United States national basketball team
Encyclopedia
The United States men's national basketball team represents the United States of America in international men's basketball
. The USA is the most successful team in international competition, winning medals in all sixteen Olympic tournaments it has entered, coming away with thirteen golds. Two of its gold medal-winning squads were inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as teams in August 2010—the 1960 team, which featured six Hall of Famers (four players and two coaches), and the 1992 "Dream Team", featuring 13 Hall of Famers (10 players, three coaches). The United States is currently first in the FIBA World Rankings
.
Traditionally composed of amateur players, a 1989 rule change by FIBA
allowed USA Basketball
to field teams with professional players. The first such team, known as the "Dream Team", won the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona
, Spain
, playing in the final against Croatia
.
With the introduction of professionals, the team was able to spark a second run of dominance after capturing only a bronze medal in 1988. A team of professional players competed at the 1994 FIBA World Championship
, finishing first. In 1996
, 2000
, and 2008
, the USA again captured gold medals.
However, American dominance has lessened in recent years. Facing increased competition, the USA failed to win a medal at the 2002 FIBA World Championship
, finishing sixth. The 2004 Summer Olympic
team lost three games on its way to a bronze medal, a record that represented more losses in a single year than the country's Olympic teams had suffered in all previous Olympiads combined.
Determined to put an end to these failures, USA Basketball initiated a long-term project aimed at creating better, more cohesive teams. The USA won its first seven games at the 2006 FIBA World Championship
in Japan
before losing against Greece
in the semi-finals, ending the competition with the bronze medal. The USA won gold two years later, though, at the 2008 Summer Olympics
with a dominant performance. This success was followed up at the 2010 FIBA World Championship
, where despite fielding a roster featuring no players from the 2008 Olympic team, the USA did not lose a single game en route to defeating host Turkey
for the gold medal, led by the tournament's MVP Kevin Durant
.
in 1936
, going 5–0 to win the gold, and joined by continental neighbors Canada and Mexico on the medal platform. Through the next six tournaments, the United States went undefeated, collecting gold while not losing a single contest in the games held in London
, Helsinki
, Melbourne
, Rome
, Tokyo
, and Mexico City
. Participation in these tournaments were limited to amateurs, but the US teams during this period featured players who would later go on to become superstars in professional basketball, including all-time greats Bill Russell
, Oscar Robertson
, Jerry West
, and Jerry Lucas
; the latter three competed on the 1960 Rome team often credited as the best U.S. roster until the formation of the 1992 Dream Team.
Alex Groza and Ralph Beard, both briefly NBA stars, made the 1948 squad as Kentucky Wildcats
, with 3-time Oklahoma State All-American and 6-time AAU All-American, and Hall of Famer Bob Kurland leading the way. The 1952 team included big man Clyde Lovellette, a future Hall of Famer and NBA star, but Kurland once again led the team to victory. The 1956 team was led by San Francisco Dons Bill Russell and K.C. Jones.
The 1960 team included a few future NBA players, including not just Robertson, Lucas and West, but also Terry Dischinger
and Walt Bellamy.
. The team won its first eight games in convincing fashion, setting up a final against the Soviet Union.
With three seconds left in the gold medal game, American forward Doug Collins
sank two free throws to put the Americans up 50–49. However, the buzzer sounded before Collins' second free throw. Immediately following Collins' free throws, the Soviets inbounded the ball and failed to score. But one official had whistled play to stop with one second remaining after hearing the earlier horn and seeing a disturbance near the scorers table. The Soviets argued that they had requested a timeout before Collins' foul shots. The referees ordered the clock reset to three seconds and the game's final seconds replayed. However, the clock was in the process of being reset when the referees put the ball in play. The horn once again sounded as a length-of-the-court Soviet pass was being released from the inbounding player, the pass missed its mark, and the U.S. again began celebrating.
However, R. William Jones, Secretary General of FIBA, ordered the clock to be reset again at 0:03 and the game replayed from that point. This time, the Soviets' Alexander Belov and the USA's Kevin Joyce
and Jim Forbes went up for the pass, and Belov caught the long pass from Ivan Edeshko at the foul line, sending the two Americans sprawling. Belov then drove to the basket for the layup and the winning points as the buzzer sounded. The U.S. team quickly filed a protest after the game, which was heard by a five-man Jury of Appeal. In a 3–2 decision (divided along ideological lines between Communist and non-Communist countries), the Jury voted down the protest and awarded the gold medals to the Soviet team. The U.S. players voted unanimously to refuse their silver medals, and at least one team member, Kenny Davis, has directed in his will that his heirs are never to accept the medals, even posthumously.
coach the USA to a 7–0 record and its eighth Olympic gold medal in Montreal
. The success at this tournament pushed The USA's all-time Olympic record to an impressive 78–1.
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
prompted 62 countries, including the United States, to boycott the 1980 Olympics
in Moscow
.
The 1980 U.S. team, which featured a number of future NBA players, was the youngest American national team ever assembled. Unable to compete in the Olympics due to the boycott, it instead participated in the "Gold Medal Series", a series of games against NBA all-star teams in various U.S. cities, recording a 5–1 record.
of the 1984 Summer Olympics
. The Communist countries of Cuba, East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Mongolia, Afghanistan, North Korea, Vietnam, Angola, Ethiopia, and Laos participated in the boycott of the 1984 Games
, held in Los Angeles
.
Michael Jordan
, Patrick Ewing
, and Chris Mullin
, future members of the '92 Dream Team, made their Olympic debuts. Jordan led the team with 17.1 points per game, and Bob Knight coached the team to an 8–0 record and another Olympic gold.
and Mitch Richmond
came up short, winning the bronze medal. The American team lost its only game to the Soviets, 82–76, then went on to beat Australia 78–49 in the bronze medal game. Dan Majerle
led the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game.
, only European and South American professionals were allowed to play in the Olympics.
The team assembled by USA Basketball for the tournament in Barcelona in 1992
was one of the most illustrious collections of talent assembled in the history of international sport. Of the twelve players on the team, ten were named in 1996 among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, the NBA's
official list of the 50 greatest players of the league's first 50 years. Magic Johnson
and Larry Bird
served as co-captains.
Because of this star line-up, the team's games usually featured opposing teams asking for pregame photos and autographs with their U.S. opponents. The USA team was so much better than the competition that head coach Chuck Daly did not call a single timeout during the tournament. Michael Jordan
and Scottie Pippen
became the first players to win both NBA championship
and Olympic gold medal in the same year, having played for the Chicago Bulls
.
Regarding drug-testing the athletes, according to USA Basketball spokesperson Craig Miller, "Since 1990, all of our teams have been tested in competition. I believe since around 1988 we have also been subject to out-of-competition testing. We have been 100 percent fully compliant with USADA and WADA."
, held in Toronto, Ontario
, Canada. This was an entirely new roster, as USA Basketball
elected to showcase stars who were not present at the 1992 Olympics. Composed primarily of younger NBA players, the team lacked the widespread appeal of its predecessor but nevertheless continued its dominance. Coached by Don Nelson
of the Golden State Warriors
, this team easily captured the gold medal in tournament play.
held in Atlanta
, Georgia
, USA. The star quality of the team was impressive as it featured five members of the original Dream Team (Barkley, Malone, Pippen, Robinson, and Stockton), plus two other members of the NBA 50 Greatest Players list, Hakeem Olajuwon
and Shaquille O'Neal
. Lenny Wilkens
coached the team.
The Americans won another gold medal with an average margin of victory of 31.8 points per game. They captured the gold medal after defeating Yugoslavia 95–69. Scottie Pippen became the first (and so far, only) player to win both an NBA championship
(with the Chicago Bulls
) and a Olympic gold medal twice in the same year.
