WARSAW (Poland) - For most athletes, winning Olympic gold would be the ultimate destination. For Karlis Lasmanis, it became the beginning of a different pursuit.
The Latvian star already owns one of the most iconic moments in 3x3 basketball history. His game-winning two-pointer in the Final of the Tokyo Olympics delivered Latvia the first-ever men's Olympic 3x3 gold medal and cemented his place among the sport's legends. Over the years, Latvia have also climbed to the summit of the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup (2017).
Yet one prize remains missing from the collection.
A FIBA 3x3 World Cup title.
With the FIBA 3x3 World Cup 2026 in Warsaw rapidly approaching, that unfinished mission continues to fuel Lasmanis and the generation of Latvian players who helped transform their country into a global 3x3 basketball powerhouse.
"Of course, it's the World Cup," Lasmanis said. "The World Cup is very special for our team, for Latvia, I want to say, because this is the only missing title that we don't have, so we are dreaming about that."
The dream has not been easy to pursue. Like many elite 3x3 basketball players, Latvia's stars spend much of the year competing with different professional teams around the world. Bringing everyone together has been a challenge.
"Because of different kinds of circumstances, it was kind of difficult to practice with everybody together because everybody is playing professional for their own teams," Lasmanis explained.
Still, with the tournament nearing, Latvia's core reunited on home soil for a final push.
"This past week, we went back to Latvia and started to have a little camp before the World Cup," he said. "We will try to do our best performance in Poland."
The venue itself provides another source of motivation. Playing in Europe means Latvia can expect strong support from fans making the trip to Warsaw, creating a familiar atmosphere as they chase history.
But for Lasmanis, the pursuit is about more than adding another medal to his personal résumé.
It is about honoring the players who built Latvia's 3x3 basketball legacy and came agonizingly close to the sport's biggest prize.
"Winning the gold would matter a lot," he said. "Especially for me, Miezis, Krūmins, Cavars, all the past players, even if they are not playing anymore, because we've been chasing that World Cup gold for years."
Some members of that journey are no longer on the roster. Others have moved on from international competition. Yet their efforts remain part of Latvia's story.
"Some couldn't make it," Lasmanis said. "So we have to bring that gold back for them."
An Olympic champion. A 3x3 basketball pioneer. A player who has already reached the sport's highest peaks.
And yet, as another FIBA 3x3 World Cup begins, Lasmanis finds himself motivated by the same thing that drove him years ago: the pursuit of a dream still waiting to be fulfilled.
FIBA