South Sudan's men's basketball team, a first-time qualifier, has exceeded expectations and is one of the best Cinderella stories of the Olympics, nearly upsetting Team USA and securing its first-ever Olympic victory over Puerto Rico.
The "Bright Stars," South Sudan's men's basketball team, is made up of players of South Sudanese descent living abroad. It defied all odds to qualify for its first-ever Olympics in Paris 2024, despite an ongoing civil war.
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011. Despite lack of funding and resources its young men's basketball program is considered the best in Africa.
The team is coached by former NBA player Royal Ivey and includes several current and former NBA players, as well as 17-year-old Duke commit Khaman Maluach, who is projected to be a 2025 NBA Draft lottery pick.
NBA All-Star Luol Deng, the president of South Sudan's basketball federation, plays a crucial role in the success of the men's basketball program. He helped lead the team to the Olympics, funded part of the program, and is involved in organizing local camps in South Sudan to identify talent.
The United States men's basketball team, led by NBA stars like Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum under coach Steve Kerr, is considered a heavy favorite for the gold medal, having won the last four gold medals. It escaped with a narrow 101-100 win against the "Bright Stars" in a pre-Olympic match.
Canada, Australia, Serbia, Germany, and France are strong contenders for a medal.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: Newsweek, CBS Sports, Boston Globe, Axios, Washington Post, USA Today, New York Times, Yahoo Sports, Deccan Herald, The Hindu, Sporting News, Sportskeeda, Bleacher Report.