Puerto Rico has not played Team USA in the men's basketball Olympic competition in 20 years.
That year, Puerto Rico beat Team USA 92-73 in pool play behind a 24-point performance by Carlos Arroyo. Puerto Rico finished sixth in the Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece that year.
There are long odds for history to repeat itself. Puerto Rico is 0-2 in pool play heading into Saturday's matchup against the United States. The teams play at 11:15 a.m. ET in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Does Puerto Rico have a chance at another upset? A look inside Puerto Rico''s men's basketball team.
Who are Puerto Rico's basketball coaches?
Nelson Colon – who has coached in the FIBA Americas League – is Puerto Rico's coach. Colon, 41, took over the team in 2021 and has led the group to its first Olympic appearance in 20 years.
Puerto Rico men's basketball roster, 2024 Olympics
Jose Alvarado has played the last three seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans. He averages 7.5 points and 1.2 steals for his career. He had 26 points in the loss to South Sudan.
Davon Reed – a former star with the Miami Hurricanes – played for the Pacers, Nuggets and Lakers. He averaged 3.1 points in 122 career games and played for the Memphis Hustle in the G-League last season.
A look at the 12-man roster:
Puerto Rico 2024 men's basketball roster
| NO. | POS | NAME | HT | TEAM | LEAGUE |
| 0 | SF | Isaiah Pinerio | 6-7 | Palencia | Liga Endesa (Spain) |
| 1 | F/C | George Conditt IV | 6-11 | Gran Canaria | BSN (Puerto Rico) |
| 3 | PG | Jordan Howard | 5-11 | Osos de Manati | BSN |
| 9 | SG | Davon Reed | 6-5 | Santeros de Aguada | BSN |
| 10 | PG | Jose Alvarado | 6-0 | New Orleans Pelicans | NBA |
| 11 | G | Stevie Thompson | 6-4 | Vaqueros de Bayamon | BSN |
| 12 | SF | Aleem Ford | 6-8 | Leones de Ponce | BSN |
| 24 | G | Gian Clavell | 6-4 | Granados Coviran | BSN |
| 28 | F/C | Ismael Romero | 6-8 | Mets de Guaynabo | BSN |
| 32 | PF | Christopher Ortiz | 6-8 | Osos de Manati | BSN |
| 41 | F/C | Arnaldo Toro | 6-8 | Santeros de Aguada | BSN |
| 51 | PG | Tremont Waters | 5-11 | Gigantes De Carolina | BSN |
How Puerto Rico reached the Olympics
Puerto Rico qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics with an impressive showing in the 2023 World Cup. Puerto Rico finished 2-1 in pool play with victories against South Sudan and China and a loss to Serbia.
South Sudan and Serbia just happened to land in Pool C with Puerto Rico at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Puerto Rico beat the Dominican Republic 102-97 but lost to Italy 73-57 in the second round. The 12th place finish at the World Cup was good enough to qualify for the Olympics.
TEAM USA TAKEAWAYS: Serbia | South Sudan
Puerto Rico 2024 Olympic pool play schedule
Puerto Rico is in Pool C in the men's basketball tournament. The other teams in Pool C are Serbia, South Sudan and the United States.
Serbia's pool schedule
Sunday, July 28: South Sudan 90, Puerto Rico 79
Wednesday, July 31: Serbia 107, Puerto Rico 66
Saturday, Aug. 3: vs. United States (11:15 a.m. ET)
Puerto Rico basketball history in the Olympics
Puerto Rico has never won an Olympic medal. Puerto Rico's best finish in the Olympics was in 1964 in Tokyo. Team USA beat Puerto Rico 62-42 in the semifinals of the medal round, and Brazil beat Puerto Rico 76-60 in the bronze-medal game.
A look at Puerto Rico's men's basketball Olympic history:
| YEAR | RECORD | PLACE |
| 1960 | 3-5 | 13th |
| 1964 | 5-4 | 4th |
| 1968 | 5-4 | 9th |
| 1972 | 6-3 | 6th |
| 1976 | 3-4 | 7th |
| 1992 | 3-5 | 8th |
| 1996 | 2-5 | 10th |
| 2004 | 3-4 | 6th |
