In a heart-stopping overtime finish at Paris 2024, the Netherlands claimed Olympic gold in men’s 3×3 basketball with Worthy de Jong’s viral-worthy 2-pointer sealing an 18-17 victory over France. 🌟 The pro-France crowd fell silent as de Jong – who once quit 5×5 basketball to \"feel like that kid who fell in love with the game again\" – became an instant legend.
🏀 The drama peaked in OT after Timothe Vergiat put France up 17-16. De Jong coolly stepped back and sank the championship-winning shot, later telling reporters: \"This medal isn’t just for us – it’s for every kid in the Netherlands dreaming big.\"
Down 16-14 with seconds left in regulation, de Jong delivered back-to-back baskets to force OT. His seven-point performance capped a Cinderella journey for Dutch basketball, which had never before qualified for Olympic hoops events. 💫
French duo Lucas Dussoulier and Franck Seguela scored five points each in their silver-medal effort, but couldn’t counter \"Clutch de Jong Mode\" – as fans are dubbing it online. The win marks a new era for 3×3 basketball, with players worldwide now dreaming of replicating this underdog story. 🔥
