Like an already convulsive presidential election cycle, the NFL is about to kick into high gear with teams set to report to training camps en masse this week. And like the election, just when you think you’ve fully grasped what’s going on with America’s most popular sports league … well, think again. And then again. Upsets, injuries, firings, pressure, chemistry and other factors can all instantly change the complexion of the pro football landscape – just ask Aaron Rodgers, Joe Burrow, the Eagles, Bill Belichick or even eventual champion Chiefs, each veering into unexpected outcomes during a wild 2023 campaign.

Onward.

With preseason just around the corner, and all 32 rosters about as optimized as they’re going to be, it’s time to delve into our annual exercise of projecting each club’s record – and that means caucusing our way through the league to find the best teams before winnowing the field to 14 postseason qualifiers and, ultimately, attempting to determine who’s atop the Super Bowl 59 ticket seven months in advance. And while it doesn’t drive the outlook, be mindful of history – and that means some team is probably going from worst to first place (or vice versa), the playoff field will turn over by at least four teams (as it has in each of the previous 34 seasons) … and, sorry K.C., there probably won’t be a three-peat champion, none ever materializing in the Super Bowl era (since 1966).

(A note on methodology: Using the most current information amid a few iterations of this exercise, I predict winners and losers for all 272 regular-season games to arrive at my projections. The outcomes allow me to apply tiebreakers, when needed, to determine and seed the 14-team playoff field before arriving at a champion. Warning, past performance is no guarantee of future returns.)

Now, without further ado, the results of our way-too-early exit polling:

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

NFC EAST

(3) Philadelphia Eagles (10-7): They have their third set of coordinators (OC Kellen Moore, DC Vic Fangio) since the start of the 2022 campaign, when they advanced to Super Bowl 57; said goodbye to retired former mainstays Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox; and welcomed free agent RB Saquon Barkley and DE Bryce Huff (and welcomed back DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson) before adding what appears like another strong draft class. Quite a bit of turnover. But what rarely changes about this franchise is its ability to win – Philly missing the playoffs just once since the start of the 2017 season. No team has successfully defended this division’s crown in 20 years, another reason to expect the Eagles to reclaim the top spot – though they’ll have to survive a September slate that includes two road games and one home date … in South America.

Washington Commanders (7-10): New front office, new coach (Dan Quinn), new locker room leaders, including first-round QB Jayden Daniels, and just a generally growing good-feels vibe as this organization continues moving beyond its former regime. Though the bottom fell out on the field last year, it seems like Washington should get back to the seven- or eight-win plateau where it’s hovered for the better part of a decade. But it feels like the Commanders are actually charting a positive course this time rather than treading water – and don’t be surprised if they struggle early and finish strong, which would seem to align with their schedule and the familiar arc of many rookie passers.

NFC NORTH

(5) Detroit Lions (11-6): Like the Pack, their Lombardi bid last season came up just short in a playoff loss at San Francisco. However outside expectations will now match what HC Dan Campbell has demanded internally from his team the past few years. The rest of a division the Lions just won for the first time is also fast improving. A pathway to the first Super Bowl berth in franchise history likely requires a strong start as the Lions play just two home games over an eight-week period spanning October and November. But it could happen if a young core continues to blossom – WR Jameson Williams needs to step up – and reaps results from an upgraded pass defense.

NFC SOUTH

(4) Atlanta Falcons (9-8): Their superflex approach to roster building will doubtless draw further scrutiny during camp and preseason given the likelihood first-round QB Michael Penix Jr. will flash mobility and arm strength Cousins could only dream of. But the Falcons didn’t sign the veteran to a four-year, $180 million deal without the expectation he’d significantly upgrade a position that began to betray the team when Matt Ryan went into decline in 2021, his final year in the ATL. The Falcons have plenty of talent, a new coach (Raheem Morris) who was hired over Belichick and has been consistently praised by his players elsewhere and the benefit of the league’s weakest schedule. Between Week 3 and 9, the team will play five home games and face all of its divisional foes – a stretch that could launch Atlanta to its first NFC South crown since 2016.

