The landscape of men’s basketball for the 2024 Paris Olympics has taken shape as Spain, Greece, Brazil, and Puerto Rico secured their spots through intense qualifying tournaments. Spain, led by coach Sergio Scariolo, continued their Olympic streak by defeating Bahamas 86-78 in Valencia, marking their 12th consecutive appearance since 1996. The Spanish team’s victory was a collective effort, with Lorenzo Brown scoring 18 points and veterans like Rudy Fernández making significant contributions.Greece, spearheaded by NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, clinched their first Olympic berth since 2008 by overcoming Croatia 80-69. Antetokounmpo, who had been sidelined with a calf injury since April, made a triumphant return, scoring 23 points and earning the tournament’s MVP award. Visibly emotional, Antetokounmpo expressed, “Playing at home today, with all these people cheering, has been incredible. I’ve always dreamed of playing in the Olympics since I was a kid”.Brazil secured their spot with a convincing 94-69 victory over Latvia in Riga, despite an injury to Yago Dos Santos. In a surprising turn of events, Puerto Rico upset Lithuania to claim the final spot in the 12-team Olympic field.The qualifying tournaments have set the stage for some intriguing matchups in Paris. Greece will compete in Group A alongside Australia, Canada, and Spain, while Brazil joins France, Germany, and Japan in Group B. The United States, as defending champions, along with France (as hosts), Serbia, and South Sudan had previously qualified.A notable storyline emerging from these qualifications is Rudy Fernández of Spain, who is set to make history as the first basketball player to compete in six Olympic Games. Fernández, who has announced his retirement at the end of the season, will have one last opportunity to add to Spain’s Olympic medal count, which includes silver medals from London 2012 and Beijing 2008.
Key points
- Spain, Greece, Brazil, and Puerto Rico have qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics men’s basketball tournament.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo led Greece to their first Olympic qualification since 2008.
- Rudy Fernández is set to become the first basketball player to compete in six Olympic Games.
- The 12-team Olympic field is now complete with Puerto Rico’s upset victory over Lithuania.
Contradictions👾There is a slight discrepancy in the reported scores for Spain’s victory over Bahamas, with most sources citing 86-78, but one source reporting 83-77.
