PARIS — After grabbing Olympic gold and winning the NBA championship in a sweet span of 55 days, who’s had a better summer than proud-to-be-Coloradan Derrick White?

Nobody.

Well duh.

So what did you do during your summer vacation in France, Derrick?

“Something you dream about doing as a kid,” White told me. ”Stuff you dream about, but never really think can ever happen.”

Then to make certain it was real, he squeezed his gold medal, with the tangible evidence of Team USA’s 98-87 against France cradled in his grateful hands.

As the indescribable wow of Olympics with Parisian flair came to a close Sunday, you didn’t need a scorecard to know these Games shined with miles of smiles from Coloradans.

They sent postcards home to the Rocky Mountains. From Paris, with love.

Mallory Swanson, a youth soccer phenom for Real Colorado, scored one of the most iconic goals in U.S. history since Brandi Chastain in 1999. Valarie Allman, a Silver Creek High alum, repeated as Olympic discus champion. Brooke Raboutou of Boulder was a rock star on the climbing wall.

Should I go on?

My expertise in French begins and ends with fries, but I believe the locals have words for the heights Colorado athletes reached in the City of Light:

C’est magnifique.

When I asked Haleigh Washington, who won silver with the volleyball team, what makes athletes born and raised in the rarefied air of Colorado perform so well on the world stage, she did not hesitate.

“It’s attitude, not altitude,” said Washington, 28 years old and still proud to be a Doherty High Spartan.

Ready for a history lesson?

Only eight American hoopers have hoisted the NBA’s championship trophy and been serenaded by “The Star-Spangled Banner” from the Olympic podium in the same calendar year.

White is one of those elite eight.

Other names on the exclusive list you might recognize: Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

As you might recall, White was a last-minute addition to Team USA’s 12-man roster, called in as a replacement when often-injured Kawhi Leonard opted to stay home.

But does it really matter if you’re picked last for the squad when your team finishes first? Nope.

“Hanging out with all-time greats,” White said. “Bron and Steph and K.D. There are legends on this team.”

White has made a basketball career, not to mention more than $60 million (and counting) out of people underestimating him.

White, barely recruited as an undersized guard that averaged 17 points per game for Legend High School in Parker, went to work on his craft and grew up at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.

Going to college in the home of the U.S. Olympic Committee, White was told there was one way to make his dream of going to the Summer Games come true.

“It’s crazy,” he recalled. “I was in the sports management program at UCCS, and they told us if you ever wanted to be a part of USA Basketball, you had to apply for an internship. Well, I’ve come a long way from that.”

It’s funny what a wonderful life it can be if you don’t let the naysayers bring you down.

White did not get off the bench against France, but he played a key defensive role throughout the tournament and led Team USA in steals per game.

And the first dude he chest-bumped on the court upon winning gold?

King James.

“Life is good,” White said.

After two Olympics staged in the time of COVID, when government restrictions killed both the spirit of the Games and the TV ratings in the United States, I do declare they have been brought back to life by French flair.

From the Opening Ceremony, these Games were as bawdy good fun as the Moulin Rouge. Bravo, Paris. And good luck to Los Angeles trying to match this vibe in 2028.

From the French vaulter whose medal quest was wrecked by his own pole to Snoop Dogg feeding crip-walkin’ horses, these will be the Olympics remembered for letting its citius, altius, fortius hair down and joining the 21st century, recapturing the imagination of Americans by letting them witness gymnast Simone Biles go big on the vault via livestreams on the tiny screens of our cell phones.

The Olympics as a world party are back, baby.

That undeniable truth became evident from the hot summer night when local swimming legend Leon Marchand won two gold medals in the pool and the stands inside La Defense Arena quaked, as thousands of dancing French fans belted out the words in English to “No More Desire,” a classic pop anthem by an Italian diva named Gala Rizzatto.

For those of you keeping score at home, the United States and China finished with 40 golds apiece. But Team USA was untouchable in the overall medal count, thanks to the efforts of Olympic vets like Washington.

“We won the silver medal,” said Washington, after her U.S. teammates were swept in three sets by top-ranked Italy. “I know a lot of people are probably disappointed, because it’s not the color we wanted … But hardware is hardware. It’s just as heavy as gold and a little more shiny.”

Besides, Washington already has gold stored in her vault, from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Unlike those sealed-in-a-pandemic-bubble Games, she got to celebrate her passion with family and friends in a raucous arena this time.

And nothing hooks us on sports like feeling the noise of our tribe.

Before Washington departed Paris, I needed to know two things.

No. 1: How was she going to celebrate winning another Olympic medal?

“I’m going to sleep,” Washington said. “No, actually, you got me. I’m going to drink a little tequila.”

And No. 2: Why do women from Colorado always kick butt at the Olympics?

With a gleam in her eye, Washington replied: “Because we’re bad bit****!”

True dat.