New Orleans Saints (8-9): They’re 25-26 and without a playoff appearance since QB Drew Brees’ retirement – and little reason to expect much else now. Despite quite a bit of churn behind center the past few years and, now, philosophically after the departure of longtime OC Pete Carmichael Jr., the roster doesn’t look markedly different overall – even with last week’s news that RT Ryan Ramczyk is unsurprisingly lost for the season to chronic knee issues. Unless new OC Klint Kubiak can ignite this attack – and that will mean significantly more from QB Derek Carr and contractually disgruntled RB Alvin Kamara – the Saints don’t have much of a prayer.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9): Let’s first salute an organization that hasn’t missed postseason since 2019 and hasn’t finished outside first place in the division since 2020. Let’s also be realistic about a squad that’s 18-19 over the past two seasons, playoffs included, and has benefited from its station in the NFC South. The Bucs literally allocated hundred of millions into continuity this spring, specifically a three-year, $100 million reinvestment in QB Baker Mayfield. But staying on top, even amid this quartet, won’t be easy. Between Week 2 and 10, Tampa Bay will have three divisional games and four more against all of the teams that reached last season’s conference championship round.

NFC WEST

(1) San Francisco 49ers (13-4): Logical as it is to keep WR Brandon Aiyuk now (and well into the future), this is probably the Niners’ last crack at Super Bowl glory with this entire foundation given the cap-crushing windfall that’s invariably coming to Purdy a year from now. But presently, San Francisco certainly has the horses – many of them thoroughbreds – to make a very deep playoff run … and maybe win the photo finish this time after Super Bowl 58’s near miss. Primo opportunity for a fast start with five of their first six contests against 2023 non-playoff teams.

(6) Los Angeles Rams (10-7): For the second straight year, they enter the season with major questions on defense – this time due to the retirement of Aaron Donald and the departure of Morris, who’d been the coordinator since 2021. But the Rams invested heavily on that side of the ball in the draft while reallocating copious cap resources into the offensive line. And if WR Cooper Kupp can play his first full season since a scintillating 2021 showing, LA could have the best receiver tandem in the league if Puka Nacua simply approaches his record-setting rookie effort. October could be a critical stretch given the Rams will be home the entire month.

Seattle Seahawks (5-12): New coaches, new playbooks, new culture … and hardly any guarantee that this roster currently fits the philosophies of Mike Macdonald, 37, now the youngest HC in the league. Hard to believe a group that’s been ineffective defensively while struggling to run the ball in recent years will suddenly do an about-face in 2024 – and having just three home games in the season’s second half certainly won’t help.

OFFSEASON NFL GRADES: Where each team rates

AFC EAST

(5) Buffalo Bills (10-7): They won seven of their final nine games last season, both losses by three points (including a playoff heartbreaker at home against the Chiefs), after installing Joe Brady as the offensive coordinator. Though WR Stefon Diggs wasn’t a major component of that hot finish, Buffalo will have to carry on without him, WR2 Gabe Davis and quite a few former key players the team just couldn’t afford to keep. And the Bills better adapt to their new reality by midseason because, between Weeks 9 and 15, they’ll face just one team that didn’t reach postseason in 2023 – and that apparent reprieve is a Week 11 trip to Indy. Maintaining their divisional eminence might be too much to ask of QB Josh Allen and Co. in the midst of this adjustment period.

New England Patriots (3-14): For a team that plays in the shadow of a lighthouse, 2024 has been a sea change – most notably from the organizational chart to the quarterback depth chart. Rookie HC Jerod Mayo and rookie QB Drake Maye may both be great … eventually. Yet given how little the roster has evolved otherwise – one that won four games in legendary Belichick’s final season in Foxborough – expectations have to be realistic. And it might be something of a wait before Mayo breaks into the win column … though the Pats could very well “win” the No. 1 pick of the 2025 draft.

AFC NORTH

(4) Cincinnati Bengals (11-6): Your most likely worst-to-first candidate – hardly a hot take given Cincy won the division in 2021 and ’22. The numbers say the Bengals have, by far, the easiest schedule in the division, the other teams saddled with the three hardest dockets in the league. But they’ve also got hurdles: the departures of OC Brian Callahan, RB Joe Mixon, WR3 Tyler Boyd and DT D.J. Reader; unhappy campers in WR2 Tee Higgins and DE Trey Hendrickson; and Burrow, the keystone to the operation, on the road back from last year’s season-ending injury to his passing wrist. But RB Zack Moss, S Geno Stone and third-round WR Jermaine Burton could be among this season’s most underappreciated newcomers. And the margin for error at the outset seems pretty generous given the Patriots, Commanders and Panthers – owners of the league’s three worst records in 2023 – show up on Cincinnati’s September schedule.

Baltimore Ravens (10-7): Optimism is inevitably building given the addition of RB Derrick Henry to a team that finished a win shy of the Super Bowl after earning a No. 1 playoff seed last season. But how well will an established 30-year-old back accustomed to running starts from a deep backfield alignment actually mesh with QB Lamar Jackson, the two-time league MVP so often at his best when not under center? And despite Henry’s arrival, the Ravens must also overcome a litany of losses from the roster, particularly on defense and the offensive line, as well as Macdonald’s departure from the DC post. This isn’t to suggest Baltimore, which faces four 2023 division winners in the first seven weeks, isn’t playoff caliber – the Ravens only miss the postseason field in this projection after very narrowly losing the strength-of-victory tiebreaker to Cleveland.

