Serbia has won a bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics. It overcame Germany, who are the reigning world champions, with a 93-83 victory on Saturday. Germany had been among the favorites to secure a medal in basketball. However, back-to-back losses cost them dearly.
Here are three takeaways from Serbia’s win.
1. Franz Wagner’s three-point shot is a concern
Wagner ended his time in the Olympics with a 20% conversion rate from the perimeter in his six outings. The rising forward, who has proved himself to be an All-Star-level talent for the Orlando Magic, has struggled with his three-point shooting for months. After another difficult showing from deep against Serbia, where he went 0-of-4, there is clearly a lot of work to be done before the new NBA season begins.
There’s no doubting Wagner’s overall skill and diverse talent. However, he must rediscover his perimeter jumper if he wants to keep growing his game and proving himself to be a star of the future.
2. A triple-double for Nikola Jokic
Speaking of stars, Nikola Jokic reminded everyone why he’s the best player in the world with a triple-double performance. The reigning NBA MVP ended the game with 19 points, 11 assists and 12 rebounds while shooting 7-of-15 from the field.
It’s been interesting to see Jokic’s role with the Serbian national team. He has been used as part of the system rather than having a system built around him, which directly contrasts his role under Mike Malone in the NBA. Nevertheless, Jokic has been a standout performer in the Olympics and will now begin his offseason with a bronze medal to his name.
3. Serbia had too much talent for Germany to overcome
Serbia had six players score in double digits, including two who combined for 25 points from the bench. They also played some lockdown defense courtesy of their incredibly high intensity throughout the game. At times, Germany looked outmatched and outgunned. Serbia’s talent pool continues to improve, and in the third-place game, it looked to have a more talented roster than what Germany could put on the floor.
The Germans enjoyed a strong FIBA World Cup last summer. Given their fourth-placed finish at the Olympics, it will be interesting to see how they pick themselves back up in the coming years.
