Rudy Fernandez of Spain. IPA

Men's basketball: Spain the biggest name to be eliminated at Olympics group stage

By Adam Taylor | Last updated Aug 3, 2024 11:30 AM ET

On Saturday, we will see the final round of games for the Olympic men's basketball group stage.

Currently, six teams have secured their spot in the quarterfinals. Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Brazil and the USA will progress. Greece, South Sudan and Serbia are still clawing for a spot.

The second seed in Group C is still available. Then, whichever third-placed team has the highest point differential will secure the last spot in the next round.

Unfortunately for Spain, its chances of progressing came to an abrupt end when it lost to Canada on Friday. Spain lost two of its three games. Its only win came against Greece with a final score of 84-77.

A lack of high-level talent hindered the Spanish national team's chances as it continued to come to terms with the passing of its golden generation. Rudy Fernandez was one of the only faces remaining from those dominant Spain teams. However, with Spain's elimination, he has called time on his illustrious international career.

24 years of representing Spain

Rudy Fernandez puts an end to his glorious #basketball career at #Paris2024

Muchas gracias, Rudy! pic.twitter.com/azzxtUmgYP
— FIBA (@FIBA) August 2, 2024

Whenever there's a group-style tournament, a big name is always at risk of being eliminated. Spain was once a powerhouse on the world stage, with Pau and Marc Gasol patrolling the frontcourt. However, as the rest of the world continues to catch up in terms of skill and talent, and the playing field is being leveled, every team is at risk of early elimination.

During its three outings, Spain never looked capable of challenging for a medal at the end of the tournament. Its roster lacked depth on the bench and didn't have a go-to bucket-getter for when things got tough. Now, the Spanish national team will have a couple of years to regroup and begin developing a new rotation that can hopefully compete at the highest international level.

For now, though, Spain's players will be watching the remainder of the Olympics from the comfort of their own homes.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

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