12 Teams Set For 2016 Olympics; 12 Storylines To Watch For In Rio

Tony Parker playing for France to qualify for 2016 Rio Olympics (Photo by Frederic Stevens/Getty Images)
Tony Parker playing for France to qualify for 2016 Rio Olympics (Photo by Frederic Stevens/Getty Images) /
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GRANADA, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 03: Anderson Varejao (11) of Brazil in action against Nemanja Bjelica (8) of Serbia during the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup Group A match between Serbia and Brazil at Palacio de Deportes in Granada, Spain on September 03, 2014. (Photo by Raul Perez/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
GRANADA, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 03: Anderson Varejao (11) of Brazil in action against Nemanja Bjelica (8) of Serbia during the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup Group A match between Serbia and Brazil at Palacio de Deportes in Granada, Spain on September 03, 2014. (Photo by Raul Perez/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) /

9. Brazil: Home, Sweet Home

Regardless of how Team Brazil fares in the Olympics, seeing how its home crowd supports it will be a joy to watch.

Brazil came up just shy of a medal in 2012, finishing in fifth place, but it was the nation’s first Olympic appearance since 1996 in Atlanta.

Some of the Brazilian stars include Anderson Varejao, Nene Hilario, Leandro Barbosa and Marcelo Huertas. Brazil’s roster is nothing to be scoffed at and they will certainly have the home crowd on their side.

All of these players have been anxiously awaiting their chance to host the world’s greatest athletes in their home country and it is a dream come true for players who came from humble beginnings and rose all the way to the highest level of basketball, the NBA.

This is the first time that a South American nation has hosted the Olympics and it would not be a surprise to see some of Brazil’s players are seen giving their opponents first-hand experiences about what Rio has to offer away from the court.

For No. 9 ranked Brazil, it’s a matter of how far their stars can take them in Group B play, as they’ll face Spain, Lithuania, and Argentina, who are all formidable opponents.

However, in the 2016 Rio Olympics, this is about much more than basketball for the host nation.

Next: Dark Horse Hoping To Sneak Up On The Field