Pittsburgh Steelers (9-8): Heading into his 18th season at the helm, we know HC Mike Tomlin won’t be associated with a losing ledger. But while these Steelers appear more formidable following the acquisitions of QBs Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, plus what might be this year’s most enviable class of rookies, things could certainly get messy as Arthur Smith installs a new offense for an organization attempting to get back to its hard-nosed roots – all while also trying to determine whether one of its new quarterbacks, with disparate skill sets and experience, is the answer for 2025 and beyond even though neither is signed for next season. And coming out of their Week 9 bye, the Steelers hit the road five times in a seven-week span. Pittsburgh hasn’t finished in last place since divisional realignment in 2002, but there’s a first time for everything – last year being the first in the Super Bowl era when an entire divisional membership (AFC North) finished above .500. Déjà vu?

AFC SOUTH

(3) Indianapolis Colts (11-6): They got a combined 14 games out of All-Pro RB Jonathan Taylor and rookie QB Anthony Richardson in 2023 – yet nearly made the playoffs anyway. Just wait until coach and strategist extraordinaire Shane Steichen is playing with a full deck – Richardson, a self-described mix of Jackson and Cam Newton flashing as advertised – one that now includes rookie WR Adonai Mitchell. The defense has also been augmented by a rookie, first-round DE Laiatu Latu, and should field one of the league’s best pass rushes. And with no 2023 playoff teams on the schedule after Week 12, the Colts are set up to perhaps be postseason dark horses in 2024.

(6) Jacksonville Jaguars (10-7): They spent big bucks in free agency and might’ve gotten a gem in first-round WR Brian Thomas Jr. But if newly minted QB Trevor Lawrence and WR Christian Kirk are fully healthy, and key youngsters (Lawrence, LB Devin Lloyd, OLB Travon Walker and OT Anton Harrison among them) continue to develop, a club coming off dissimilar 9-8 campaigns – ending with a surge in 2022 and flameout in 2023 – could be back in the playoff mix.

AFC WEST

(1) Kansas City Chiefs (13-4): With speed receivers Hollywood Brown and rookie Xavier Worthy now in the fold, widespread expectations that – despite an open question at left tackle – an offense that bogged down at times in 2023 could return to its combustible ways. The defense has never been better since HC Andy Reid arrived in 2013. And given the generally moderate (at best) forecast for the remainder of a division the Chiefs have ruled since 2016, it seems highly likely they’ll improve on last season’s 11-6 record – the worst since Patrick Mahomes became QB1 in 2018. Beyond that, this very capable team has a tall task if it’s to break ground as the first to achieve a Super Bowl three-peat – none of the previous eight teams that have gone back to back since 1966 have gotten back to Super Sunday the following year, and three missed the playoffs entirely.

Los Angeles Chargers (9-8): The last time new HC Jim Harbaugh took over an NFL team, the 2011 49ers, it made a seven-win improvement and nearly qualified for Super Bowl 46 before falling in overtime of that season’s NFC title game. That might be too much to ask of these Bolts, particularly after they were forced into some offseason cost purging that hit the receiving corps especially hard. Still, plenty of talent remains, and the Chargers are seemingly in better shape at quarterback than those Niners with Justin Herbert, who’s set to operate behind an O-line recharged by rookie RT Joe Alt. What seems to be a favorable season-ending schedule could vault this team into what might be a watershed 2025 campaign.

Denver Broncos (4-13): Rookie QB Bo Nix may execute HC Sean Payton’s offense more efficiently than did Wilson, his two-year tenure in the Rockies coming to an abrupt and expensive end in March. But Nix doesn’t appear to have nearly the help that fellow rookies Caleb Williams and even Daniels have in what has all the makings of a reset in Denver – one that may not bear serious fruit for several years.

NFC playoffs

Wild card: (2) Packers def. (7) Bears; (6) Rams def. (3) Eagles; (5) Lions def. (4) Falcons

Divisional: (1) 49ers def. (6) Rams; (2) Packers def. (5) Lions

Championship game: (2) Packers def. (1) 49ers

AFC playoffs

Wild card: (2) Jets def. (7) Browns; (6) Jaguars def. (3) Colts; (4) Bengals def. (5) Bills

Divisional: (1) Chiefs def. (6) Jaguars; (2) Jets def. (4) Bengals

Championship game: (2) Jets def. (1) Chiefs

Super Bowl 59 (New Orleans)

Jets def. Packers

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Two days before training camp, Jordan Love informed the Green Bay Packers he will not participate on the field until an agreement is reached on his contract extension.

