Giannis Antetokounmpo was overcome with emotion after making history.
This week, a series of international basketball tournaments determined which countries qualified for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Among the 24 teams fighting over the four remaining spots was Greece, and by beating Croatia, 80-69, on Sunday, it earned the right to play in its first Olympics since 2008.
Antetokounmpo was teary-eyed shortly after the final buzzer.
Antetokounmpo had 23 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the victory, which will send him to his first-ever Olympics.
Former NBA draft lottery pick Georgios Papagiannis finished with 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting, with 16 of those points coming in the first half.
Greece hosted the qualifying tournament in Piraeus, which featured Slovenia — led by Luka Doncic and blown out by Greece in the semifinals — as well as Egypt, the Dominican Republic, New Zealand and the Crotian team Greece defeated in the finals.
Croatia is led by NBA mainstays Ivica Zubac and Dario Saric, as well as former Knicks swingman Mario Hezonja.
Brazil won a qualifying tournament in Latvia against the hosts to move on to their third Olympics in four years.
Spain protected homecourt and outlasted a history-making Bahamian team who nearly qualified for their first Summer Games — Spain will now be in their seventh straight Olympics.
Greece, Brazil and Spain join the previous eight qualified teams: Germany, Serbia, USA, Canada, South Sudan, Japan, Australia, and the host France.
The 12th and final Olympic qualifier was determined Sunday night, when Puerto Rico defeated Lithuania.
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