With Atlanta being home to the Hawks
, these games were the first (and to this date, the only) Olympics to take place in a city with an NBA team since the league started allowing its players to compete in the Olympics.
in Athens, Greece
was different from the previous teams, as none of its players were current members of NBA teams. The team was nicknamed the "Dirty Dozen" for its work ethic and teamwork. Because of a labor dispute that led to a lockout
, no active NBA players were permitted to compete in the tournament. Undrafted free agent Brad Miller
was the only member of the team who would go on to have a successful NBA career. Some of the other team members, including Trajan Langdon
, Kiwane Garris
and Michael Hawkins
had brief spells in the NBA. All went on to have careers in Europe, with Langdon being named to the Euroleague's All-Decade Team
for the 2000s. This unheralded team, composed largely of players from American colleges, the minor-league Continental Basketball Association
or European pro leagues, captured a bronze medal, considered a solid achievement given the team's lack of top-notch talent. If there was no lockout, the team would have consisted of Tim Duncan
, Tim Hardaway
, Vin Baker
, Gary Payton
, Terrell Brandon
, Kevin Garnett
, Tom Gugliotta
, Grant Hill
, Allan Houston
, Christian Laettner
, Glen Rice
, and Chris Webber
.
players, but this time few of them were considered to be true superstars, as several elite players elected not to participate.
The U.S. team participated in the 2000 Olympics
in Sydney
, Australia and was coached by Rudy Tomjanovich
. It won its first two games by lopsided margins, but faced more difficult competition thereafter. A preliminary game against Lithuania
, the U.S. team won 85–76, marking the first time a team of professional American players failed to win by double digits. Two games later, in a 106–94 victory over France
, Vince Carter
pulled off one of the most famous dunks in basketball history, jumping over 2.18 metre French
center
Frédéric Weis
on his way to the basket. (The French media would dub Carter's feat —"the dunk of death".)
A major shock came on the semifinals game when the United States managed to defeat Lithuania by only two points, 85–83, after Lithuanian star (and future NBA player, first with the Indiana Pacers
and later with the Golden State Warriors
) Šarūnas Jasikevičius
missed a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer that would have won the game.
The closeness of the semifinal game was so shocking that NBC
took the unusual step of showing the gold medal game live rather than on tape delay
. (The game started around 2 pm Sydney time on Sunday October 1, which is late Saturday evening in the USA. NBC originally planned to show the game almost 24 hours later during its Sunday prime time
broadcast.) The USA won the gold medal against France in a very close game, 85–75. Though the US went undefeated on its way to the gold medal, the team began to lose its aura of invincibility for the first time.
in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Coached by George Karl, the team finished a surprisingly disappointing sixth in the competition. During the tournament, Argentina defeated the USA in the second preliminary round group stage, thus becoming the first team ever to defeat a USA team composed of NBA players. Serbia knocked out the USA in the quarter finals and then Spain repeated the outcome in the 5th place playoff. To a greater degree than in 2000, a number of top NBA players declined to participate, forcing USA Basketball to resort to picking mostly second-tier players.
George Karl had a dispute with Paul Pierce
, one of the few superstars on the team, which led to Karl benching Pierce, the team's leading scorer, in Team USA's final game. The group has been considered as one of sport's greatest flops, as they failed to produce as previous teams had. The United States lost 3 games in the tournament to countries with current or future NBA stars, like Argentina (led by Manu Ginóbili
), Yugoslavia (led by Peja Stojaković
and Vlade Divac
) and Spain (led by Pau Gasol
).
Two NBA superstars, Ray Allen
and Jason Kidd
, accepted roles to play on the World Championship team, but were unable to play on that team due to injuries. Many other superstars, including Kobe Bryant
, Shaquille O'Neal
, and Kevin Garnett
, turned down invitations to play in that tournament.
. The team easily cruised to a first-place finish, earning it a spot in Athens, Greece
the following summer.
However, the dominant team that competed in 2003 could not be kept together. Nine of its 12 players elected not to participate in Athens. The revamped 2004 team consisted of some young NBA stars early in their careers, such as Carmelo Anthony
and LeBron James
, but also included recent Most Valuable Players Tim Duncan
and Allen Iverson
. The team was coached by Larry Brown
.
After struggles in several exhibition matches, the vulnerability of the 2004 team was confirmed when Puerto Rico defeated them 92–73 in the first game of the Olympic tournament
in Athens. The 19 point defeat was the most lopsided loss for the USA in the history of international competition.
After winning close games against Greece
and Australia, The USA fell to Lithuania
, dropping to 2–2 in the Olympic tournament. Even after an 89–53 win over Angola, the Americans entered the knockout rounds in fourth place due to goal average, the lowest seed of their group. The Americans faced undefeated Spain in their quarterfinal game, winning 102–94.
However, the semi-final match saw the team defeated by Argentina
, 89–81, ending the United States' hold on the gold medal. The USA did rebound to capture the bronze medal by defeating Lithuania. Still, it marked only the third time that an American team failed to win gold (excluding 1980 Moscow Olympics boycott), and the first time for an American team composed of professionals. Before 2004, American teams had only lost two games in all previous Olympic tournaments, whereas in this one the American team lost three.
to be solely responsible for selecting the team. Colangelo made it clear that he would ask players for a three-year commitment—the 2006 FIBA World Championship
and the 2008 Summer Olympics
. In the 2006 Worlds, the team was eliminated by Greece
at the semifinals, after a dramatic match. The head coach was Duke University's Mike Krzyzewski, with assistants Jim Boeheim
, Mike D'Antoni
, and Nate McMillan
. While some prominent players, such as Tim Duncan
and Kevin Garnett
, stated that they did not plan to play for the team, superstars Dwyane Wade
, Kobe Bryant
and LeBron James
publicly announced their commitment for the 2006 Worlds and the ensuing 2008 Olympics. Wade
, James
and Carmelo Anthony
were named captains of the 2006 USA World Championship Team.
The United States dominated Group B in pool play, defeating China
, Angola
, Greece
, world champion
Spain
, and Germany
by an average of 32.2 points. After finishing first in their group, the USA earned the right to play the fourth-place finishers in Group A, Australia
. The United States soundly defeated Australia 116–85 in the quarterfinal matchup led by Kobe Bryant's 25 points. Next up for the Americans in the semifinals was the 2004 Olympic gold medalist
Argentina, led by Manu Ginóbili
– the team that had beaten them in the semifinals four years prior. However Ginóbili was hobbled by an ankle injury and only played sparing minutes in the first half. Behind Carmelo Anthony's 21 points, the USA defeated Argentina 101–81 to reach the gold medal game.
On August 24, the United States defeated Spain 118–107 to capture the Olympic gold medal. The victory ended an eight year drought at major international competitions (Olympics & World Championships) and its first since the 2000 Olympics
.
. It was initially believed that there would be only 2–3 spots available with most players returning from the 2008 Olympic team. However, by early July 2010, all ten invited players declined to participate either through injury, free agency, rest, or personal commitments. Due to the roster being filled with 12 new players and the lack of star power, the team was dubbed the "B-Team." Also, the coaches were criticized for selecting too many guards, inexperienced players, and the lack of tall players.
However, the young team won all 5 of its preliminary games, 4 of 5 of those by double digits (the exception being the win against Brazil by 2 points). The success continued in the knockout stage with victories by 55, 10, & 15. In the 2010 FIBA World Championship Final
, the USA beat host nation Turkey
by 17 points and clinched a berth in 2012 Olympics
. Tournament MVP Kevin Durant
broke several Team USA scoring records (most points in a tournament-205, most points in a single game-38, & PPG-22.8). In addition, Lamar Odom
from the Los Angeles Lakers became the first player to win the NBA and FIBA World championships in the same year.