Love was a full participant through the entirety of the Packers offseason program, taking reps with the starting offense. The start of training camp is structured no differently with practices that are not padded, but Love’s agent informed the team Saturday night the quarterback will be sidelined until a deal is struck.

General manager Brian Gutekunst said he is “optimistic” an extension will be signed in the next couple of days.

“We’re working really hard to get that done,” Gutekunst said. “I think it’s really important for us. At the same time, the thing that I have confidence in is that we both want the same thing. We want Jordan here for a long time, give him that stability for him, and it gives us some stability for our group as well.

“These are big deals. It takes time. They’re not as easy as some people think.”

All things Packers: Latest Green Bay Packers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Gutekunst said he understood Love’s decision to hold out until an extension is reached, though he emphasized the importance for the Packers to have their quarterback on the field in training camp.

Love reported to camp last week and will continue participating in all off-field portions of training camp. His absence on the field leaves the Packers with two quarterbacks for reps: 2023 fifth-round draft pick Sean Clifford and seventh-round rookie Michael Pratt. The two young passers are vying for the backup job behind Love this fall.

Gutekunst made clear the delay is no indication on how the Packers view Love, calling him the team’s “franchise quarterback.” He expects the signal-caller to lead the Packers not only this season, but in their long-term future.

“We’re very down the road as far as we know he’s our franchise quarterback and we’re ready to move forward,” Gutekunst said. “It’s not like we’re trying to make that decision. But at the same time, we want to put the best team around him that we can. There’s certainly the structure of it so that we can do what we need to do for our football team moving forward, not only this year but for years to come.

“This is just part of it, not unexpected. We’ll work to get it done, and hopefully he won’t miss too much time.”

In its final match before the 2024 Paris Olympics, Team USA was able to fend off Germany and finish its exhibition tour with a perfect 5-0 record.

It wasn’t easy, as Germany held an 82-81 lead with under four minutes to go in the fourth quarter. However, the United States were able to overcome the deficit, in large part due to LeBron James, the United States’ flagbearer and oldest player on the basketball roster.

James scored the United States’ last 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting, finishing the game with a game-high 20 points en route to a 92-88 win. The 39-year-old, who’s the oldest player in the NBA, also chipped in six rebounds and four assists with a steal and a block.

Five other U.S. players scored in double figures, as Joel Embiid scored 15 points, Stephen Curry added 13 and Anthony Davis and Anthony Edwards scored 11 and 10, respectively. Overall, the United States shot 34-69 (49.28%) from the field, compared to Germany’s 29-81 shooting (35.8%).

Meet Team USA: See which athletes made the U.S. Olympic team and where they are from

Germany was led by Franz Wagner, the young Orlando Magic star who scored 18 points with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.

USA basketball vs Germany highlights

When does Team USA play next?

Time: 11:15 a.m. ET
Date: Sunday, July 28

Team USA’s next game comes in the 2024 Paris Olympics in the group stage against Serbia at 11:15 a.m. ET on July 28.

Final score: United States 92, Germany 88

Shooting: United States 34-69 (49.28%) | Germany 29-81 (35.81%)
3-pointers: United States 6-17 (35.29%) | Germany 13-45 (28.89%)
Leading scorers: LeBron James (20 points), Franz Wagner (18 points)

United States hangs on

The U.S. hangs on to beat Germany 92-88 in its last showcase game before headed to the 2024 Paris Olympics. United States goes 5-0 in its exhibition games.

LeBron James with the dagger

On the next possession, James takes it himself and puts the final dagger into Germany’s chance, hitting a layup to give the U.S. a 92-86 lead with under 45 seconds left in the game. James has a game-high 20 points.

LeBron James with a big 3-pointer

Germany cuts its deficit to 87-86 before LeBron comes up big once again, hitting an open 3-point shot to give the U.S. a 90-86 lead with just over a minute to go.

LeBron James doing it again

James has been so good for the U.S. down the stretch in its last two games. James, who hit the game-winning shot against South Sudan on Saturday, has scored the United States’ last six points to give it an 87-82 lead with under four minutes to go.

Devin Booker gives U.S. lead

Wow, United States picking it up now, as Booker throws up a desperation shot while being fouled, which goes in. Booker then converts the and-one to give the U.S. a 78-75 lead in the fourth quarter. Curry assisted the play with a wild no-look behind-the-back pass on the play, too.

