LA BANDA (Argentina) – The 2023 FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament Americas, to be played in Santiago del Estero and La Banda (Argentina), will take place on August 14-20 and award a single berth to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments next summer.

Eight national teams will compete across two groups, with the top 2 advancing to the semifinals.

Group A: Argentina, Bahamas, Cuba and Panama, a clash of favorites

Who is the real favorite?

Despite the lack of historical results and accomplishments, a team with Buddy Hield, Eric Gordon, Deandre Ayton, Kai Jones and Chris Demarco at the helm has to be the prohibitive favorite.

Counting on 100% of the NBA players expected to take part in the tournament, the islanders possess too much firepower, both in the paint and on the perimeter, with one of the best young centers in the world, a versatile young forward, a seasoned 2-way engine and a sharpshooter who's already shown he can excel at the international level.

The late addition of Gordon, who got his release from USA Basketball and FIBA approval on Monday, solidifies Bahamas as a force to be reckoned with. Especially when the roster will also feature strong complementary pieces like Mychel Thompson, David Nesbitt and Travis Mullings.

Who is the underdog?

Strange as it sounds when comparing pedigrees, Argentina is most definitely the underdog in this situation.

Pablo Prigioni's squad will rely heavily on Facundo Campazzo to orchestrate the offense and create his magic and ignite the home crowd. The young roster will demand big minutes from veterans Patricio Garino, Nicolás Brussino and Carlos Delfino, while up-and-coming big man Juan Fernández will be asked to step up and contribute right away.

What will be the pivotal game​?

Wednesday's clash between Argentina and Bahamas isn’t just projected to be the game that will decide the group's winner, but maybe even be an early taste of what could be the tournament's final.

Argentina will have their hands full defending Ayton and Jones in the paint, while Garino and Luca Vildoza will have their work cut out for them in chasing Gordon and Hield throughout a labyrinth of screens.

The winner will likely end up drawing the second-best team from Group B, ensuring a potentially easier path to the final.

The open question:

Can Panama or Cuba take advantage of Argentina's many absences or Bahamas' lack of familiarity among its stars?

On paper, neither team seems to have enough firepower or high-level experience, but these types of tournaments and the pride of wearing one's national jersey can often bring the best out of unexpected protagonists.

Cuba went 0-6 and didn’t make it out of the first round of the 2023 FIBA WC Americas Qualifiers. However, Panama advanced to the second round and finished with a respectable 3-9 record. That included an 88-66 win over Bahamas in February of this year.

Group B: Chile, Columbia, US Virgin Islands, Uruguay, survival of the fittest

Who is the favorite?

Due to history, pedigree and recent results, Uruguay should be the favorite to advance out what seems to be the less dangerous group of the tournament.

They finished the 2023 FIBA WC Americas Qualifiers with the best record out of the bunch (5-7), notching a strong win over Puerto Rico in the second round. They also beat Colombia and Chile twice during the first round.

However, their roster will look much different. Uruguayan legend Esteban Batista retired from basketball. And this past weekend, Luciano Parodi and Mauricio Arregui got injured and were dropped from the team.

Joaquín Rodríguez is the team's new leader, hopefully getting contributions from Emiliano Serres, Mathías Calfani and Martín Rojas.

Who is the underdog?

Colombia has been on the rise in recent years, beating Brazil in July of 2022 and then Mexico on the road a month later.

However, those wound up being 2 of their 3 wins overall in the 2023 FIBA WC Americas Qualifiers, where they finished last in their second round group.

The good news is that Jaime Echenique, the first Colombian to play in the NBA, returns to join Andrés Ibargüen in a formidable twin towers look on the paint.

What will be the pivotal game​?

Uruguay and Colombia will face each other on Monday night in a game that could decide who finishes first in Group B.

The matchup looks to be a clash of styles, with Uruguay's shooters and perimeter playmakers trying to best Colombia's interior force.

The open question:

Can the U.S. Virgin Islands take the next step forward?

The Islanders finished last at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup, going 0-3 in group play. However, they played both Puerto Rico very tight, losing by just 3 points.

Veteran wing Ivan Aska and 22-year-old guard Amir Nesbitt form a dangerous duo that is quite capable of leading USVI to sunnier pastures.

FIBA