Over the course of two weeks, the Australian basketball public - and the general public, at large - have witnessed an international basketball extravaganza to whet their appetites for the FIBA World Cup.
Along the way, we've seen a kaleidoscope of moving images; from the vibrancy of Nick Nurse and Team Canada, to the starry, bludgeoning talents of Gregg Popovich's Team USA. We've seen the Boomers struggle for coherency and identity, whilst Paul Henare's New Zealand Tall Blacks have just struggled.
Traversing the continent, we've witnessed the frenzied parochialism of Perth, all the way to the Frankenstein-esque experiment of Marvel Stadium converting into a basketball venue, replete with a WWE production sentiment that made it more akin to performative art than an actual basketball game. Gregg Popovich thought he was in a movie. But rather than flawless production values, the showpiece turned in a mottled performance.
But it's on the court that matters, and all four teams who participated have had the opportunity to gauge their development, and prospects, against real competition. With that in mind, let's hover over each to see where they're at.
Boomers
The Boomers' historic victory over Team USA on Saturday will rightfully lift the basketball public's hopes into euphoria. But zoom out, and the Boomers were 2-2 across their four-game swing in Perth and Melbourne.
Results don't matter at this juncture, and Andrej Lemanis has been at pains to emphasise that the focus has always been about internal growth and search for identity. In that respect, their pattern of playing with renewed ferocity after each loss to even the ledger has been encouraging.
However, as we've noted before, there's no do-overs in tournament play. All you need is one game; a good game can set you up for the rest of the tournament, and conversely, one bad loss and a tailspin awaits.
Still, the overriding mood appears to be that the Boomers will grasp onto their latest heart-warming win, and use that as a springboard to bounce their opponents in the first group phase.
With that in mind, Lemanis has settled on an 8-man core, with a starting unit of Matthew Dellavedova - Patty Mills - Joe Ingles - Jock Landale - Aron Baynes, supported by Andrew Bogut, Chris Goulding and Nick Kay. Ingles, Dellavedova and Bogut will run the offence.
We've said before that the success of this team will likely lie with how the top 6-7 players perform. It's as simple as that.
There's been discourse over the use of Mitch Creek, and his individual defensive possession on Donovan Mitchell was certainly worthy of praise. How he's utilised in the tournament is likely situational though - a possession here, or there, primarily on defence, with his switch-ability. He's basically an undersized power forward.
Canada
Perhaps the team we've learnt about the most over the past two weeks has been Canada.
The Boomers first opponents at the World Cup have shown themselves to be a formidable opponent.
The status of Cory Joseph remains in flux. We won't truly know his availability until we head to China.
Without their NBA point guard, Canada have relied upon three-point shooting, early, and often. Taking over the reins as their primary playmaker is Kevin Pangos, the sublime off-the-bounce shooter who has a Milos Teodosic-like influence over this squad.
Canada have at least four capable outside threats on the court at all times. This is one of the reasons - the other being acclimated to game speed - the Boomers' help defence was paralysed during their two-game series. Help, and you leave a viable threat open.
In many ways, their roster construction is similar to that of Team USA - full of wings, who can slide up to the 4-spot.
Their likely starting unit will be Pangos - Phil Scrubb - Melvin Ejim - Khem Birch will start, with the final spot likely between Oshae Brissett (if he is fit) or Kyle Wiltjer.
Both Ejim and Brissett have the ability to wrestle with larger humans, and then use their speed advantage on offence; Brissett, in particular, has shown dynamism slashing to the rim with his athleticism, and a feistiness to battle brutes down low for rebounding position. Ejim is stout. Wiltjer can match up with larger frontlines.
Aaron Best and Kaza Kajami-Keane are fearless shot-makers, and Thomas Scrubb defends (and also shoots threes). Andrew Nembhard slithers through seams with his herky-jerky game. Birch's back-up, Owen Klassen, is a battering ram.
Canada's greatest strength is likely their depth. There is no significant drop-off in their second unit.
The Boomers are the better team, but Canada - as they've shown - pose a real threat.
Team USA
If currency within the world pecking order is based on NBA representation (seriously, don't we hear this all the time? Such and such has this many NBA players?) then shouldn't Team USA be inherently...stacked?
Superstars have a way of providing an easy shortcut to that process. Who needs chemistry when you can just give the ball to James Harden and watch him dance?
Without those absolute top tier talents, this USA team will rely more upon the alchemy of teamwork. Although that has not been consistent on the court.
There was a jarring dissonance when you watched the Boomers ball and player movement against the stasis of Team USA on Saturday.
Kemba Walker is their best player, and will challenge for top scoring honours in the tournament. But there's a lot of watching Kemba dance in the pick-and-roll.
Most of the others, including Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum will get their production through transition and secondary transition. They are still fearsome on the break.
Jaylen Brown and Harrison Barnes are still playing with blinkers on.
Rebounding, a potential weakness considering the personnel, is something to monitor, particularly with their bevy of wings masquerading as 4-men. Their team defence still does not look airtight.
They are still clear favourites. But this Team USA is vulnerable and very beatable.
New Zealand Tall Blacks
The Tall Blacks split two games against Japan, and then followed that up with a pounding from Canada. The following night, they managed to force overtime against Nick Nurse's charges, only to ultimately succumb.
Unfortunately, this team won't make much of an impact at the World Cup.
There's a huge reliance on Corey Webster to generate scoring, supplemented by the post play of Isaac Fotu. Rob Loe has managed to find his three-point stroke, but beyond that, there's not many consistent threats.
Ethan Rusbatch, with that uncanny quick release - dude, doesn't even bring the ball down - should probably start ahead of Thomas Abercrombie. He's not the same liquid presence on defence, but he's beefy.
Finn Delany is their energy guy, and Abercrombie still plays solid defence. However, of biggest concern is their porous perimeter defence overall as a team.
There are also legitimate question marks over their size and rebounding - clear weaknesses.