Steph Curry makes nifty move to tie the game

What a play by Curry, who fakes out multiple Germany defenders before getting the layup with the foul. Curry missed the free throw that would’ve given the U.S. the lead.

Third quarter: Germany 71, United States 68

The Americans trail heading into the fourth quarter after Germany puts up 30 points in the third.

Another lead change

Germany retakes the lead on a 3-pointer by Obst, who gets fouled on the play but can’t convert the free throw for four points. Germany leads 64-62 late in the third quarter after a few sloppy minutes by the U.S. This game doesn’t feel like an exhibition, as Germany is playing with loads of energy after halftime.

United States answers back

Germany’s lead was short-lived, as the U.S. go on an 8-0 run in under a minute to take back a 62-55 lead after a 3-pointer by James.

Germany takes lead

Germany takes its first lead since early in the first quarter after the 3-pointer by Daniel Theiss. Germany has came out of the break really efficient offensively.

Fast start to second half for Germany

Germany starts the second half with a 9-2 run in under two minutes, cutting its deficit to 52-50. U.S. coach Steve Kerr takes a timeout early in the third quarter.

Halftime score: United States 48, Germany 41

The U.S. leads Germany 48-41 at halftime, despite an at-times sloppy second quarter.

Anthony Edwards stuffs the rim

Anthony. Edwards. Embiid blocks a Germany attempt on the defensive end, which is picked up by Edwards who crosses a defender before throwing down a huge one-handed slam with authority. Edwards is just electric in the open court.

U.S. brings its lead back to 48-39 after the dunk.

Germany offense coming to life

Germany shortens its deficit to 42-39 after a couple nice plays by Wagner and a 3-pointer by Andreas Obst. Obst, who plays in the Bundesliga, can really shoot it.

U.S. defense leading to offense

Two of the NBA’s best players ever making plays for the U.S., as LeBron’s block leads to a 3-pointer by Curry on the other end. United States leads 36-27.

United States possessions get sticky

The United States have opened the second quarter cold, settling for low percentage, contested shots. Germany has shortened its deficit to 33-26 as the U.S. has scored only four points in the first four minutes of the period.

Starters coming back out for the States.

United States ends first quarter on 21-6 run

United States ends quarter on a 21-6 run choreographed by the second unit. The Americans’ defense was hard to stop once White, Adebayo and Davis entered together, taking a 29-19 lead into the second quarter.

Holiday still leads all scorers with eight points.

United States second team with strong start

The United States’ second team of Anthony Edwards, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Bam Adebayo have yet to miss, going 3-for-3 on shot attempts to extend their lead to 23-15 late in the first quarter.

Both Edwards and Tatum have nailed a pair of nice turnaround jump shots, with Davis converting a strong and-one layup.

Both teams letting it fly from 3-point range

There have already been 11 3-point attempts by both teams so far, with United States shooting 2 for 4 and Germany shooting 3 for 7 from range. Jrue Holiday’s second 3-pointer puts the U.S. on top 14-13 halfway through the first quarter. Holiday has a game-high eight points.

Longtime NBA guard Dennis Schroder also has two 3-pointers for Germany, pulling up from way behind the arc for both of his made shots.

United States, Germany trading shots early

The U.S. and Germany are locked in early, with both teams trading shots. LeBron has already caught a pair of monstrous alley-oop dunks. Game tied at 6-6 in the first quarter.

USA vs. Germany: Time, TV, streaming and how to watch

Date: Monday, July 22
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: The O2 Arena, London
TV: Fox
Streaming: Fox Sports app; fuboTV; YouTube TV

Paris 2024 Olympics Men’s 5×5 basketball groups

Group A:

Australia
Greece
Canada
Spain

Group B:

France
Germany
Japan
Brazil

Group C:

Serbia
South Sudan
Puerto Rico
U.S.

Team USA men’s basketball roster

Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors
Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
Jrue Holiday, Boston Celtics
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Derrick White, Boston Celtics

When are the Paris 2024 Olympics?

The 2024 Paris Olympics start on July 24 and run through August 11.

How can I watch the 2024 Paris Olympics?

TV: Games broadcast across NBC, USA Network, E!, Telemundo, CNBC

Streaming: Peacock, NBCOlympics.com 

Team USA 2024 Paris Olympic Games schedule

The schedule is according to NBCOlympics.com and is subject to change.

