2024 Paris Olympics: 5 former Gonzaga basketball players competing for roster spots
With about a week until Team USA’s first exhibition against Team Canada in Las Vegas, Gonzaga men’s basketball head coach Mark Few prepares for what might be an awkward reunion with two of his former players.
Few, an assistant coach on the U.S. men’s national team for the 2024 Olympic Games, got a taste of what it’s like to coach against a former Zag on the international stage last summer at the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Manila, where he and Team USA ran into Kelly Olynyk and the Canadians in the bronze medal game.
“It was strange last year when we played Kelly,” Few said during a media availability session on June 18. “It was strange, you know, you’re rooting for him but then obviously you want to win the game really really bad.”
Olynyk likely won’t be the only pupil Few runs into this summer on the quest for the gold medal — in total, five former Zags spread across four different countries have been either officially invited to training camps or are set to compete in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament this week. For reference, only one Gonzaga alum (Rui Hachimura) played in the men’s 5-on-5 basketball tournament in the 2020 Tokyo Games. That said, four alumni could be making their Olympic debut this summer.
Here’s an updated look at which former Zags could be making the trip to Paris.
Players officially named to training camp rosters/competing to qualify for Olympic Games:
KELLY OLYNYK, CANADA
Olynyk got the nod to join Team Canada’s training camp that was held in Toronto this past week, as the 33-year-old competed for a spot on the 12-man roster that’s likely going to be almost exclusively NBA players. Olynyk figures to make the historic trip to Paris after serving as a key contributor and valuable presence as a veteran at the World Cup last summer, when he helped the Canadians qualify for its first Olympics in men’s 5-on-5 basketball since 2000. Ranked No. 7 on FIBA’s World Rankings, Canada will make a strong push for the gold behind All-NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), NBA champion Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets), RJ Barrett (Toronto Raptors) and Olynyk, along with a slew of other NBA talent.
After its exhibition against Team USA, Team Canada (Group A) begins the group phase against the winner of the Greece Olympic Qualifying Tournament on July 27. Then Australia (July 30) and the winner of the Spain Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Aug. 2).
ANDREW NEMBHARD, CANADA
Nembhard has the opportunity to join Olynyk with Team Canada after the 6-foot-5 guard accepted an invite to training camp following an impressive playoff debut with the Indiana Pacers. The second-year pro helped guide Indy to the Eastern Conference Finals with a 20-point performance in Game 7 of the second round against the New York Knicks and a clutch 3-pointer in Game 3 of the series that kept the Pacers out of a 3-0 hole. In 17 playoff games, Nembhard averaged 14.9 points, 5.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 56.0% from the field and 48.3% from downtown.
It’s unknown what role Nembhard will serve with the guard-heavy Canadians, though it’d be presumed the 24-year-old will play impactful minutes for national team head coach Jordi Fernandez.
RUI HACHIMURA, JAPAN
Hachimura headlined Team Japan’s 16-man roster that was announced in late June, as the 6-foot-8 forward is likely to represent his home country in back-to-back Olympic Games.
While historic (Japan hasn’t qualified in men’s basketball in back-to-back Games since 1972 and 1976), Japan doesn’t want to relive the experiences from the 2020 Games, in which it went 0-3 and finished 11th out of 12th in the final standings as the host country. Coming off its qualification at the World Cup last summer, which Hachimura was absent for, Team Japan will look to build off that moment with most of the roster returning for the trip to Paris.
Japan (Group B) takes on reigning World Cup champion Germany (July 27) followed by France (July 30).
Hachimura averaged 13.6 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 53.7% from the field and 42.2% from 3-point range with the Los Angeles Lakers this past season.
DOMANTAS SABONIS, LITHUANIA
Though they haven’t officially qualified for the Games, the Lithuanians can punch their ticket to Paris with a win at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Sabonis and co. must finish first or second in the group phase (three games) to advance to the semifinals. The winner of the tournament that concludes July 7 will get to compete in the Olympics.
In Group A, Sabonis and Lithuania will take on Mexico (No. 25 on FIBA Rankings) on Friday at 5:30 pm PST, followed by Ivory Coast (31st) on July 3 at 2:30 pm. On the other side, Italy (13th), Puerto Rico (16th) and Bahrain (67th) compete in Group B.
Team Lithuania, ranked No. 10 in the world with its All-NBA power forward in the lineup, strives for its first medal at the Games since 2000.
FILIP PETRUSEV, SERBIA
Petrusev was among the 16 candidates chosen to compete for the 12 roster spots on the Serbian national team, which is expected to feature three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets along with a handful of former and current NBA talent. The Serbs took home the silver medal at the World Cup while Petrusev averaged 8.2 points and 3.5 rebounds in six appearances, including a 10-point outing in the final round against Germany.
Petrusev is coming off a EuroLeague Final Four appearance with Olympiacos Piraeus (Greece), who he signed with in November after being released by the Sacramento Kings. The 6-foot-11 forward made his official NBA debut with the Philadelphia 76ers, the team that drafted him in the second round in 2021, before being dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of a trade that was centered around James Harden.
Serbia takes on Team USA on July 28 and the winner of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico on July 31
COLE FORSMAN
Cole Forsman is a reporter for Gonzaga Nation, a member of Sports Illustrated’s FanNation network. Cole holds a degree in Journalism and Sports Management from Gonzaga University.