Team USA executive director Jerry Colangelo
has said he's open to anyone from the Redeem Team to play in future tournaments.
in London by virtue of its World Championship in Turkey. Carmelo Anthony
, Chris Paul
, Kobe Bryant
, LeBron James
, Dwyane Wade
, Dwight Howard
, and Deron Williams
from the "Redeem Team" have all pledged their loyalty to the USA team and are willing to defend their Olympic title. Kevin Durant
, Kevin Love
, Derrick Rose
, Lamar Odom
, and Rudy Gay
from the 2010 squad have also expressed interest in joining the 2012 Olympic Team. Team USA executive director Jerry Colangelo
is planning a celebration gathering of 2008 and 2010 gold medalist teams during the summer of 2011 to prepare for the 2012 Olympic tournament. There will be no on-court activities.
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Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
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Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. The USA is the most successful team in international competition, winning medals in all sixteen Olympic tournaments it has entered, coming away with thirteen golds. Two of its gold medal-winning squads were inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as teams in August 2010—the 1960 team, which featured six Hall of Famers (four players and two coaches), and the 1992 "Dream Team", featuring 13 Hall of Famers (10 players, three coaches). The United States is currently first in the FIBA World Rankings
FIBA World Rankings
The International Basketball Federation calculates the world rankings of all of its basketball teams.-Calculation:...
.
Traditionally composed of amateur players, a 1989 rule change by FIBA
International Basketball Federation
The International Basketball Federation, more commonly known as FIBA , from its French name Fédération Internationale de Basketball, is an association of national organizations which governs international competition in basketball...
allowed USA Basketball
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
to field teams with professional players. The first such team, known as the "Dream Team", won the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, playing in the final against Croatia
Croatia national basketball team
The Croatian national basketball team represents Croatia at international tournaments. It is organized by the Croatian Basketball Federation...
.
With the introduction of professionals, the team was able to spark a second run of dominance after capturing only a bronze medal in 1988. A team of professional players competed at the 1994 FIBA World Championship
1994 FIBA World Championship
The 1994 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Canada from August 4 to August 14, 1994. The tournament was held at SkyDome and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto as well as at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton...
, finishing first. In 1996
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
, 2000
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, and 2008
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, the USA again captured gold medals.
However, American dominance has lessened in recent years. Facing increased competition, the USA failed to win a medal at the 2002 FIBA World Championship
2002 FIBA World Championship
The 2002 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA from August 29 to September 8, 2002.-Venues:-Squads:...
, finishing sixth. The 2004 Summer Olympic
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
team lost three games on its way to a bronze medal, a record that represented more losses in a single year than the country's Olympic teams had suffered in all previous Olympiads combined.
Determined to put an end to these failures, USA Basketball initiated a long-term project aimed at creating better, more cohesive teams. The USA won its first seven games at the 2006 FIBA World Championship
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
before losing against Greece
Greece national basketball team
The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
in the semi-finals, ending the competition with the bronze medal. The USA won gold two years later, though, at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
with a dominant performance. This success was followed up at the 2010 FIBA World Championship
2010 FIBA World Championship
The 2010 FIBA World Championship, hosted by Turkey, was the international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams. The tournament ran from August 28 to September 12, 2010. It was co-organized by the International Basketball Federation , Turkish Basketball Federation and the...
, where despite fielding a roster featuring no players from the 2008 Olympic team, the USA did not lose a single game en route to defeating host Turkey
Turkey national basketball team
The Turkish national basketball team is the basketball section that represents Turkey in international competitions. The team is nicknamed "12 Dev Adam" ....
for the gold medal, led by the tournament's MVP Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
.
1936–1968: Early dominance
The United States possessed a clear advantage in the early decades of international play. The US men were dominant from the first Olympic tournament to hold basketball, held in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1936
Basketball at the 1936 Summer Olympics
-Fifth-place classification:-First round:Winners advanced to the second round. Losers competed in the first consolation round for another chance to move on.* Estonia def. France, 34-29* Chile def. Turkey, 30-16* Switzerland def. Germany, 25-18...
, going 5–0 to win the gold, and joined by continental neighbors Canada and Mexico on the medal platform. Through the next six tournaments, the United States went undefeated, collecting gold while not losing a single contest in the games held in London
Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics was the second appearance of the sport as an official medal event. A total number of 23 nations entered the competition....
, Helsinki
Basketball at the 1952 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1952 Summer Olympics was the third appearance of the sport. 23 nations entered the competition.The top six teams at the 1948 Summer Olympics qualified automatically, as did the 1950 World Champion , the top two at the 1951 European championships , and the host country...
, Melbourne
Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics was the fourth appearance of the sport in Olympic competition. Fifteen nations, an unusually low number for the basketball tournament, competed in the event, with 174 participants. A total number of 56 games of basketball were played.The teams were divided...
, Rome
Basketball at the 1960 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1960 Summer Olympics was the fifth appearance of the sport in Olympic competition. 16 nations were admitted into the Olympic tournament, with many others being eliminated in a pre-Olympic tournament held earlier in the year from 13 to 20 August 1960 at the Sports Palace at Bologna...
, Tokyo
Basketball at the 1964 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 1964 Summer Olympics took place at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan from October 11 to October 23. The United States defeated the Soviet Union to win their sixth straight gold medal at this event, while Brazil earned the bronze against Puerto...
, and Mexico City
Basketball at the 1968 Summer Olympics
-Group B:October 13October 14October 15October 16October 18October 19October 20-Medal bracket:-Classification brackets:5th–8th Place9th–12th Place...
. Participation in these tournaments were limited to amateurs, but the US teams during this period featured players who would later go on to become superstars in professional basketball, including all-time greats Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
, Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
, Jerry West
Jerry West
Jerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
, and Jerry Lucas
Jerry Lucas
Jerry Ray Lucas was a basketball player from the 1950s to the 1970s, and is now a memory education expert. In 1996, the NBA's 50th anniversary, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in National Basketball Association history...
; the latter three competed on the 1960 Rome team often credited as the best U.S. roster until the formation of the 1992 Dream Team.
Alex Groza and Ralph Beard, both briefly NBA stars, made the 1948 squad as Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
, with 3-time Oklahoma State All-American and 6-time AAU All-American, and Hall of Famer Bob Kurland leading the way. The 1952 team included big man Clyde Lovellette, a future Hall of Famer and NBA star, but Kurland once again led the team to victory. The 1956 team was led by San Francisco Dons Bill Russell and K.C. Jones.
The 1960 team included a few future NBA players, including not just Robertson, Lucas and West, but also Terry Dischinger
Terry Dischinger
Terence Gilbert "Terry" Dischinger is a retired American basketball player in the NBA. He currently practices orthodontics.-High school career:...
and Walt Bellamy.
1972 Controversy at Munich Olympics
The 1972 Olympic men's basketball gold medal game, marking the first ever loss for the USA in Olympic play, is arguably the most controversial in Olympic history. The United States rode their seven consecutive gold medals and 63–0 Olympic record to Munich for the 1972 Summer Olympics1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
. The team won its first eight games in convincing fashion, setting up a final against the Soviet Union.
With three seconds left in the gold medal game, American forward Doug Collins
Doug Collins
Paul Douglas "Doug" Collins is a retired American basketball player, a former four-time NBA All-Star and currently the head coach of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers.-High school and college:...
sank two free throws to put the Americans up 50–49. However, the buzzer sounded before Collins' second free throw. Immediately following Collins' free throws, the Soviets inbounded the ball and failed to score. But one official had whistled play to stop with one second remaining after hearing the earlier horn and seeing a disturbance near the scorers table. The Soviets argued that they had requested a timeout before Collins' foul shots. The referees ordered the clock reset to three seconds and the game's final seconds replayed. However, the clock was in the process of being reset when the referees put the ball in play. The horn once again sounded as a length-of-the-court Soviet pass was being released from the inbounding player, the pass missed its mark, and the U.S. again began celebrating.