Group Stage

July 28: USA vs. Serbia at 11:15 a.m. ET on NBC
July 31: USA vs. South Sudan at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network
Aug. 3: USA vs. Puerto Rico at 11:15 a.m. ET on NBC

Quarterfinals

Aug. 6: TBD vs. TBD

Semifinals

Aug. 8: TBD vs. TBD

Gold/Bronze Medal games

Aug. 10: TBD vs. TBD

USA women’s basketball Olympics schedule

On the women’s side, action begins on July 29 with an exhibition taking place on July 23.

July 23 – United States vs. Germany: 3 p.m. ET on FS1 (exhibition)
July 29 – Women’s Group Phase, Group C: United States vs. Japan: 1 p.m. ET on USA Network, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
August 1 – Women’s Group Phase, Group C: Belgium vs. United States: 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
August 4 – Women’s Group Phase, Group C: Germany vs. United States: 11:15 a.m. ET on USA Network, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
August 7 – Women’s Quarterfinals: Games start between 5 a.m. ET – 3:30 p.m. ET on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
August 9 – Women’s Semifinal: 11:30 p.m. ET or 3 p.m. on NBC, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
August 11 – Women’s Bronze Medal Game: 5:30 a.m. ET on USA Network, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
August 11 – Women’s Gold Medal Game: 9:30 a.m. ET on NBC, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.

How many medals does Team USA basketball have?

The men’s Olympic basketball team has 19 medals, including 16 gold medals. The most recent coming in the 2020 Olympic Games.

USA Basketball Showcase location

The final game of Team USA’s pre-Olympic showcase will take place at O2 Arena in London.

Team USA Basketball Showcase results

July 10: USA 86 – Canada 72
July 15: USA 98 – Australia 92
July 17: USA 105 – Serbia 79
July 20: USA 101 – South Sudan 100

Team USA players to know

LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

Widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, LeBron James is still dominant even as he approaches 40 years old. In Team USA’s most recent game against South Sudan, James led the team with 23 points and also hit the game-winning shot with just eight seconds to play.

Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

The NBA’s all-time leader in three-pointers, Curry is the greatest shooter to ever walk the face of the planet. He is a two-time NBA MVP, four-time NBA champ, and was the face of the NBA’s most recent dynasty.

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

A young star, Edwards grew immensely in popularity this past NBA season as his Timberwolves nearly climbed to the top of the Western Conference standings. Despite his young age, Edwards, 22, has established himself as a key cog in this U.S. Team. In their game against South Sudan, Edwards played 21 minutes, which was tied with Anthony Davis and Devin Booker for the third-most on the team.

Germany players to know

Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic

Wagner played an immense role in the Orlando Magic’s rise into the Eastern Conference playoffs last year. He was undoubtedly Germany’s best scorer in the team’s most recent game against Japan, notching 27 points. The next closest total belonged to Andreas Obst and Dennis Schroder with 12 each.

Dennis Schroder, Brooklyn Nets

Schroder has been a very solid player wherever he’s gone. In the NBA, he’ll constantly give teams 10-15 points on solid shooting. Whether he’s coming off the bench, thrust into a starting role, or playing with the weight of a country behind him, Schroder remains constant.

Johannes Voigtmann, Olimpia Milano

Voigtmann isn’t the best scorer, but he’s very good at grabbing boards. Voigtmann grabbed eight rebounds and notched three assists (third on team) during Germany’s game against Japan. That’s not to say that Voigtmann can’t pop off for 10 or 15 points every now and again. In fact, during last season with Olimpia Milano, Voigtmann recorded double-digit points on ten separate occasions, including a season-high of 21 against Brescia on May 25.

Germany men’s basketball roster

Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
Andreas Obst, Bayern Munich
Dennis Schroder, Brooklyn Nets
Moritz Wagner, Orlando Magic
Maodo Lo, Olimpia Milano
Johannes Voigtmann, Olimpia Milano
Isaac Bonga, Bayern Munich
Daniel Theis, New Orleans Pelicans
Nick Weiler-Babb, Bayern Munich
Niels Giffey, Bayern Munich
Oscar Da Silva, Barcelona Básquet
Johannes Theimann, Alba Berlin

Team USA vs. Germany predictions

Scores 24 notes, ‘Team USA showed excellent offensive strategy, scoring 1003 points in the past 10 appearances. It is noteworthy that, on average, they scored 100.3 points per game during this stretch. This indicates a high level of preparation and the ability to dominate on the field.’

Rubio believes the United States will bounce back in a big way after nearly falling to South Sudan. This would be the U.S.’s second-biggest win of the showcase and would give the team considerable momentum heading into Paris.

Team USA lineup

Germany lineup

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PARIS — The best women’s basketball player in the world knows that if she were a guard instead of a forward, you would likely appreciate her game more. 

