Ultimate guide to Australian Opals Olympic basketball campaign – The Roar

It would be one of the greatest stories in Australia’s Olympic history.

A 43-year-old Lauren Jackson claiming Australia’s first ever Olympic basketball gold medal, 24 years after making her Olympic debut in Sydney.

But is this a realistic scenario, or just a pipe dream?

Find out as we run through everything you need to know about the 2024 Olympic campaign of Australia’s women’s basketball team, the Opals, including the fixtures, the squad, and who the favourites are to bring home the gold.

What are the Opals fixtures at the Paris Olympics?

All times below are AEST.

The top two teams in each group, plus the two best third-placed teams from the three groups, will advance to the quarter-finals.

For the full fixture, check out our comprehensive list of the scheduled events at the Paris Olympics.

Will Lauren Jackson play at the 2024 Olympics?

It’s yet to be confirmed, but there is a very good chance that Lauren Jackson will suit up for Australia one last time at the Paris Olympics after being named in the Opals’ extended squad. 

The 43-year-old made her Olympic debut way back at Sydney 2000 – quite literally a lifetime ago compared to some of her teammates – and is well on track to claim a spot at her fifth Games, and her first since London 2012.

Jackson retired from international basketball for a third time as recently as March, after helping Australia qualify for Paris, before backflipping on that decision after Basketball Australia agreed to offer an assistance package so her two sons could travel with her to France.

That’s as good a sign as any that Jackson is very likely to be on the plane when the Opals fly out for their pre-Olympics camps in July. 

Who is in the Opals squad for the Paris Olympics?

Opals coach Sandy Brondello named an extended 26-player squad in March that will be whittled down to 12 after participating in training camps and warm-up fixtures ahead of the Games. As well as the ageless Jackson, there was also room for national team regulars such as Ezi Magbegor, Marianna Tolo and Tess Madgen.

Current Opals squad for Paris 2024 (final 12-player squad still TBC): Rebecca Allen, Zitina Aokuso, Georgia Amoore, Amy Atwell, Chloe Bibby, Isobel Borlase, Keely Froling, Darcee Garbin, Cayla George, Shyla Heal, Lauren Jackson, Alice Kunek, Tess Madgen, Ezi Magbegor, Anneli Maley, Jade Melbourne, Lauren Nicholson, Stephanie Reid, Maddison Rocci, Lauren Scherf, Alex Sharp, Alanna Smith, Stephanie Talbot, Marianna Tolo, Kristy Wallace, Sami Whitcomb.

Ezi Magbegor. (Photo by Steve Christo – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

What happened to Liz Cambage?

A lot. Most famously, Liz Cambage withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics less than two weeks before the tournament was due to start, citing mental health issues. It was later revealed she had been at the centre of a physical altercation with several Nigeria players during a training game, during which she was alleged to have told them to “go back to your third world country”. Cambage denied those claims, but the damage was done in terms of her national team hopes – she has not played for the Opals since then, and seems unlikely to do so after stepping away from the WNBA in 2022.

Cambage made headlines again last year after claiming she had spoken to Nigerian officials about switching allegiances to play for them, which was possible due to her Nigerian father. 

That didn’t go anywhere, though, with several Nigerian players publicly slapping down the possibility of ever playing alongside Cambage.

Suffice to say, Cambage will not be suiting up for the Opals in Paris.

Has Australia ever won an Olympic medal in women’s basketball?

Yes, Australia has won five Olympic medals in women’s basketball – three silver and two bronze.

The Opals claimed a medal at every Games between 1996 and 2012, starting with a historic bronze in Atlanta, before three consecutive silvers in Sydney, Athens and Beijing, and rounding it out with another bronze in London.

But it’s been a dry spell since then, with the Aussies eliminated at the quarter-finals stage in Rio and Tokyo.

Will Australia win a medal in women’s basketball at the Paris Olympics?

There’s no reason to believe the Opals can’t claim a medal in Paris, particularly given they’re currently ranked third in the world, to go with their bronze medal at the most recent FIBA World Cup in 2022.

That said, they face a very challenging group featuring host nation France and fifth-ranked Canada, along with a tricky clash against Nigeria.

Who is the favourite to win gold in women’s basketball at the 2024 Olympics?

Given they’ve won gold at the last seven Games, only a brave person would suggest Team USA is anything other than the red-hot favourite in Paris.

Headlining their squad is legendary guard Diana Taurasi, who will make history as the first basketballer, male or female, to compete at six Olympic Games (although it’s worth noting Lauren Jackon would be lining up for her seventh Olympic campaign this year if she didn’t retire from international competition, for the first time, before the 2016 Games). 

Nine out of the USA’s 12-player squad are already Olympic gold medallists, and the team is leading the world rankings by a proverbial mile. 

All of of this suggests it would take a monumental effort – from Australia, or any other country – to stop the USA from claiming gold again in 2024.

Which countries have qualified for women’s basketball at the Olympics?

Group A
China
Puerto Rico
Serbia
Spain

Group B
Australia
Canada
France
Nigeria

Group C
Belgium
Germany
Japan
USA