Olympic basketball records that could be broken at Paris 2024

The men's and women's basketball tournaments will be among the highlights of Paris 2024.

Featuring six former NBA MVPs, the hotly-anticipated Olympic debut of France's Victor Wembanyama, and the US women’s basketball team chasing a record-breaking eighth-consecutive gold medal, records could tumble at the Olympic Games this summer.

From individual and team gold medals to the number of appearances and points scored, Olympics.com takes a closer look at some of the records that could fall in Paris from 26 July.

Olympic basketball records to monitor at Paris 2024

• Both Spain's Rudy Fernandez and Diana Taurasi of the US will simultaneously become the first basketball players to compete at six Olympics when the Games begin in Paris. Both made their debuts at Athens 2004.

• LeBron James will join Fernandez and Taurasi in the record books, becoming the first three players to compete in Olympic basketball 20 years apart, after their debut in 2004 - the same year France star Victor Wembanyama was born. Fernandez has two silver medals (Beijing 2008, London 2012) and a bronze medal at Rio 2016. James has won two gold medals (Beijing 2008, London 2012) and a bronze medal at Athens 2004. Taurasi has won a gold medal at every Games she has appeared in from Athens 2004 through Tokyo 2020, in 2021.

• Both Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young will represent Team USA women’s basketball at Paris 2024. The duo was an essential part of the United States’ gold-winning 3x3 basketball team at Tokyo 2020, with Plum finishing the tournament tied for the highest overall scorer with 55 points. If Team USA takes home gold in 5x5 at the Games, the Las Vegas Aces teammates will become the first athletes to win an Olympic gold medal in both 3x3 and 5v5 basketball.

• If Team USA women’s basketball win gold at the Bercy Arena on 11 August, it will be the eighth-straight gold medal in the event since they started their astonishing gold medal streak at Atlanta 1996. It would also break the record for the most consecutive Olympic gold medals in any team sport.

• NBA star Kevin Durant could become the first male athlete to win four gold medals in any team sport should Team USA win a fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal, but he could be tied for this record with Nikola Karabatic should France win the men’s handball competition. Durant made his Olympic debut at London 2012, averaging 19.5 points per game as a 23-year-old.

• Taurasi already shares the record for the most Olympic golds in a team sport, along with former teammate Sue Bird, with five golds apiece from Athens 2004 through to Tokyo 2020. However, by competing in her sixth Olympic Games this summer, Taurasi could extend this record-breaking run if Team USA wins gold in Paris, where she will become the athlete with the most Olympic gold medals in any team sport.

• Larry Bird made his first Olympic appearances aged 35 years and 240+ days at Barcelona 1992 and he is still the oldest ever US male Olympic basketball player. This record will be overtaken by 36-year-old Stephen Curry who will make his Olympic debut at Paris 2024.

• Similarly, 39-year-old James will be the oldest player to ever play for Team USA when the Games begin, surpassing the aforementioned Bird. This will be the Los Angeles Lakers star’s fourth Olympic appearance.

Olympic basketball records

Total points scored in a single game

• Men’s: 229 points, USA 156–73 Nigeria (2012)
• Women’s: 190 points, Japan 62–128 Brazil (2004)

Lowest game score

• Men’s: 27 points, USA 19–8 Canada (1936)
• Women’s: 100 points, Senegal 32–68 Slovakia (2000)

Longest winning streak

• Men’s: 63 games, USA (1936–72)
• Women’s: 49 games, USA (1992–2016)

All-time top cumulative scorer

• Men’s: 1,093 points, Oscar Schmidt (Brazil)
• Women’s: 575 points, Lauren Jackson (Australia)

Single game scorer

• Men’s: 55 points, Oscar Schmidt (Spain vs. Brazil, 1988)
• Women’s: 39 points, Evladiya Slavcheva-Stefanova (Bulgaria vs. Republic of Korea, 1988)

Single game assists

• Men’s: 20 assists, Manuel Saenz (Mexico vs. Japan, 1976)
• Women’s: 18 assists, Rui Machida (Japan vs France, 2021)

Single game three pointers made

• Men’s: 10 three pointers, Carmelo Anthony (United States vs. Nigeria, 2012)
• Women’s: 8 three pointers, Yeon Ha Beon (South Korea vs. Czech Republic, 2004)

Single game free throws made

• Men’s: 18 free throws, Toni Kukoc (Croatia vs. Lithuania, 1996)
• Women’s: 14 free throws, Cheryl Miller (United States vs Australia, 1984)

Miscellaneous Olympic Basketball Facts

Youngest Olympic basketball player overall

• Men's: Adramé N'Diaye of Senegal, 16 years 96 days at Moscow 1980
• Women's: Andrea Borrell of Cuba, 16 years 253 days at Moscow 1980

Oldest Olympic basketball player overall

• Men's: Luis Scola of Argentina, 41 years 99 days at Tokyo 2020
• Women's: Laia Palau of Spain, 41 years 332 days at Tokyo 2020

Tallest Olympic basketball player at Paris 2024

• Men's: Victor Wembanyama of France measures 2.19m (7'2")
• Women's: Han Xu of the People's Republic of China measures 2.05m (6'9")

First Olympic appearances at Paris 2024

South Sudan's men's basketball team will be making its Olympic debut at Paris 2024. This feat is especially remarkable considering the South Sudan Basketball Federation was only established in 2011, joined FIBA in 2013, and played their first official game in 2017. South Sudan's first game of group play will take place on 27 July against Germany.

Olympic basketball medal history

Prior to Paris 2024, there have been 32 basketball tournaments at the Games (20 men’s and 12 women’s). The US are the most successful team winning the most medals across both tournaments.

The US men's team have scooped 19 medals (16 gold, one silver, two bronze), with the US women winning 11 (nine gold, one silver, one bronze).

Who will reign supreme in France? Basketball at Paris 2024 will begin on 27 July and run through 11 August.