However, R. William Jones, Secretary General of FIBA, ordered the clock to be reset again at 0:03 and the game replayed from that point. This time, the Soviets' Alexander Belov and the USA's Kevin Joyce
Kevin Joyce (basketball)
Kevin Francis Joyce is a retired American basketball player.A 6'3" guard, Joyce played at the University of South Carolina. During the 1971 ACC Tournament championship game, he out-jumped North Carolina's 6-10 Lee Dedmon with seconds left to tap the ball to a wide open Tom Owens under the basket...
and Jim Forbes went up for the pass, and Belov caught the long pass from Ivan Edeshko at the foul line, sending the two Americans sprawling. Belov then drove to the basket for the layup and the winning points as the buzzer sounded. The U.S. team quickly filed a protest after the game, which was heard by a five-man Jury of Appeal. In a 3–2 decision (divided along ideological lines between Communist and non-Communist countries), the Jury voted down the protest and awarded the gold medals to the Soviet team. The U.S. players voted unanimously to refuse their silver medals, and at least one team member, Kenny Davis, has directed in his will that his heirs are never to accept the medals, even posthumously.
1976–1980: Bounce back and boycott
After the controversial loss in Munich, 1976 saw Dean SmithDean Smith
Dean Edwards Smith is a retired American head coach of men's college basketball. Originally from Emporia, Kansas, Smith has been called a “coaching legend” by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching tenure at the University of North Carolina at Chapel...
coach the USA to a 7–0 record and its eighth Olympic gold medal in Montreal
Basketball at the 1976 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 1976 Summer Olympics took place from July 18 to July 27 at the Centre Étienne Desmarteau and the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Canada. Women's basketball was introduced to the Olympic program for the first time at this Games...
. The success at this tournament pushed The USA's all-time Olympic record to an impressive 78–1.
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
prompted 62 countries, including the United States, to boycott the 1980 Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
The 1980 U.S. team, which featured a number of future NBA players, was the youngest American national team ever assembled. Unable to compete in the Olympics due to the boycott, it instead participated in the "Gold Medal Series", a series of games against NBA all-star teams in various U.S. cities, recording a 5–1 record.
1984 Olympics (Los Angeles)
In response to the American-led boycott of the 1980 games, the Soviet Union led a boycott1984 Summer Olympics boycott
The boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. The boycott was a follow up to the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. The boycott involved 14 Eastern Bloc countries and allies, led by the Soviet Union who initiated the boycott on May 8, 1984, and joined...
of the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
. The Communist countries of Cuba, East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Mongolia, Afghanistan, North Korea, Vietnam, Angola, Ethiopia, and Laos participated in the boycott of the 1984 Games
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
, held in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
, Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing
Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle...
, and Chris Mullin
Chris Mullin (basketball)
Christopher Paul Mullin is a retired American basketball player and former general manager of the NBA's Golden State Warriors. He has also been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame....
, future members of the '92 Dream Team, made their Olympic debuts. Jordan led the team with 17.1 points per game, and Bob Knight coached the team to an 8–0 record and another Olympic gold.
1988 Olympics (Seoul)
A roster that included future NBA all-stars David RobinsonDavid Robinson (basketball)
David Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". He and teammate power forward Tim Duncan were...
and Mitch Richmond
Mitch Richmond
Mitchell James "Mitch" Richmond is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He played collegiately at Kansas State University. He was a 6-time NBA All-Star, a 5-time All-NBA Team member and a former NBA Rookie of the Year...
came up short, winning the bronze medal. The American team lost its only game to the Soviets, 82–76, then went on to beat Australia 78–49 in the bronze medal game. Dan Majerle
Dan Majerle
Daniel Lewis Majerle is a retired American professional basketball player and currently an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. Known by his fans as "Downtown Dan," "Thunder Dan," and "Dan the Man," he played 14 years in the NBA, primarily with the Phoenix Suns, also with the Miami...
led the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game.
1992 Olympics (Barcelona) – The Dream Team
In 1989, FIBA, international basketball's governing body, allowed professional NBA players to participate in the Olympics for the first time. Prior to the 1992 Summer Olympics1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
, only European and South American professionals were allowed to play in the Olympics.
The team assembled by USA Basketball for the tournament in Barcelona in 1992
Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics
The Basketball games of the 1992 Summer Olympics were played at the Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona. 12 men's teams and 8 women's teams participated in the tournament....
was one of the most illustrious collections of talent assembled in the history of international sport. Of the twelve players on the team, ten were named in 1996 among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, the NBA's
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
official list of the 50 greatest players of the league's first 50 years. Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
and Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
served as co-captains.
Because of this star line-up, the team's games usually featured opposing teams asking for pregame photos and autographs with their U.S. opponents. The USA team was so much better than the competition that head coach Chuck Daly did not call a single timeout during the tournament. Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
and Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen
Scottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
became the first players to win both NBA championship
1992 NBA Finals
The 1992 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1991–92 NBA season. The Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference took on the Portland Trail Blazers of the Western Conference for the title, with Chicago having home court advantage, as they had the best record in the NBA.The two teams appeared...
and Olympic gold medal in the same year, having played for the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
.
Regarding drug-testing the athletes, according to USA Basketball spokesperson Craig Miller, "Since 1990, all of our teams have been tested in competition. I believe since around 1988 we have also been subject to out-of-competition testing. We have been 100 percent fully compliant with USADA and WADA."
1994 FIBA World Championship (Canada) – Dream Team II
The United States fielded another team composed of professional players in the 1994 World Championship1994 FIBA World Championship
The 1994 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Canada from August 4 to August 14, 1994. The tournament was held at SkyDome and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto as well as at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton...
, held in Toronto, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada. This was an entirely new roster, as USA Basketball
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
elected to showcase stars who were not present at the 1992 Olympics. Composed primarily of younger NBA players, the team lacked the widespread appeal of its predecessor but nevertheless continued its dominance. Coached by Don Nelson
Don Nelson
Donald Arvid "Don" Nelson is a former NBA player and head coach. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors....
of the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, this team easily captured the gold medal in tournament play.
1996 Olympics (Atlanta) – Dream Team III
The third team composed of NBA players participated in the 1996 Summer Olympics1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
held in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, USA. The star quality of the team was impressive as it featured five members of the original Dream Team (Barkley, Malone, Pippen, Robinson, and Stockton), plus two other members of the NBA 50 Greatest Players list, Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
and Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
. Lenny Wilkens
Lenny Wilkens
Leonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA...
coached the team.
The Americans won another gold medal with an average margin of victory of 31.8 points per game. They captured the gold medal after defeating Yugoslavia 95–69. Scottie Pippen became the first (and so far, only) player to win both an NBA championship
1996 NBA Finals
The 1996 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1995-96 NBA season of the National Basketball Association. The Seattle SuperSonics of the Western Conference took on the Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference, with the Bulls holding home court advantage...
(with the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
) and a Olympic gold medal twice in the same year.
With Atlanta being home to the Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
, these games were the first (and to this date, the only) Olympics to take place in a city with an NBA team since the league started allowing its players to compete in the Olympics.
