers veteran Kawhi Leonard (-150).
That means that All-Pro level NBA talent like Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers (+250), Jimmy Butler of the Heat (+500) and Paul George of the Clippers (+700), as well as Jaylen Brown of the Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren (+1000 each), are on the wrong end of the bubble at the moment to make the 12-man roster in Paris.
Those are the breaks, however, when youâre trying to play for the country thatâs won 58 of 62 Olympic contests since the 1992 games in Barcelona, with the best of the best still not having a guaranteed spot on the countryâs 12-man roster in 2024.
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USA Today photo by Kyle Terada.
USA Basketball announced a 41-athlete player pool for the 2024 USA Basketball Menâs National Team in late January. The final 12-member 2024 USA Menâs National Team, which will represent the US in Paris, will be announced at a later date.
Curry played for Team USA at the FIBA World Cups back in 2010 and 2014. He wasnât chosen for the 2012 Olympic team, declined in 2016 due to injury and didnât want to jeopardize his upcoming NBA season in 2021. However, Curry intends to play for Team USA at 2024 Olympics.
After winning the Bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, LeBron James later returned to win back-to-back Gold medals at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and at the 2012 Olympics in London. On all accounts, LeBron James has said he intends to play for Team USA in Paris.
The USA Menâs National Basketball team has now won the last 4 Gold medals in the Olympic Games with the last coming in the 2020 Olympics in Japan. Over their 20 appearances, the USA Menâs Basketball team has won 16 Gold medals.
Author
Christopher Boan is the lead writer at BetArizona.com after covering sports and sports betting in Arizona for more than seven years, including stops at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.
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