MIES (Switzerland) - It's been one week since the men's tournament finished at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the two and a half weeks spent there leaving us with a lifetime of memories and lessons to be learned in the future.
We focused on the eight things we loved and learned during the Olympics.
Thing we loved: Basketball
Sometimes, with everything around the sport, with players, coaches, media, fans, comments and logistics, you tend to forget about the thing that matters the most: the game itself.
To say that it was one of the best basketball tournaments of all time would be simple. However, the game of basketball was so beautiful to follow during the competition, with all sorts of varieties on how to put a ball through the hoop and how to prevent others from doing so.
Whether you like the X's and O's of coach Svetislav Pesic and Serbia, the "random basketball," as Kevin Durant described it, of USA, the intimidation defense of Victor Wembanyama and France, the instinctive player and ball movement of Germany, you could really enjoy this event.
Need read and react offenses? Go check out Josh Giddey and Australia or Marcelinho Huertas and Brazil. Need spread offense, weak defender targeting and high pace? Then Canada or South Sudan are there for you.
Want superhero basketball? Giannis and Greece got you covered, and you would probably enjoy Jose Alvarado and Tremont Waters with Puerto Rico. Mixed defenses, 3-2 zone, zone press, box-and-one? Spain. Like run and gun? Congrats, you're now a Japan fan.
Basketball is beautiful.
Thing we loved: Attendance
This one goes for both the men's and the women's side of the game. You cannot begin to describe how unique the Olympic atmosphere is, just a whole lot of respect in the air, even if you want to boo the opponent, you can still admire their greatness on the court.
Best examples were Joel Embiid and Dennis Schroder. While Embiid broke France's hearts, they were still there to clap for him when he played excellent in the Semi-Finals and ended up with the gold medal around his neck. Dennis said he enjoyed the boos of the 27,000 fans in Lille, so they gave him what he wanted, in reality, and as soon as the game finished, the fans were back to appreciating the German captain.
Overall, Paris 2024 set a new record in terms of attendance.
Thing we learned: Also attendance
Perspective is crucial. When we tell you the elimination rounds were played in front of 13,000 fans, your initial reaction would be that this is a big number for any basketball game.
But we learned at Paris 2024 that basketball has become too big for just 13,000 seats. Especially when we witnessed 27,000 fans coming to most of the games of the group stage in Lille.
The demand for the tickets in Paris was off the charts. The logistics behind such an event are so detailed to change anything, but in hindsight, it feels like basketball could fill up any kind of venue when it comes to Olympic medal hunt phase.
Thing we loved: Catching up
At every global major event, you will read or hear analyses of the rest of the world catching up with USA. Yes, the domination in terms of winning the gold is still there for Team USA, but the margins are so thin nowadays.
And this is not just about Germany being the world champion, Serbia leading by double digits or France being within three points in the final two minutes of the Final.
The basketball world is so competitive nowadays, the rest of the world caught up with the main challengers.
Thing we learned: Longevity
It used to be normal for coaches to be in their 50s, and players considering retirement as soon as they blow out the 30th candle on their birthday cake. Not anymore.
There were always cases when a few players show up in their late 30s or early 40s at the Olympics, but this time around, they were the leaders. Marcelinho Huertas showing no signs of being 41 even when he was matched up with USA, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry all leading the USA, while also not shutting down the idea of being there in Los Angeles in 2028, as crazy as it sounds, and Nando De Colo showing up big time in the Final at 37 years of age, while Patty Mills is doing Patty Mills stuff as effective at 36 as he was at 26.
Longevity is the new normal, both for players, and the coaches. Svetislav Pesic is turning 75 in two weeks, Brian Goorjian is 71, Aco Petrovic and Gordon Herbert are both 65, Sergio Scariolo 63, Vincent Collet 61.
Don't underestimate these guys just because they aren't youngsters anymore.
Thing we loved: Superstar interviews
Being a superstar isn't just about playing great basketball, it's also about being part of the media cycles. Talking to these guys is easy, no wonder the best of them on floor are also the ones landing the best answers in the mixed zone.
Thing we learned: Nikola is fun
Well, the last one is sort of a paradox. Because probably the best player on the planet doesn't do any kind of interviews when he's with the national team, and you know what, that's probably fair.
Because when you see him hanging around his teammates, his friends, the guys he spent so much time around since he was a kid, you understand Nikola Jokic doesn't need media or attention to just be happy.
This tournament just took it to a whole new level, teaching us how simple life and happiness could be if you're Nikola Jokic. No flashlights, no drama, no stories, no social media, just basketball, teammates, probably an accordion, and of course, horses.
The last bohemian of modern basketball.
FIBA