1998 FIBA World Championship (Greece) – The Dirty Dozen
The World Championship1998 FIBA World Championship
The 1998 FIBA World Championship was the 13th FIBA World Championship, an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation and hosted in Athens, Greece from July 29 to August 9, 1998...
in Athens, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
was different from the previous teams, as none of its players were current members of NBA teams. The team was nicknamed the "Dirty Dozen" for its work ethic and teamwork. Because of a labor dispute that led to a lockout
1998–99 NBA lockout
The 1998–99 NBA lockout was the third lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . It lasted from July 1, 1998 to January 20, 1999, and forced the 1998–99 season to be shortened to 50 games per team and that season's All-Star Game to be canceled...
, no active NBA players were permitted to compete in the tournament. Undrafted free agent Brad Miller
Brad Miller (basketball)
Bradley Alan Miller is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA...
was the only member of the team who would go on to have a successful NBA career. Some of the other team members, including Trajan Langdon
Trajan Langdon
Trajan Shaka Langdon is a retired American professional basketball player. A 210 lb. shooting guard, he gained fame in the U.S. while playing college basketball at Duke University with the Duke Blue Devils.-Biography:...
, Kiwane Garris
Kiwane Garris
Kiwane Garris is an American former professional basketball player. He was listed as a 6'2" , 183 lb point guard....
and Michael Hawkins
Michael Hawkins (basketball)
Steven Michael Hawkins, referred to as Michael Hawkins , is an American former professional basketball player...
had brief spells in the NBA. All went on to have careers in Europe, with Langdon being named to the Euroleague's All-Decade Team
ULEB Euroleague 2001–10 All-Decade Team
The ULEB Euroleague 2001-10 All-Decade Team consists of basketball players named to the Euroleague's All-Decade Team for the first 10 years of the ULEB competition from 2001-10.There were 50 players nominated for the All-Decade Team...
for the 2000s. This unheralded team, composed largely of players from American colleges, the minor-league Continental Basketball Association
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
or European pro leagues, captured a bronze medal, considered a solid achievement given the team's lack of top-notch talent. If there was no lockout, the team would have consisted of Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
, Tim Hardaway
Tim Hardaway
Timothy Duane "Tim" Hardaway is a retired American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association and who in his prime was one of the league's best point guards...
, Vin Baker
Vin Baker
Vincent Lamont Baker is a former American professional basketball player who played in the NBA. He appeared in four consecutive All-Star Games before his career was halted due to alcoholism....
, Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
, Terrell Brandon
Terrell Brandon
Thomas Terrell Brandon is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . Terrell was known throughout his 10-year career for his passing ability and stealing skills.-Early life:...
, Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
, Tom Gugliotta
Tom Gugliotta
Thomas James Gugliotta is a former American professional basketball player....
, Grant Hill
Grant Hill
Grant Hill is the name of:* Grant Hill, American basketball player* Grant Hill , Canadian politician* Grant Hill, San Diego, California, an urban neighboorhood in central San Diego...
, Allan Houston
Allan Houston
Allan Wade Houston is a retired American professional basketball player for the NBA, and currently the Assistant General Manager for the New York Knicks. He was one of the top 3-point shooters in the NBA until a knee injury forced him to retire...
, Christian Laettner
Christian Laettner
Christian Donald Laettner is a retired American professional basketball player and entrepreneur. He had a distinguished college and national career, and played in the National Basketball Association for thirteen seasons, from 1992–2005. He is presently a minority holder for the Major League...
, Glen Rice
Glen Rice
Glen Anthony Rice is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA. The 6'8" tall Rice was a three-time NBA All-Star guard/forward, ranking 11th in NBA history with 1,559 three-point field goals made during his 15-year career. As a player, Rice won an NCAA Men's Division...
, and Chris Webber
Chris Webber
Mayce Edward Christopher "Chris" Webber, III , nicknamed C-Webb, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is a five-time NBA All-Star, a former All-NBA First Teamer, a former NBA Rookie of the Year, and a former #1 overall NBA Draftee...
.
2000 Olympics U.S. Men's Basketball Team
During the late 1990s, international basketball began to gather attention as more and more foreign players became stars in the NBA. Therefore, the 2000 U.S. team had the enormous task of proving that American basketball could remain the best in the world. The new team that was assembled again featured NBANational Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
players, but this time few of them were considered to be true superstars, as several elite players elected not to participate.
The U.S. team participated in the 2000 Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia and was coached by Rudy Tomjanovich
Rudy Tomjanovich
Rudolph Tomjanovich, Jr. , nicknamed Rudy T., is an American retired basketball player and coach who coached the Houston Rockets to two consecutive NBA championships. He is currently a scout for the Los Angeles Lakers.-Early life:...
. It won its first two games by lopsided margins, but faced more difficult competition thereafter. A preliminary game against Lithuania
Lithuania national basketball team
The Lithuanian national basketball team is the representative for Lithuania in international men's basketball. Lithuania won bronze medals in three out of five Olympic tournaments it participated in....
, the U.S. team won 85–76, marking the first time a team of professional American players failed to win by double digits. Two games later, in a 106–94 victory over France
France national basketball team
The French national basketball team is the national basketball team representing France. It is administrated by the Fédération Française de Basket-Ball . The team has been competitive, but has yet to win a major international tournament...
, Vince Carter
Vince Carter
Vincent Lamar "Vince" Carter is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns. He is a shooting guard who can also play small forward....
pulled off one of the most famous dunks in basketball history, jumping over 2.18 metre French
France national basketball team
The French national basketball team is the national basketball team representing France. It is administrated by the Fédération Française de Basket-Ball . The team has been competitive, but has yet to win a major international tournament...
center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Frédéric Weis
Frédéric Weis
Frédéric Weis is a retired French professional basketball player.-Pro career:Weis has played for Unicaja Málaga and Iurbentia Bilbao of the Spanish ACB League, PAOK Thessaloniki in the Greek League, and Limoges in the French League...
on his way to the basket. (The French media would dub Carter's feat —"the dunk of death".)
A major shock came on the semifinals game when the United States managed to defeat Lithuania by only two points, 85–83, after Lithuanian star (and future NBA player, first with the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
and later with the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
) Šarūnas Jasikevičius
Šarunas Jasikevicius
Šarūnas Jasikevičius is a Lithuanian professional basketball player who plays for Panathinaikos BC. He is a member of the Lithuanian national team, and plays the point guard position.-Early years:...
missed a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer that would have won the game.
The closeness of the semifinal game was so shocking that NBC
Olympics on NBC
NBC Sports' coverage of the Olympic Games consists of broadcasts on the various networks of NBC Universal in the United States, including the NBC broadcast network, Spanish language network Telemundo, and many of the company's cable networks....
took the unusual step of showing the gold medal game live rather than on tape delay
Broadcast delay
In radio and television, broadcast delay refers to the practice of intentionally delaying broadcast of live material. A short delay is often used to prevent profanity, bloopers, violence, or other undesirable material from making it to air, including more mundane problems such as technical...
. (The game started around 2 pm Sydney time on Sunday October 1, which is late Saturday evening in the USA. NBC originally planned to show the game almost 24 hours later during its Sunday prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
broadcast.) The USA won the gold medal against France in a very close game, 85–75. Though the US went undefeated on its way to the gold medal, the team began to lose its aura of invincibility for the first time.
2002 FIBA World Championship (USA)
The 2002 team competed in the World Championship2002 FIBA World Championship
The 2002 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA from August 29 to September 8, 2002.-Venues:-Squads:...
in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Coached by George Karl, the team finished a surprisingly disappointing sixth in the competition. During the tournament, Argentina defeated the USA in the second preliminary round group stage, thus becoming the first team ever to defeat a USA team composed of NBA players. Serbia knocked out the USA in the quarter finals and then Spain repeated the outcome in the 5th place playoff. To a greater degree than in 2000, a number of top NBA players declined to participate, forcing USA Basketball to resort to picking mostly second-tier players.
