Survey reveals what the US Basketball Team should be named at the 2024 Paris Olympics
| Updated: September 28, 2023 
The 2023 FIBA World Cup witnessed Germany celebrating their inaugural world title, while Team USA faced a disappointing 4th-place finish, echoing moments of past dismay. This is not the first time the Americans have encountered such challenges, but history has shown their knack for silencing critics by assembling formidable rosters at the next forum following a subpar performance. Basketball has a way of repeating itself, and in response to similar setbacks, two iconic teams emerged: the legendary “Dream Team” of 1992 and the “Redeem Team” of 2008. Notably, the creation of these two all-conquering teams was separated by a 16-year gap. Following this logic we are about to witness the birth of another Super Team poised to dominate at the 2024 Paris Olympics, 16 years after the Redeem Team.
In light of these observations, SportingPedia conducted an online survey to determine the fans’ preferred nickname for Team USA’s roster in Paris next summer. Respondents were presented with eight one-word options and cast a total of 5,372 votes. Remarkably, 28% of them favored the name “Supreme Team.”
Methodology
The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 concluded on September 10th. The very next day, we conducted an online survey with a single question: “What should Team USA be named during the 2024 Olympics in Paris?” We presented eight nickname proposals, adhering closely to the tradition of a one-word name that rhymes with “Team.” The options were as follows:
- Esteem Team
- Extreme Team
- Machine Team
- Mean Team
- Scream Team
- Steam Team
- Supreme Team
- Unseen Team
We received 5,372 submissions between September 11 and September 25, with respondents indicating their gender, age group, and ethnic group. According to their answers, they were divided into the following groups:
- 2,947 men, 2,416 women and 9 representatives of other genders
- 2,025 people aged 18-29, 1,867 people aged 30-55, and 1,480 people aged 56 or older
- 2,132 white, 1,466 black, 898 Hispanic, and 876 Asian
The Most Suitable Name for the Upcoming Roster in Paris
Based on the survey results, the clear victor was “SUPREME TEAM”, having been chosen by 1,504 respondents, which amounts to 28% of the total votes. “Extreme Team” secured the second-highest preference as a nickname for the national basketball team, amassing 913 votes, or 17% of all the provided responses. The only two other suggestions that achieved more than 10% of the votes were “Machine Team” with 757 votes and “Steam Team” with 566 votes.
Below is a detailed breakdown of the given responses by Gender, Age Group and Ethnic Group:
Gender
- Males: 2,947 respondents
- Females: 2,416 respondents
- Others: 9 respondents
When we break down the winning option of the Supreme Team total of 1,504 votes the numbers reveal that 55% of them were cast by men and 45% by women, with only a solitary vote originating from a representative of non-binary or other gender identities.
Surprisingly, we observed only minor differences in the preferences of male and female respondents. Despite variations in the percentages, the “Supreme Team” option for the national basketball team’s nickname ranked highest in both groups.
It’s worth noting an interesting trend: even though male respondents outnumbered female respondents, “Steam Team” and “Mean Team” received more votes from women than men. Notably, “Mean Team” was considered the least suitable basketball nickname by both genders.
Age
- 18-29 years: 2,025 respondents
- 30-55 years: 1,867 respondents
- 56+ years: 1,480 respondents
Both the youngest and middle-aged groups unanimously cited “Supreme Team” as the most fitting nickname for the national basketball team. The poll victor’s overall vote distribution was as follows: 41.16% of 30-55-year-olds, 39.76% of 18-29-year-olds, and 19.09% of those aged 56 and over.
On the contrary, our oldest group did not have a clear preference. Among individuals aged 56 and older, the top three choices ranged from 19.09% for “Supreme Team” to 20.34% for “Machine Team.” In this age group, “Unseen Team” received the fewest votes, securing last place with a mere 5.07% of the total votes.
Ethnic Group
- White: 2,132 respondents
- Black: 1,466 respondents
- Hispanic: 898 respondents
- Asian: 876 respondents
“Supreme Team” emerged as the preferred name for the USA basketball team across all four ethnic groups surveyed. Breaking down the total of 1,504 votes, we observe the following distribution: 23.14% of the votes were from Asian respondents, 31.38% from Black respondents, 32.05% from White respondents, and 13.43% from Hispanic respondents.
While there was substantial overlap in preferences among the different racial segments, two noteworthy exceptions stand out. Among Asian respondents, Steam Team received 12.67% of their votes, making it their 2nd most preferred option. Similarly, Black respondents were unique in their preference for “Scream Team,” with 13.37% selecting it as their top choice. Interestingly, “Scream Team” was the only option to receive more votes from Black respondents than White respondents, despite the larger size of the latter group.
Final Thoughts
The question of whether LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and their fellow stars will don the Team USA jerseys for the 2024 Paris Olympics remains uncertain. Should they do so, their mission would be clear: to rekindle the nation’s pride after its substantial setback in the 2023 World Cup. Anything short of a gold medal would be deemed a catastrophic outcome, potentially tarnishing the legacies of the Dream and Redeem Teams from the not-so-distant past.