How much money would USA Basketball earn for winning the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games?

USA Basketball had a relatively smooth passage to the knockout stage at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Steve Kerr’s team, packed full of NBA superstars like LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, breezed through the group stage with wins against Serbia 110-84, South Sudan (96-85) and Puerto Rico (104-83).

Even the quarter-final clash against Brazil was a formality, they won the game easily 122-87 to set up another meeting with Serbia in the semi-finals. That was the moment when this team really showed what they are made of. Trailing for much of the game, they were forced to stage an epic comeback, led by James and Curry - the latter firing in 36 points in a memorable 95-91 win.

In Saturday’s final, they will face the hosts France, who beat Germany 73-69 in the semi-finals. With the quality factor of being at home and the support of an entire nation, Team USA will have another battle on their hands to clinch gold.

For the USA basketball, participation in the Olympic Games is not only a matter of national pride, but also an important milestone in their careers. Furthermore, there are the collective and individual incentives - a fifth consecutive Olympic gold (Beijing, London, Rio, Tokyo and Paris) and 17th overall.

Durant could become the first basketball player in history to win four Olympic gold medals, overtaking Carmelo Anthony while LeBron, the team’s all-time leader in assists at the Olympics, is seeking his third gold, after being on the winning side at London 2012 and Rio 2016.

Then of course, there are the economic rewards that go with reaching and winning an Olympic final. The financial extras are diverse and include direct payments, bonuses and indirect income from sponsorship deals.

USA Basketball’s bonus payments for winning gold at Paris 2024

Unlike professional sports leagues like the NBA, where players earn substantial salaries, the financial compensation for representing the United States at the Olympics is lower. Here are the main forms of direct compensation:

Travel and daily expenses: all players in the US basketball roster receive daily expenses to cover their expenses while training and competing at the Olympics. These payments help offset the costs of travel, lodging and other necessities.

Performance Bonuses: The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) offers monetary rewards for winning medals. Comparing what happened when they won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, these bonuses were:

As the Tokyo Games was three years ago, bonuses in this edition are likely to be higher.

While the direct financial compensation for the US basketball team participating in the Olympics may seem modest compared to their professional earnings, the overall financial and non-monetary benefits are substantial.

The combination of performance bonuses, increased marketing, increased sponsorship opportunities, and the prestige of being an Olympian make for a highly rewarding experience.

The men’s basketball gold medal match between France and the United States tips off at 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT at Bercy Arena on Saturday 10 August. The game will air live on NBC and will be available to stream on Peacock and FuboTV.