She understands if she had the ball in her hands constantly, launching deep 3s and threading passes in transition, you would fall hard for her skill set. That if hers was among the newer names in sports, you might be more fascinated by her.

She gets it: The sport she dominates is exploding in part because of the rookies we all know. 

A’ja Wilson does not care. 

You can’t appreciate her greatness? You don’t see how she impacts every possession on both ends of the court? Your jaw doesn’t drop at her pristine footwork, the fact that she can catch anything you throw in her general direction and her ability to leap off the floor to swat shots while keeping the ball in play? What she has is a rare combo of skills.

Meet Team USA: See which athletes made the U.S. Olympic team and where they are from

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She will keep piling up double-doubles, pushing the boundaries of what a forward in this game can do and, if all goes according to plan, lead the U.S. women’s basketball team to a record eighth straight Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Maybe the crowning of the latest U.S. dynasty, led by an exceptional talent, will make you tune in. If not, Wilson figures, that’s your loss. 

“Forwards, centers, whatever you want to call us, we don’t get the love we should,” Wilson told USA TODAY Sports. “But I don’t pay it any mind because the true fans, the ones who really understand and love the game, they understand how forwards and centers are a huge part. So yeah, I feel like we’re under appreciated. But I love my position.”

Still, the best player in the world knows there’s likely to be more eyeballs than ever on women’s basketball this summer. She can’t wait to put on a show.

“My biggest thing when we’re talking about these times is making sure that the product on the court is something people fall in love with,” Wilson says. “When you’re talking about a world stage, now is the best time to be you. It is the best time to be the best.” 

It’s the best time, in other words, to be A’ja Wilson. It’s a joyful time, too.

A’ja Wilson, New York Times bestselling author

Paris marks the second Olympics for Wilson, 27. In Tokyo she started all six games for the U.S., averaging 16.5 points and 7.3 rebounds. Her Olympic debut was special because she did it with her college coach, Dawn Staley, who Wilson played for at South Carolina from 2015-18. 

But France will be special too, Wilson said, and not only because games will be played in front of packed crowds after spectators were not allowed in Tokyo because of COVID concerns.

The Games come just five months after Wilson published her memoir “Dear Black Girls,” an instant New York Times bestseller. Filled with off-the-court stories about the times Wilson has felt dismissed or downright hated because of her skin color, it’s described as “a rallying cry” for Black women everywhere. She writes how, in the fourth grade, she was told she’d have to stay outside during a classmate’s birthday party because the dad of the home didn’t like Black people. She also talks candidly about the loss of her grandmother, a towering figure in Wilson’s life. 

Wilson wrote it partially because she wants young women who look like her to have something she says she lacked: A public figure who sees them, understands them and knows what it’s like to have society tell them they are not enough. 

She knows the Olympics have huge cross-cultural appeal. Many viewers are casual sports fans at best. But what if a little girl watches Wilson, a little girl who doesn’t know or care about basketball, and sees someone who looks like her thriving, and doing it joyfully? What if that little girl watches Wilson and knows that someday, she’ll find her place, too? 

“I dove into spaces and things that I never really imagined sharing with the world,” Wilson says of her book. “But it was so much fun to share because it shows I’m human … I feel like a lot of people may look at me and be like, ‘Oh she has it all, we ain’t worried about A’ja, she’s got it.’ 

“And it’s like no, I don’t. And I’m going to be the first person to tell you that. I love connecting with people who weren’t just like, ‘Sign my jersey!’ or ‘I love watching you play!’ It was more about, ‘I was grieving my grandmother, too, and could relate to that part.’ Being able to connect with them on that, something other than, ‘My jump shot’s not the best, yours is,’ it was so real.”

Timing is good on the court, too. Halfway through the WNBA season Wilson is the clear favorite to win her third MVP after leading the league in scoring (27.2), rebounds (12.0) and blocks (2.9). Just before the Olympic break, she set a WNBA record for consecutive games (six) with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. Though she’s been one of the top players in the league since her rookie season 2018, Wilson has gone “to another level” this season, Connecticut Sun coach Stephanie White said. White marveled at Wilson’s ability to “get better every year,” and do so with startling efficiency.

Also of note: Wilson’s signature sneaker, a rarity for women athletes and even more so for Black women, launches next year. 

Three other Las Vegas Aces made the Olympic team — Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young. There’s no question Wilson is surrounded by superior talent both at home in the WNBA and abroad. But she has become a one-woman wrecking crew, her mission not only to win gold again but also make sure everyone knows this is her team and her time. She’s a 27-year-old superstar just coming into her prime, set to dominate her sport for the next decade. 

