Paris 2024 Basketball: A'ja Wilson leads Team USA in showdown against Emma Meesseman's Belgium

By Maggie Hendricks
4 min|
A'ja Wilson Team USA
Picture by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Just under six months ago, the U.S. women’s basketball team faced off with the Belgian team at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Antwerp. Cheered on by 13,000 enthusiastic Belgians, the Red Cats tested the vaunted U.S. team. In a dramatic finish, the U.S. needed a last-second tip-in basket from Breanna Stewart to avoid overtime.

By the luck of the draw, the two teams will again play on 1 August in group play for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. In the first group games, the U.S. played as expected, winning 102-76 against Japan. However, Belgium came out flat in its opening game against Germany, and wasn't able to claw back into the game. Germany won 83-69.

Now, Belgium will get another chance to beat the U.S. team that has won every Olympic gold in women’s basketball dating back to the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996 and fight back into contention to advance out of Group C.

What to expect as Team USA takes on Belgium in the women's basketball at Paris 2024

Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille, France, is the home for the group play games at Paris 2024. Lille is close to the border of Belgium, and is closer to Belgian star Emma Meesseman’s hometown of Ypres than it is to Paris. Though there will likely be many more U.S. fans at the Olympics than there were at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, you can still expect to see a loud and proud contingent of Belgian fans there to cheer on their team.

What those fans will see is two teams who are strong in the paint with some excellent sharpshooters from the outside. Meesseman, a WNBA champ in 2019 with the Washington Mystics, has the height and skill to keep up with the U.S. post players, and has a strong partnership with teammate Antonia Delaere. Julie Vanloo can hit a clutch three when needed, but the team does miss Julie Allemand, who was ruled out of the Olympics with an injury last week. As most of the Belgian team decided to stay in Europe this year to focus on their national team play, they have a strong chemistry that they will hope to use to their advantage against the mighty Team USA.

The big difference between the two teams is the depth the U.S. has. The entire team is made up of women with experience in the Olympics, FIBA World Cup, the WNBA and EuroLeague. If A’ja Wilson, a two-time WNBA MVP, gets in foul trouble, Stewart, also a two-time MVP, can help out. If Olympic gold medalist Jewell Loyd is having a hard time getting shots to fall, Olympic gold medalist Jackie Young can help out.

Belgium’s women’s basketball program has grown in recent years. The Cats can test the U.S., so this is a game you won’t want to miss.

Players to watch as Team USA takes on Belgium in the Paris 2024 women's basketball competition

Emma Meesseman

Meesseman is at the heart of Belgium’s growth as a national team. The team went to its first Olympics at Tokyo 2020, and Meesseman powered them there. When Belgium won EuroBasket in 2023, Meesseman was named the MVP. Then, after the 2022 WNBA season, Meesseman decided to stay in Europe to help the Belgian team grow. These Olympics are the culmination of her work to grow her nation’s love for basketball.

Alyssa Thomas

At 32, Thomas is a first-time Olympian, despite being older than many of her teammates. Now she's getting to show her outstanding, well-rounded play to the world. Thomas is the WNBA’s all-time leader in triple doubles, and can be a menace on defense.