Australian Team Profile
It has been the Australian women who have led the basketball charge and the Opals are capable of striking gold in Beijing.
With star centre Lauren Jackson and brilliant forward Penny Taylor on deck, Australia heads into the tournament confident of improving on silver medals scored in 2000 and 2004.
The Opals became the first non-American team since the Soviet Union in 1983 to rule the world with their victory over the Russians at the 2006 World Championship.
That breakthrough triumph has other teams in Group A - fellow world top-four outfits Russia and Brazil, as well as Belarus, Korea and Latvia - keeping an eye on the Opals.
Olympic gold is the final frontier for an Australian side that has won every other major accolade in the international game.
The Opals will begin their Beijing campaign against Belarus on August 9.
Australia's men's sides have appeared at 14 Olympic Games but have no medals to show for their efforts.
Coach Brian Goorjian has one of the most talented squads in the national team's history at his disposal for the trip to Beijing but the competition is sure to be hot.
The Boomers are expected to take to the floor without big man Nathan Jawai, who was recently taken in the NBA draft.
Andrew Bogut, David Andersen and Chris Anstey will fill the gap the NBL Rookie of the Year is likely to leave.
Exciting indigenous guard Patrick Mills will be the one to watch in Beijing.
Mills will turn 20 during the Games and has plenty of tricks; speed, skill, stamina and the kid is a leader.
Australia's group includes Argentina, Iran, Lithuania, Russia and a yet-to-be finalised qualifier.
Australia will take on a US team featuring Kobe Bryant after the Los Angeles Lakers champion was named in a 12-man team.
The Boomers will play Kobe and Co. in a warm-up clash ahead of the Games on August 5 in Shanghai but are not grouped with the latest edition of the Dream Team.
Bryant, competing in the Olympics for the first time, will be joined by Cleveland's LeBron James, Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat, Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets, Utah's Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams, Toronto's Chris Bosh, Orlando's Dwight Howard, Chris Paul of New Orleans, Tayshaun Prince of Detroit, Michael Redd of Milwaukee and Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks.
While Australia has not secured a men's medal since debuting at the 1956 Games in Melbourne, it has made an impact at Olympic level.
Andrew Gaze is the second-highest scorer in the history of the men's Olympic basketball competition with 789 points.
Australian Olympic Basketball Teams
Opals:
Suzy Batkovic, Tully Bevilaqua, Rohanee Cox, Hollie Grima, Kristi Harrower, Lauren Jackson, Erin Phillips, Emma Randall, Jenni Screen, Belinda Snell, Laura Summerton, Penny Taylor
Boomers:
David Andersen, Chris Anstey, David Barlow, Andrew Bogut, CJ Bruton, Joe Ingles, Patrick Mills, Brad Newley, Matt Nielsen, Shawn Redhage, Glen Saville, Mark Worthington
Previous Australian Medallists:
Silver:
Women's team (2000, 2004)