Yes, eyes on the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will be watching the Zika virus, Brazil’s failing economy and chaotic politics, and the event’s uninhabitable infrastructure. But the Olympics always have been about star power.

That’s what helped the London Games become the most-watched event in US television history with 219.4 million total viewers over 17 days, and that’s why NBCUniversal paid $1.2 billion for the TV rights. With Rio just a single time zone ahead of New York, expect new stars to be made almost daily.

Most of those tuning in already know about Michael Phelps and Missy Franklin in the pool, Carmelo Anthony and Sue Bird on the court, and Justin Burrell and Allyson Felix on the track, but here The Post looks at 10 breakout candidates:

Gymnastics

Biles, just 19, is the closest thing to a can’t-miss bet as a breakout star. The diminutive Texan is 4-foot-9, but her power, charisma and likelihood of dominance may leave a huge impression.

She already is the three-time world all-around champion, the first woman ever to win three consecutive titles. The gymnastic world already knows her, but after Rio, the American public surely will as well.

Biles — a four-time US all-around champ — is the most decorated American woman in world championship history, with 14 medals, 10 gold. But Olympic gold would take her profile to another level.

She is athletically gifted, and her floor routine is sure to be a highlight. She already is sponsored by Nike, and if she claims gold, inevitable predictions will follow of her being a successor to Serena Williams as a marketable black female star.

Track and field

It’s Usain Bolt who will overshadow the sprints, and it was Brooklyn-born Justin Gatlin who won the 100 meters at the Olympic Trials in a world-leading 9.83. But Bromell, only 20, was just 0.01 seconds behind, the third-fastest time in the world this year, with Gatlin holding the other two.

If Bolt loses the 100 final, that will be the narrative. But whoever unseats the Jamaican legend will be a huge story, one his sponsor New Balance would surely be happy to promote. Bromell has the speed to do it, and doesn’t have to contend with the 200 like Bolt and Gatlin. Bolt ran 9.88 on July 11 in Kingston, Jamaica, but is still working his way back to full speed after his hamstring injury in the Jamaican trials.

Track and field

This 18-year-old high-jumper has excellence in her DNA as the daughter of former Eagles and Vikings quarterback Randall Cunningham. But she’s making a name of her own, setting a world junior record of 6-foot-6¼ (1.99 meters), the best jump in the world this past indoor season. A week later, she won the World Indoor title.

It’s no shock Nike signed her the same month.

Basketball

Before the Olympic break, the 2015 WNBA MVP was averaging 21.2 points per game with a 92.3 free throw percentage, putting her second in the league in both categories. Delle Donne, 26, will make her first Olympic appearance in Rio and her wide skill set provides both an offensive and defensive threat to a heavily favored USA team.

At 6-foot-5, Delle Donne’s dominance is expected to carry over onto the courts in Rio alongside her veteran gold-medalist teammates. Injury prevented the Delaware native from representing her country in the 2014 FIBA World Championship, making Rio her international debut during her fourth professional season.

Swimming

Yes, the big story in the pool will be the return of Phelps, but there’s room for more than one. And it will be hard to miss the 19-year-old Florida star, not just because of the ink he’s sporting on his shoulder, but also his record-breaking times.

His blistering 18.23 in the 50-meter freestyle this year was the fastest time in history. The times, the tattoos and the sport’s fastest event could combine to make Dressel a breakout star.

Basketball

Despite the fact that George is one of the NBA’s best two-way players, Rio will be his Olympic debut. After suffering a gruesome compound leg fracture in a Team USA scrimmage in August 2014, George has put his adversity behind him and averaged 23.1 points in 81 games played for the Pacers last year.

On a 12-man roster that is missing over 15 of the NBA’s top All-Stars, the Olympics will be an opportunity for George, 26, to take center stage and break out as not only a solid, dependable NBA player but an international star. He’s expected to bring high intensity to the court as he is eager make a comeback since his last experience in a Team USA jersey.

Gymnastics

The New Jersey teen won all-around gold and medaled in all four events (including gold on uneven bars) at last year’s national championships. But after finishing second to Biles at the US Olympic Trials, Hernandez could become a household name in Rio.

Dubbed the “Human Emoji” by International Gymnast Magazine for her myriad facial expressions, the 16-year-old Old Bridge native’s infectious smile and crowd-pleasing floor routine with an extra dose of flavor could catch on big.

After sticking her double pike dismount for a meet-best 15.70 on the balance beam at the Trials, Hernandez has been called “the new Gabby Douglas,” even though the reigning Olympic all-around gold medalist is back on the team as well. Of course, there are other obvious reasons many have drawn the comparison. While Douglas is black, Hernandez is the first Latina to make the US squad since 2004.

Swimming

She is just 19, but already has an Olympic gold medal on her résumé in the 800-meter freestyle. As a matter of fact, she’s a nine-time world champion, and broke seven world records in two years. She will have to earn her way to a win in her best event, with a potential showdown against US teammate Franklin in the 200-meter freestyle. It will be must-watch drama.

Fencing

No, she’s not a favorite for fencing gold. But in these troubled, divisive times, the 30-year-old New Jersey product could be as important socially as any athlete on the US team. The Maplewood native will be the first American Olympian to compete wearing a hijab, the traditional covering for the hair and neck worn by Muslim women.

Muhammad started fencing at 13 because she and her parents wanted a sport in which she could be fully covered, in accordance with her religion. Now she has a clothing line (Louella) that brings modest, fashionable clothing to the US market.

She has met with President Obama to talk about Muslim issues in the US, and could even end up as the flag bearer for the opening or closing ceremonies. In a time when Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has called for a ban on Muslims entering the country, the importance of that can’t be overstated.

Boxing

Shields became the first US woman to earn Olympic boxing gold when she won the middleweight title in London despite being the youngest boxer in the Olympic games. But the 21-year-old Shields is used to dealing with far tougher obstacles than a little age gap.

The Flint, Mich., native’s mother battles drug issues, and her father, Bo, was in jail from the time she was 2 until she reached 9. An underground boxer himself, he wouldn’t let her fight until she reached 11, but she’s clearly a natural — and a great story. A documentary film, “T-Rex: Her Fight For Gold,” already has aired on Netflix, and Universal Studios has a feature film in the works.