George Karl had a dispute with Paul Pierce
Paul Pierce
Paul Anthony Pierce , nicknamed The Truth, is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the NBA. He earned First Team All-America honors in his junior year at Kansas, and has been a starter every season since being selected by the Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the...
, one of the few superstars on the team, which led to Karl benching Pierce, the team's leading scorer, in Team USA's final game. The group has been considered as one of sport's greatest flops, as they failed to produce as previous teams had. The United States lost 3 games in the tournament to countries with current or future NBA stars, like Argentina (led by Manu Ginóbili
Manu Ginobili
Emanuel David "Manu" Ginóbili is an Argentine professional basketball player. Coming from a family of professional basketball players, he is a member of the Argentine men's national basketball team and the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association .Ginóbili spent the early part of...
), Yugoslavia (led by Peja Stojaković
Peja Stojaković
Predrag Stojaković , also known by his nickname Peja , is a Serbian professional basketball player who last played for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association . Standing at 6 ft 10 , Stojaković plays the small forward position...
and Vlade Divac
Vlade Divac
Vlade Divac is a retired Yugoslav and Serbian professional basketball player who spent most of his career in the NBA. At , he played center and was known for his passing skills...
) and Spain (led by Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol Sáez is a Spanish professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . He was born to Marisa Sáez and Agustí Gasol, and he spent his childhood in Spain...
).
Two NBA superstars, Ray Allen
Ray Allen
Walter Ray Allen is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of...
and Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd is an American professional basketball point guard who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Raised in Oakland, California, Kidd played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted second overall by the Dallas...
, accepted roles to play on the World Championship team, but were unable to play on that team due to injuries. Many other superstars, including Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
, Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
, and Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
, turned down invitations to play in that tournament.
2004 Olympics (Athens) – The Nightmare Team
The close outcome of 2000 and the humiliating results of 2002 prompted a number of NBA superstars to agree to join the team for the FIBA Americas Championship 2003, which the squad was required to participate in to qualify for the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
. The team easily cruised to a first-place finish, earning it a spot in Athens, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
the following summer.
However, the dominant team that competed in 2003 could not be kept together. Nine of its 12 players elected not to participate in Athens. The revamped 2004 team consisted of some young NBA stars early in their careers, such as Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
and LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, but also included recent Most Valuable Players Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
and Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson
Allen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
. The team was coached by Larry Brown
Larry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
.
After struggles in several exhibition matches, the vulnerability of the 2004 team was confirmed when Puerto Rico defeated them 92–73 in the first game of the Olympic tournament
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens. The 19 point defeat was the most lopsided loss for the USA in the history of international competition.
After winning close games against Greece
Greece national basketball team
The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
and Australia, The USA fell to Lithuania
Lithuania national basketball team
The Lithuanian national basketball team is the representative for Lithuania in international men's basketball. Lithuania won bronze medals in three out of five Olympic tournaments it participated in....
, dropping to 2–2 in the Olympic tournament. Even after an 89–53 win over Angola, the Americans entered the knockout rounds in fourth place due to goal average, the lowest seed of their group. The Americans faced undefeated Spain in their quarterfinal game, winning 102–94.
However, the semi-final match saw the team defeated by Argentina
Argentina national basketball team
The Argentina national basketball team represents Argentina in basketball international competitions, and is controlled by the Argentine Basketball Federation....
, 89–81, ending the United States' hold on the gold medal. The USA did rebound to capture the bronze medal by defeating Lithuania. Still, it marked only the third time that an American team failed to win gold (excluding 1980 Moscow Olympics boycott), and the first time for an American team composed of professionals. Before 2004, American teams had only lost two games in all previous Olympic tournaments, whereas in this one the American team lost three.
2006–2008
Following the disappointments in 2002 and 2004, USA Basketball appointed Jerry ColangeloJerry Colangelo
Jerry Colangelo , is an American businessman and sports executive.He formerly owned the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League and the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major...
to be solely responsible for selecting the team. Colangelo made it clear that he would ask players for a three-year commitment—the 2006 FIBA World Championship
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
and the 2008 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 2008 Olympic Games were held from August 9, 2008 to August 24, 2008. Competitions were held at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China...
. In the 2006 Worlds, the team was eliminated by Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
at the semifinals, after a dramatic match. The head coach was Duke University's Mike Krzyzewski, with assistants Jim Boeheim
Jim Boeheim
James Arthur "Jim" Boeheim is the head coach of the men's basketball team at Syracuse University. Boeheim has guided the Orange to eight Big East regular season championships, five Big East Tournament championships, and 28 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three appearances in the national...
, Mike D'Antoni
Mike D'Antoni
Michael Andrew "Mike" D'Antoni is an Italian-American former basketball player and is currently the head coach of the NBA's New York Knicks. While head coach of the Phoenix Suns, he won NBA Coach of the Year honors for the 2004–05 NBA season after the Suns posted 33 more wins than the previous...
, and Nate McMillan
Nate McMillan
Nathaniel "Nate" McMillan is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers...
. While some prominent players, such as Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
and Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
, stated that they did not plan to play for the team, superstars Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
, Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
and LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
publicly announced their commitment for the 2006 Worlds and the ensuing 2008 Olympics. Wade
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
, James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
and Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
were named captains of the 2006 USA World Championship Team.
2008 Olympics (Beijing) – The Redeem Team
China national basketball team
The Chinese men's national basketball team is the basketball team representing China in international competitions. The governing body of Chinese basketball operations is the Basketball Association of China...
, Angola
Angola national basketball team
The Angola national basketball team represents Angola in international basketball matches and is controlled by the Federação Angolana de Basquetebol. Angola has been a member of FIBA since 1979...
, Greece
Greece national basketball team
The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
, world champion
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
Spain
Spain national basketball team
The Spanish national basketball team is the basketball team representing Spain in international competitions, organized and run by the Spanish Basketball Federation...
, and Germany
Germany national basketball team
The German national basketball team for men is the basketball side that represents Germany in international competitions. Their biggest successes are the victory in the European Championship of 1993 at home in Germany, the silver medal in the 2005 European Championships and the bronze medal in the...
by an average of 32.2 points. After finishing first in their group, the USA earned the right to play the fourth-place finishers in Group A, Australia
Australia national basketball team
The Australian national basketball team is the men's basketball side that represents Australia in international competitions. The team is known in Australia as the Boomers, an Australian slang term for Kangaroo. Australia is ranked 9th in the world and finished 7th at the 2008 Beijing Olympic...
. The United States soundly defeated Australia 116–85 in the quarterfinal matchup led by Kobe Bryant's 25 points. Next up for the Americans in the semifinals was the 2004 Olympic gold medalist
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's basketball
The men's tournament of basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics at Athens, Greece began on August 15 and lasted until August 28. The games were held at the Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena and Olympic Indoor Hall.-Medalists:-Qualifying:-Format:...
Argentina, led by Manu Ginóbili
Manu Ginobili
Emanuel David "Manu" Ginóbili is an Argentine professional basketball player. Coming from a family of professional basketball players, he is a member of the Argentine men's national basketball team and the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association .Ginóbili spent the early part of...
– the team that had beaten them in the semifinals four years prior. However Ginóbili was hobbled by an ankle injury and only played sparing minutes in the first half. Behind Carmelo Anthony's 21 points, the USA defeated Argentina 101–81 to reach the gold medal game.
On August 24, the United States defeated Spain 118–107 to capture the Olympic gold medal. The victory ended an eight year drought at major international competitions (Olympics & World Championships) and its first since the 2000 Olympics
Basketball at the 2000 Summer Olympics
-Group B:-Championship bracket:-Classification matches:-Preliminary round:The four best teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinal round.-Group A:-Group B:-Championship bracket:...
