IF the 14 veteran sports journalists polled by BasketNews are to be believed, the Philippines is the clear favorite from Asia to make it to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

A total of eight journalists believe that the Philippines — one of three host nations in the FIBA World Cup 2023 — has the best odds to claim the lone Olympic ticket among all Asian countries.

The last time the Philippines participated in the Olympics was back in 1972, BasketNews noted.

China is a distant second with three votes, followed by Japan with two votes and Iran with one vote.

There are only 12 spots in the 2024 Paris Olympics, with only France having a guaranteed place as the host nation.

The United States, the most successful country in Olympic basketball after winning 16 of 19 tournaments, is again the clear favorite to make it to the Paris Olympics.

Based on the list of the 14 journalists from BasketNews, Canada is expected to clinch the second spot given to the Americas.

For Europe, Germany (nine votes) and Serbia (seven votes) seemed to have a lock on the two spots, according to the same group of journalists.

Lithuania is a far third in the poll with three votes.

South Sudan (seven votes), Cape Verde (four votes) and Angola (three votes) are the top choices to claim the Olympic ticket among African nations.

Not surprisingly, Australia is the overwhelming choice of all 14 BasketNews staff for the lone Oceania ticket.

The Australians were picked ahead of the only other candidate, New Zealand.

A total of 32 countries are seeing action in the FIBA World Cup 2023 which will take place in three countries: Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.

Four more Olympic tickets are also at stake in other qualifying tournaments still to be announced by FIBA.

BasketNews, which boasts of over 10 million pageviews, also made its World Cup 2023 predictions:

Winners –Team USA.

MVP — Anthony Edwards.

Top scoreers — Doncic, Markkanen, Gilgeous-Alexander.

Darkhorse — Germany, Dominican Republic.

Most overrated — Slovenia.

The basketball competitions in the Paris Olympics will be held from July 27-August 11, 2024.

Preliminary basketball matches will be played at Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille, with the final phase staged at the Accor Arena in Paris.

Women’s basketball matches and 3×3 basketball will also be played in Paris.