The maximum number of players per team in Olympic basketball is 12. That figure refers to the roster eligible for the tournament, not the number on the court: only five players from each team play at once, while the remaining players are substitutes.
The 12-player limit comes from the international rules used by FIBA, basketball’s world governing body. Olympic teams submit national-team rosters under those regulations, and recent Olympic tournaments, including Paris 2024, listed 12 players for each conventional five-on-five team. Coaches can substitute freely during stoppages, so all rostered players may contribute during a game.
A common mix-up is confusing team size with the number of players on court, or with basketball’s 3x3 format. Olympic 3x3 basketball uses a much smaller roster and three players on court, while the traditional Olympic tournament is five-on-five. Another wrinkle is that countries may announce larger preliminary groups during preparation, but the final Olympic roster is capped at 12 players.