“She’s Catwoman,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said. “Her second jump is just as powerful and dynamic as her first, which is really rare. She’s so quick off the floor, she covers a lot of ground, covers a lot of defensive mistakes. She’s turned herself into a pretty good ball handler, she makes great reads, she shoots 3s, jumpers, she can take you to the hole and finish with either hand, she can put you on the block. 

“I was trying to think of a comp for a guy, and there really isn’t one right now — she’s that special. She’s an absolute nightmare to try to shut down.”

‘The rebirth’ of A’ja Wilson

People close to Wilson noticed a shift in 2020, when the WNBA played a condensed 22-game schedule in a COVID bubble in Bradenton, Florida. There, Wilson earned her first MVP trophy after averaging 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.2 steals per game, shooting 48% from the field and leading Vegas to the best record of the regular season (the Aces lost to Seattle in the Finals). The WNBA surprised her with the award on ESPN, and Wilson FaceTimed her parents, Roscoe Jr. and Eva, to share the news. Their screams of celebration echoed Wilson’s joy. 

“Man, it was the rebirth of A’ja after the bubble,” Wilson said. “Leading up to that point, I always felt like I needed to prove myself in the league to get something — like I had to prove myself to get a sponsorship deal or my name in a graphic or on the ticker. That was my mindset … that first MVP, it was a sense of belonging. Like, OK, now I’m stamped in this league and my name is not going anywhere.”

And to think before that honor, Wilson doubted herself. 

The No. 1 high school prospect in the 2014 class, Wilson spurned offers from UConn, Tennessee and North Carolina, among others, to stay home — she grew up just 15 miles from Colonial Life Arena in Columbia — and help Staley win South Carolina’s first national title. When the Gamecocks did that in 2017, the university responded by erecting a statue of Wilson.

Wilson went No. 1 in the 2018 WNBA draft to the then-beleaguered Aces. She was the second of three consecutive No. 1 picks for the franchise, following Plum in 2017 and before Young in 2019. Though she won Rookie of the Year honors and was an All-Star in 2018 and ’19, it wasn’t until that MVP season that Wilson started to fully understand what she was capable of. 

“That (2020 season) was the best part of my life, because I grew up,” Wilson said. “It was like OK, this is it, this is what (former Vegas coach) Bill Laimbeer was telling me my rookie year when he said, ‘This is going to be your team, you’ve got to lead us.’ I looked at him like he was crazy. I just got out of college, fresh off the stage from graduating and now you’re telling me I need to lead a franchise? But after the bubble I was like, this is what he means — this is my calling, my purpose, to make sure we are in the conversation every single year.” 

It crystallized in 2021, when the Aces brought in Hammon. A former WNBA star in her own right, Hammon spent eight years as an assistant in the San Antonio Spurs organization, studying under the legendary Gregg Popovich, winner of five NBA titles. 

Wilson flourished under Hammon, winning another MVP in 2022 and leading Vegas to back-to-back WNBA championships. She and Hammon credit losing out on last year’s MVP trophy — Olympic teammate Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty took home the award, finishing in front of Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas and Wilson — with fueling the Aces’ second title run, where Wilson won Finals MVP honors. 

“She’s more fierce when she’s pissed,” Hammon said, a nod to the anonymous fourth-place vote that caused all sorts of ruckus and “ignited something in me that I’ve never felt before in my career,” Wilson said. That someone had the audacity to vote her fourth still grates at her — and it’s directly related to the tear she’s been on this season. 

But Wilson’s dominance this summer isn’t just about the fact that she controls every possession on both ends of the floor but more so how she does it: With an effusive and infectious spirit. Hammon said Wilson “oozes joy.” 

“It’s my favorite thing about her,” Hammon said. “And she wins the right way. A lot of people win and it’s not very fun — she wins and everyone around her is having fun.”

That’s a conscious choice, Wilson said. She’s giggly and giddy on the court, in love with her life and her career. She hopes everyone’s takeaway when they watch her is that she’s having a blast. She’s pranking rookie Kate Martin, making fun of Hammon, tweeting at Usher, unapologetic for all of it. 

“Normally the pictures you see, I’m screaming, veins popping out but realistically, I like to have fun,” Wilson said. “That’s my biggest thing. This game, I don’t take for granted the people who have laid the foundation for me to play — so why not have fun while doing it? Knowing that I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams, that a lot of people don’t like to see me in these spaces, that’s my biggest thing, that’s why I have that joy.”

Now the question is, will you tune in to witness it? 

Email Lindsay Schnell at lschnell@usatoday.com and follow her on social media @Lindsay_Schnell