Paris 2024 Olympics: South Sudan's basketball revolution and its boundless potential
Fourteen years ago, South Sudan did not even exist. Now it has written history at the Olympic Games.
The youngest country in the world won their first game in Olympic history in men’s basketball at Paris 2024, beating Puerto Rico 90-79 on Sunday (28 July). A stellar team performance, led by Carlik Jones with 19 points, announced Bright Stars' arrival in style.
Before this month, the African nation came into the Games with little expectation, having first played an official game just seven years ago.
However, when they took the United States to the final seconds in an Olympic warmup game before narrowly losing 101-100, people started to notice.
This team has been disrespected and disregarded, but now has an Olympic victory to its name, and no-one can underestimate them going forward.
South Sudan seal Olympic victory at Paris 2024
Though they have only been a full member of the International Olympic Committee since 2015, South Sudan have been on a remarkable upwards journey.
Their first tournament was the 2021 AfroBasket, followed by the 2023 FIBA World Cup where they finished as the best African team of the tournament.
That performance secured South Sudan's spot at Paris 2024, where they have been rewarded with an exciting group. After victory over Puerto Rico, the Bright Stars have the chance to avenge their defeat to the U.S. on 31 July, before concluding their Group C campaign against Nikola Jokic and Serbia on 3 August.
It is undoubtedly a difficult task, but if this group of players have taught us anything, it is to never write them off. They are now in a strong position going into their next two matches in Lille.
South Sudan will be quietly confident in their chances of winning their first Olympic medal, an underdog team in the basketball tournament but certainly packing a punch.
South Sudan, led by Luol Deng and inspired by the next generation
The foundations for South Sudan’s basketball success were laid by South Sudanese legend Luol Deng, two-time NBA All-Star and Team GB Olympian at London 2012.
Deng has been at the forefront of the nation’s rise in basketball, developing its sporting infrastructure and supporting the next generation. He has been President of the South Sudan Basketball Federation since 2019, also working as the team’s assistant coach in Paris alongside head coach Royal Ivey.
Among Deng’s finest prodigies is 17-year-old Khaman Maluach, the 7ft 2in Center from Duke University in the United States.
Maluach attended Deng’s basketball camp in Uganda back in 2019, and a few years later, Deng took the youngster under his wing with the goal of bringing him to the national team.
Five years on, Maluach is one of many rising talents in the South Sudanese squad, not to mention the experience brought by the likes of former NBA player Wenyen Gabriel.
This team represents something greater than basketball, a national pride for the world’s youngest nation and biggest underdogs in the Olympic basketball competition. South Sudan have been on an incredible journey so far in the sport, one that is only just getting started as they announce themselves to the world at Paris 2024.