With 27,000 people packing Pierre Mauroy Stadium for each of the 6 first-round games, combined with the diverse fanbases and the electric atmosphere at Paris 2024, this is shaping up to be the most eclectic FIBA basketball tournament in years.
LeBron James' Olympic return and Kevin Durant's dazzling performance at Pierre Mauroy Stadium might have been the headliners of the first weekend. But let's not overlook the other stars who lit up the court with brilliance just as intense as basketball's finest.
South Sudan / Schedule
South Sudan
Puerto Rico
USA
SerbiaThe real MVPs, though, were the fans in Lille.
They turned what could have been a logistical headache into a heartwarming spectacle, creating an electrifying atmosphere in a unique setting.
Lille, settled in northern France near the Belgian border, is a good 1-2 hours by train from Paris, whether you're on a high-speed or regular route. Due to some local challenges in finding an appropriate basketball venue for the Olympics in Paris, the group stage action was shifted to Pierre Mauroy Stadium, home of the French football club Lille OSC.
Despite being over 200 kilometers from Paris, Lille's fans made the Olympic basketball tournament feel like a homecoming. They turned out in large groups, packing the stadium to its 27,000-seat capacity for each of the weekend's six games.
Arriving at the stadium on Saturday morning, we had modest expectations for the opening game between Spain and Australia. But the sight of the crowd, already buzzing around the stadium an hour and a half before tip-off, was a pleasant surprise.
Entering the arena, we were struck by