.
2010 FIBA World Championship (Turkey) – The B-Team
Due to winning gold at the 2008 Olympics, the USA automatically qualified for the World Championships. The USA had not won the FIBA World Championship since 19941994 FIBA World Championship
The 1994 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Canada from August 4 to August 14, 1994. The tournament was held at SkyDome and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto as well as at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton...
. It was initially believed that there would be only 2–3 spots available with most players returning from the 2008 Olympic team. However, by early July 2010, all ten invited players declined to participate either through injury, free agency, rest, or personal commitments. Due to the roster being filled with 12 new players and the lack of star power, the team was dubbed the "B-Team." Also, the coaches were criticized for selecting too many guards, inexperienced players, and the lack of tall players.
However, the young team won all 5 of its preliminary games, 4 of 5 of those by double digits (the exception being the win against Brazil by 2 points). The success continued in the knockout stage with victories by 55, 10, & 15. In the 2010 FIBA World Championship Final
2010 FIBA World Championship Final
The 2010 FIBA World Championship Final was a basketball game between the men's national teams of Turkey and the United States that took place on September 12, 2010, at Sinan Erdem Dome in Istanbul, Turkey, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIBA World Championship...
, the USA beat host nation Turkey
Turkey national basketball team
The Turkish national basketball team is the basketball section that represents Turkey in international competitions. The team is nicknamed "12 Dev Adam" ....
by 17 points and clinched a berth in 2012 Olympics
Basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- External links :**...
. Tournament MVP Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
broke several Team USA scoring records (most points in a tournament-205, most points in a single game-38, & PPG-22.8). In addition, Lamar Odom
Lamar Odom
Lamar Joseph Odom is an American professional basketball forward with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.-Early life:...
from the Los Angeles Lakers became the first player to win the NBA and FIBA World championships in the same year.
Team USA executive director Jerry Colangelo
Jerry Colangelo
Jerry Colangelo , is an American businessman and sports executive.He formerly owned the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League and the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major...
has said he's open to anyone from the Redeem Team to play in future tournaments.
2012 Olympics (London)
The USA has clinched a berth in the 2012 OlympicsBasketball at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- External links :**...
in London by virtue of its World Championship in Turkey. Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
, Chris Paul
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul is an American professional basketball point guard for the New Orleans Hornets.Paul was born and raised in North Carolina. Despite only playing two varsity basketball seasons in high school, he was a McDonald's All-American and accepted a scholarship with nearby Wake...
, Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
, LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
, Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...
, and Deron Williams
Deron Williams
Deron Michael Williams , nicknamed D-Will, is an American basketball player currently with the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association . Williams has also played for the Utah Jazz of the NBA and Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball League...
from the "Redeem Team" have all pledged their loyalty to the USA team and are willing to defend their Olympic title. Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
, Kevin Love
Kevin Love
Kevin Love, born in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former NASCAR driver. He ran five races in the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series season, all for Fiddleback Racing....
, Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose
Derrick Martell Rose is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association ....
, Lamar Odom
Lamar Odom
Lamar Joseph Odom is an American professional basketball forward with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.-Early life:...
, and Rudy Gay
Rudy Gay
Rudy Carlton Gay, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Memphis Grizzlies...
from the 2010 squad have also expressed interest in joining the 2012 Olympic Team. Team USA executive director Jerry Colangelo
Jerry Colangelo
Jerry Colangelo , is an American businessman and sports executive.He formerly owned the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League and the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major...
is planning a celebration gathering of 2008 and 2010 gold medalist teams during the summer of 2011 to prepare for the 2012 Olympic tournament. There will be no on-court activities.
Roster
|}| valign="top" |
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
----
Legend:
- (C) Captain
- Club denotes current pro club
|}
Competitive record
A red box around the year indicates tournaments played within the United StatesOlympic Games
| Year | Round | Position | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1936Basketball at the 1936 Summer Olympics -Fifth-place classification:-First round:Winners advanced to the second round. Losers competed in the first consolation round for another chance to move on.* Estonia def. France, 34-29* Chile def. Turkey, 30-16* Switzerland def. Germany, 25-18... |
Champions | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1948 Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics was the second appearance of the sport as an official medal event. A total number of 23 nations entered the competition.... |
Champions | 1st | 8 | 8 | 0 |
 1952Basketball at the 1952 Summer Olympics Basketball at the 1952 Summer Olympics was the third appearance of the sport. 23 nations entered the competition.The top six teams at the 1948 Summer Olympics qualified automatically, as did the 1950 World Champion , the top two at the 1951 European championships , and the host country... |
Champions | 1st | 8 | 8 | 0 |
 1956Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics was the fourth appearance of the sport in Olympic competition. Fifteen nations, an unusually low number for the basketball tournament, competed in the event, with 174 participants. A total number of 56 games of basketball were played.The teams were divided... |
Champions | 1st | 8 | 8 | 0 |
 1960Basketball at the 1960 Summer Olympics Basketball at the 1960 Summer Olympics was the fifth appearance of the sport in Olympic competition. 16 nations were admitted into the Olympic tournament, with many others being eliminated in a pre-Olympic tournament held earlier in the year from 13 to 20 August 1960 at the Sports Palace at Bologna... |
Champions | 1st | 9 | 9 | 0 |
 1964Basketball at the 1964 Summer Olympics Basketball contests at the 1964 Summer Olympics took place at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan from October 11 to October 23. The United States defeated the Soviet Union to win their sixth straight gold medal at this event, while Brazil earned the bronze against Puerto... |
Champions | 1st | 9 | 9 | 0 |
 1968Basketball at the 1968 Summer Olympics -Group B:October 13October 14October 15October 16October 18October 19October 20-Medal bracket:-Classification brackets:5th–8th Place9th–12th Place... |
Champions | 1st | 9 | 9 | 0 |
 1972Basketball at the 1972 Summer Olympics -Group B:-Medal bracket:-Classification brackets:5th–8th Place9th–12th Place13th–16th Place Forfeited match.-Gold Medal Match controversy:... |
Runners-up | 2nd | 9 | 8 | 1 |
 1976Basketball at the 1976 Summer Olympics Basketball contests at the 1976 Summer Olympics took place from July 18 to July 27 at the Centre Étienne Desmarteau and the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Canada. Women's basketball was introduced to the Olympic program for the first time at this Games... |
Champions | 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 |
 1980Basketball at the 1980 Summer Olympics Basketball at the 1980 Summer Olympics was held from July 20 to July 30 at the Olympiiski Indoor Stadium and at the CSKA Sports Palace, both located in Moscow. Finals of both men's and women's events were held 30 July at the Olympiiski Indoor Stadium.... |
1980 Summer Olympics boycott | ||||
 1984Basketball at the 1984 Summer Olympics -Group B:-Championship bracket:-Classification brackets:5th–8th Place9th–12th Place-Preliminary Round:... |
Champions | 1st | 8 | 8 | 0 |
 1988Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics took place at the Jamsil Gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea. The United States won the gold medal in the women's competition, thus repeating their performance from the 1984 tournament. In the men's tournament, the Soviet Union took home their second gold medal in... |
Third Place | 3rd | 8 | 7 | 1 |
 1992Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics The Basketball games of the 1992 Summer Olympics were played at the Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona. 12 men's teams and 8 women's teams participated in the tournament.... |
