Paris 2024 Olympics: Les Bleues had a one in two chance of falling on the invincible Americans

Les filles de Jean-Aimé Toupane viseront le podium cet été à Paris. MAXPPP – Philippe VACHER

The daughters of Jean-Aimé Toupane have surely knocked on wood: after drawing lots, they inherit an "affordable" group, according to the established formula.

The French basketball team will face Germany, the reigning world champion, during the group stage of the Paris Olympic Games, where the Blues will be opposed to Australia and Canada, avoiding the United States, according to the draw made on Tuesday.

The Blues, reigning Olympic vice-champions, could not be placed in the group of Americans, quadruple title holders and who should present themselves in Paris with a team composed solely of stars (LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant & ;hellip;).

The perspective of the Latvian executioners

The French, probably with Victor Wembanyama, will also face Japan and the winner of the qualifying tournament (TQO) organized in Latvia (Latvia, Georgia, Philippines, Brazil, Montenegro, Cameroon) in Group B.

They could thus find the Latvians, their executioner in groups in Jakarta at the 2023 World Cup. The Blues will cross paths with the Mannschaft of Dennis Schröder and the brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner twice before the Olympics (July 26-August 11), in preparation on July 6 and 8.

The Americans with Serbia

The Americans (pool C) will be opposed to Serbia, reigning world vice-champion who will probably appear with Nikola Jokic (Denver), South Sudan and the winner of the qualifying tournament of Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico, Italy, Bahrain, Lithuania, Mexico, Ivory Coast).

In Pool A, Australia will cross swords with Canada, third in the 2023 World Cup, the winner of the qualifying tournament in Greece (Greece, Slovenia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Croatia, New Zealand) and the team that will win the one organized in Spain (Spain, Angola, Lebanon, Bahamas, Finland, Poland).

The chance of the Blues

The TQOs will take place from July 2 to 7. The first two from each of the three groups and the two best second are qualified for the quarter-finals, for which a new draw will be carried out to determine the oppositions.

Same rules for the women's tournament (July 27-August 11), where the French avoided the Americans, seven-time title holders whom they had a one in two chance of meeting during of the draw. The last opponent of Les Bleues (pool B), bronze medalists in Tokyo in 2021, is Nigeria.