The Olympic Basketball Tournaments in Paris 2024
In July and August of 2024, the world’s top basketball players, including icons like LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Diana Taurasi, competed on Junckers’ premium hardwood courts at the Paris Olympic Games. Junckers was selected to provide the courts for the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The Pro Complete 44 Portable Sports Floor system took center stage, delivering elite performance and meeting the rigorous demands of the Olympic Games.
This prestigious project is the latest in Junckers’ longstanding partnership with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), for which Junckers has served as a global supplier from 2021 to 2024. After successfully crafting courts for international tournaments such as the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and EuroBasket 2022, Junckers was entrusted with ensuring top-quality sports floors for the 2024 Olympic Games.
Thomas Flindt, Junckers' Manager of Product Development and Technical Support, explained how Junckers worked closely with both the IOC and FIBA to ensure the courts met all performance and design requirements: FIBA sets the performance standards, requiring a FIBA Level 1-approved floor. Meanwhile, the IOC guided the design to reflect the spirit of the Olympics. Our role was to ensure the courts not only looked stunning but also supported the athletes in their performance on the floor.”
A Court Fit for Champions
The 2024 Olympic basketball tournaments took place in two venues: the group stages in Lille’s Pierre-Mauroy Stadium and the playoffs, including the final, in Paris at the Accor Arena. This required flooring that could not only meet the highest performance standards but also be installed and dismantled efficiently to accommodate the demanding Olympic schedule.
Junckers CEO, Thomas Bendixen, emphasized the importance of meticulous planning and flawless execution: The logistical challenges of the Olympics require a floor that can be quickly installed and removed without compromising quality or performance. With our Pro Complete 44 system, we were more than up to the task.”
Junckers' Pro Complete 44
For the tournaments, Junckers supplied its Pro Complete 44 portable sports floor system, consisting of solid hardwood panels made from press-dried beech—a species chosen for its superior stability and durability. The Pro Complete 44 system provides excellent shock absorption, ensuring player safety and minimizing injury risk. The project involved two tournament floors and four warm-up courts, covering more than 34,500 square feet.
The floors were finished with Junckers' HP800 Sport, a high-performance polyurethane lacquer certified by FIBA, ensuring a surface that was as durable as it was visually stunning.