In the memory remain his performances in Athens, Beijing, London, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo, a sum of Olympics that few can match in men's basketball. With his minutes against Australia, Rudy set a record by surpassing Pau Gasol, Juan Carlos Navarro, Oscar Schmidt, Andrew Gaze, and Teófilo Cruz, who each have five Olympic appearances.

At 39 years old, Rudy, who this Saturday reached his 264th international match and will retire after the Paris Games, did not start the game on the court but did so during the first quarter of the match. He made a promise to his father and fulfilled it. "I promised my father that the Games would be my last tournament. That's also why I'm a bit here, I don't want to deceive anyone," said the forward after securing the ticket to Paris.

The Mallorcan player has been part of all of Spain's major achievements, with an impressive international record: two World Championships (2006 and 2019) and four European Championships (2009, 2011, 2015, and 2022). This also includes a silver (in Spain, in 2007) and a bronze (2013) at World Championships.

"I have been very emotional these days. When you're in the situation of seeing your career come to an end and the days go by, you realise that it's always the last time. I'm very grateful for all the recognition I'm receiving. I have to continue enjoying what I can of this great sport and keep making history with this jersey," Rudy explained a few days ago in an interview with El País.

"I've always tried to work, be an important part of the team, and achieve the goals I've set for all these years. The recognition I'm receiving now makes me proud. The work is reflected," added the captain of the team.

Rudy crosses in Paris the barrier into the unknown in men's basketball with his sixth Games. He has won everything both at club level with Real Madrid and with the National Team. The only thing missing is the Olympic gold medal. In the French capital, he faces his last opportunity. It seems impossible, but Rudy is already a legend of Spanish basketball. All that's left for him is to enjoy the court as much as the fans outside enjoy his performances.

Not alone in the record

Joining him in the record is American Diana Taurasi, who at 42 is also facing her sixth Olympic participation. This will take place on Monday when the United States faces Japan at the Lille venue. Her record could be even greater if she secures what would be her sixth gold medal in the Games.

"I still love the game. I enjoy competing. We always talk about winning and losing, but I love the journey, the preparation, the struggle. I think sometimes you get distracted by victories, but it's the things that happen before victories that I've really enjoyed," Taurasi said last Thursday. 

She also mentioned that she isn't thinking about retiring yet, joking about participating in the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, "I'll be there, drinking a beer on the beach."

Since graduating from the University of Connecticut in 2004, Taurasi has been a cornerstone of international women's basketball. With over 10,000 points scored in the WNBA, she is the all-time leading scorer in the league.