Olympics 2024, France

The summer of 2024 was unlike any other in Paris. France was the host country for the 2024 Olympics. If you don’t know what the Olympics is, well, that makes two of us. 😛 Just kidding. It’s a global sports event held every four years where the best athletes from around the world compete for the pride and hope of bringing a gold medal back home. For me, though, it only meant one thing: basketball.

As one of the many kids who grew up crumpling pieces of paper and shooting them into bins while shouting “Kobe!”, this event was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

A year before the Olympics, I had already secured tickets. I only wanted to watch basketball, but unfortunately, the system required purchasing packaged tickets that included three different sports. So, I chose football, volleyball, and basketball. At the time, the matchups were still to be determined, so I had no idea which teams would be playing. All I wanted was to watch a game featuring the USA men’s basketball team against anyone. My hopes were high. I got tickets for the quarterfinals, which meant I wouldn’t know the match until after the elimination games. The waiting game only added to the excitement.

After the group-stage elimination games, the matchup was set: Australia vs. Serbia. My dreams of watching Team USA play live went straight into the bin. However, I wasn’t disappointed for long because I got to see Nikola “The Joker” Jokić, the reigning NBA MVP, in action. I mean, bruh!? 😎 Let’s go!! Easily one of the best days of my life. Sheesh!

We equally enjoyed the other two events—football between Spain and Uzbekistan and volleyball between Japan and Brazil—but the highlight was definitely the basketball game between Serbia and Australia. Watching some of the best players in the world play the game I grew up loving? Absolutely surreal.

As much as I wanted to watch a semifinal or finals game, I just couldn’t afford tickets that cost as much as a month’s rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Paris. Mais, c’est pas grave !