Short answers, pulled from the story.
Basketball took place inside the Jamsil Gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea from September 17 to the 30th of September 1988. The event marked a turning point in sports history as the last Olympic competition before professional athletes were allowed on the global stage.
The Soviet Union men's team won its second gold medal during this final era of restriction. Their roster included players like Arvydas Sabonis and Šarūnas Marčiulionis who represented the Baltic states within the Soviet system.
The United States women's team secured their second consecutive gold medal in the same year. They repeated their performance from the 1984 tournament without any major changes to their core group.
This tournament served as the last Olympic basketball competition before professional athletes were allowed to compete on the global stage. A rule change by FIBA in 1989 would soon shatter the amateur-only barrier that had defined the sport for decades.
The men's tournament featured twelve teams competing across two groups of six players each. Eight teams competed for medals while four others fought for placement rankings.