Day 1 of basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics is in the books, and what a day it was — from Victor Wembanyana's coming-out party to tempers flaring late between Canada and Greece.

And there's even more to look forward to on the horizon: The U.S. men take the court for the first time while the women's competition finally gets underway. Here's everything to look forward on a jam-packed Sunday.

The drive for five begins

Much ink has been spilled about the U.S. men's basketball team over the last few weeks, from roster decisions to starting lineups to an at-times shaky slate of tune-up performances. Soon, though, all of that melts away: The pursuit of a fifth consecutive gold medal begins at 11:15 a.m. ET on Sunday, with a marquee matchup against Serbia and three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. 

Win or lose, the Americans shouldn't have too much trouble getting out of a group that also includes South Sudan and Puerto Rico (though both of those teams are much feistier than you might think). Still, Sunday's matchup will be a big early test, one that should provide answers to some pressing questions about this team: Will Kevin Durant be available? Is Joel Embiid, who got stronger as the U.S. warm-up tour went along, healthy enough to hang with someone like Jokic? If not, is he still the right choice to start at the 5, or should head coach Steve Kerr opt for Anthony Davis instead? Can Anthony Edwards ready for his star turn, and can he be effective enough as a lead guard to help the Americans avoid the mid-game offensive funks that have plagued them of late?

If those answers don't come back in the affirmative, the path to a gold medal could be fraught. This is the deepest pool of talent the men's competition has ever seen, and if you don't think Team USA has realized the extent to which the gap has narrowed, just listen to what Kerr had to say earlier this week.

"It’s time, you know?” Kerr said during a group interview session with reporters at Thursday’s practice. “We’re not traveling around anymore. We’re here. We’ve got six games. We’ve got to get into the pool play, advance, and then it’s [like the] NCAA Tournament. So we need 40 minutes of force, attention, and focus, and we can’t let teams outplay us with effort and energy like we did the other night against Germany, like we did against South Sudan.”

History is there for the taking, and for many of this team's biggest names, Paris represents their last shot at Olympic glory. It's time.

LeBron James vs. Nikola Jokic head-to-head

Arguably the greatest player of all-time against arguably the greatest player right now. LeBron and Jokic might not wind up matched up with each other very often, but they'll both have an outsized effect on Sunday's game. Which superstar has the edge? Let's break things down with a quick tale of the tape.

Over their first nine NBA seasons:

• Both had three NBA MVP Awards, earning them in the same relative seasons (six, seven and nine)
• Both averaged 6.9 assists; LeBron had 27.6 points and 6.9 rebounds, while Jokic tallied 20.9 and 10.7
• LeBron had eight NBA All-Star Game selections, while Jokic had six
• Both won NBA Rookie of the Year

Note: LeBron entered the league at age 19, while Jokic started at 20

What do their matchups in the NBA tell us about how this one might go? LeBron and Jokic have met 35 times over the course of their careers, 21 in the regular season and 14 in the playoffs. Jokic holds the 19-16 edge in those games, averaging a very Jokic-ian 22.5 points, 11.2 rebounds and 7.6 assists in those games. LeBron, meanwhile, has averaged 26.9, 8.2 and 8.6, respectively. Of course, Jokic has had the last laugh of late, bouncing James' Lakers from the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.

The women's tournament gets underway 

The U.S. women's team has to wait until Monday for their Paris debut, but Group A will get underway on Sunday with a pair of intriguing matchups. 2016 silver medalists Spain face off against China, while upstart Puerto Rico meets 2016 bronze medalists Serbia in just its second-ever Olympics appearance.  

This is easily the most wide-open of the three women's groups — France and Australia lurk in Group B while the U.S. and Japan, the top two teams from Tokyo, figure to control Group C — and the results on Sunday will have a big say in which teams advance to the knockout rounds. 

South Sudan's historic debut

In 2011, South Sudan gained its independence amid a turbulent history marked by civil war and deeply rooted tribal conflicts. This summer — with a big assist from former NBA star Luol Deng, who serves as president of the country's basketball association and assistant coach of the team — the Bright Stars make their historic debut in Olympic basketball at the 2024 Paris Games. 

And this is far more than a motivational story: This team can play, as evidenced by a strong showing at last year's FIBA World Cup and its near-upset of the U.S. during an exhibition game in London just a week ago. The roster features two players with NBA experience in Carlik Jones and Wenyen Gabriel, plus several more who compete in top leagues around Europe. Getting out of a group that includes both Serbia and the U.S. is a tall order, but underestimate them at your own risk.