Champions | 1st | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1996 Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics Basketball contests at the 1996 Olympic Games were held from July 20, 1996 to August 4, 1996. Games took place at the Morehouse College Gymnasium and the Georgia Dome. For the second straight Olympic games, the American men's team composed almost entirely of NBA players won the gold medal... |
Champions | 1st | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 2000 Basketball at the 2000 Summer Olympics -Group B:-Championship bracket:-Classification matches:-Preliminary round:The four best teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinal round.-Group A:-Group B:-Championship bracket:... |
Champions | 1st | 8 | 8 | 0 |
 2004Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena in Athens, Greece for the preliminary rounds, with the latter stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex.... |
Third Place | 3rd | 8 | 5 | 3 |
 2008Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics Basketball contests at the 2008 Olympic Games were held from August 9, 2008 to August 24, 2008. Competitions were held at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China... |
Champions | 1st | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 2012 Basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympics - External links :**... |
Qualified | ||||
| Total | 13 Titles | 16/17 | 128 | 123 | 5 |
FIBA World Championship
| Year | Round | Position | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 19501950 FIBA World Championship The 1950 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from October 22 to November 3, 1950. Ten nations participated in the inaugural tournament. All competition was held at the Luna Park, Buenos Aires... |
Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 4 | 1 |
 19541954 FIBA World Championship The 1954 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in Ginásio do Maracanãzinho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from October 22 to November 5, 1954... |
Champions | 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 |
 19591959 FIBA World Championship The 1959 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Chile from January 16 to 31 , 1959. Amaury Antônio Pasos was named the MVP.... |
Runners-up | 2nd | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| 1963 1963 FIBA World Championship The 1963 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from May 11 to 23 , 1963.- Competing nations :- Preliminary round :-Group A:-Group B:-Group C:-Classification round:... |
Semi-Finals | 4th | 9 | 6 | 3 |
 19671967 FIBA World Championship The 1967 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Montevideo, Uruguay from May 27 to June 11, 1967.-Venues:- Competing nations :- Preliminary round :-Group A:-Group B:-Group C:-Classification round:... |
Semi-Finals | 4th | 9 | 7 | 2 |
 19701970 FIBA World Championship The 1970 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Yugoslavia at Sarajevo, Split, Karlovac, Skopje and Ljubljana, from May 10 to 24 , 1970... |
Quarter-Finals | 5th | 9 | 6 | 3 |
 19741974 FIBA World Championship The 1974 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Puerto Rico from July 3 to 14, 1974.-Venues:- Competing nations :- Preliminary round :-Group A:-Group B:-Group C:-Classification round:-Final round:... |
Third Place | 3rd | 9 | 8 | 1 |
 19781978 FIBA World Championship The 1978 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Philippines from October 1 to 14, 1978.Rizal Memorial Coliseum at Manila and Araneta Coliseum at Quezon City, Metro Manila were the venues for the event.-Venues:... |
Quarter-Finals | 5th | 7 | 3 | 4 |
 19821982 FIBA World Championship The 1982 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Colombia from August 15 to 28 , 1982.-Venues:- Competing nations :- Preliminary round :-Group A:-Group B:-Group C:-Classification round:-Final round:... |
Runners-up | 2nd | 9 | 7 | 2 |
| 1986 1986 FIBA World Championship The 1986 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Spain from July 5 to 19 1986.The Final phase of the tournament was held at the Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad, Madrid... |
Champions | 1st | 10 | 9 | 1 |
| 1990 1990 FIBA World Championship The 1990 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Argentina from August 8 to August 20, 1990.The competition final phase was held at the Luna Park, Buenos Aires.Yugoslavia emerged as the tournament winner... |
Third Place | 3rd | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| 1994 1994 FIBA World Championship The 1994 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Canada from August 4 to August 14, 1994. The tournament was held at SkyDome and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto as well as at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton... |
Champions | 1st | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1998 1998 FIBA World Championship The 1998 FIBA World Championship was the 13th FIBA World Championship, an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation and hosted in Athens, Greece from July 29 to August 9, 1998... |
Third Place | 3rd | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| 2002 2002 FIBA World Championship The 2002 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA from August 29 to September 8, 2002.-Venues:-Squads:... |
Quarter-Finals | 6th | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| 2006 2006 FIBA World Championship The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee... |
Third Place | 3rd | 9 | 8 | 1 |
 20102010 FIBA World Championship The 2010 FIBA World Championship, hosted by Turkey, was the international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams. The tournament ran from August 28 to September 12, 2010. It was co-organized by the International Basketball Federation , Turkish Basketball Federation and the... |
Champions | 1st | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| Total | 4 Titles | 16/16 | 132 | 105 | 27 |
FIBA Americas Championship
| Year | Round | Position | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 1980 Tournament of the Americas The 1980 Tournament of the Americas, known now as the FIBA Americas Championship, was a basketball championship hosted by Puerto Rico from April 18 to April 25, 1980. The games were played in San Juan. This FIBA Americas Championship was to earn the berths allocated to the Americas for the 1980... |
Did not participate | |||||
| 1984 1984 Tournament of the Americas The 1984 Tournament of the Americas, known now as the FIBA Americas Championship, was a basketball championship hosted by Brazil from May 15 to May 24, 1984. The games were played in Sao Paulo. This FIBA Americas Championship was to earn the three berths allocated to the Americas for the 1984... |
||||||
| 1988 1988 Tournament of the Americas The 1988 Tournament of the Americas, known now as the FIBA Americas Championship, was a basketball championship hosted by Uruguay from May 22 to May 31, 1988. The games were played in Montevideo. This FIBA Americas Championship was to earn the three berths allocated to the Americas for the 1988... |
||||||
| 1989 1989 Tournament of the Americas The 1989 Tournament of the Americas, known now as the FIBA Americas Championship, was a basketball championship hosted by Mexico from June 8 to June 18, 1989. The games were played in Mexico City. This FIBA Americas Championship was to earn the five berths allocated to the Americas for the 1990... |
Runner-up | 2nd | 8 | 6 | 2 | |
| 1992 1992 Tournament of the Americas The 1992 Tournament of the Americas, known now as the FIBA Americas Championship, was a basketball championship hosted by the United States from June 27 to July 5, 1992. The games were played in Portland, Oregon. This FIBA Americas Championship was to earn the four berths allocated to the... |
Champions | 1st | 6 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1993 1993 Tournament of the Americas The 1993 Tournament of the Americas, known now as the FIBA Americas Championship, was a basketball championship hosted by Puerto Rico from August 28 to September 5, 1993. The games were played in San Juan. This FIBA Americas Championship was to earn the four berths allocated to the Americas for... |
Champions | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | |
| 1995 1995 Tournament of the Americas The 1995 Tournament of the Americas, known now as the FIBA Americas Championship, was a basketball championship hosted by Argentina from August 15 to August 27, 1995. The games were played in Tucuman and Neuquen. This FIBA Americas Championship was to earn the three berths allocated to the... |
Did not participate | |||||
| 1997 1997 Tournament of the Americas The 1997 Tournament of the Americas, known now as the FIBA Americas Championship, was a basketball championship hosted by Uruguay from August 21 to August 31, 1997. The games were played in Montevideo. This FIBA Americas Championship was to earn the four berths allocated to the Americas for the... |
Champions | 1st | 9 | 8 | 1 | |
| 1999 |
Champions | 1st | 10 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2001 |
First Round | 10th | 4 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2003 |
Champions | 1st | 10 | 10 | 0 | |
 2005 |
Semi-Finals | 4th | 10 | 4 | 6 | |
| 2007 |
Champions | 1st | 10 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2009 FIBA Americas Championship 2009 The 2009 FIBA Americas Championship was the continental championships held by FIBA Americas for North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. The championship served as a qualifying tournament for the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey... |
Did not participate | |||||
| 2011 FIBA Americas Championship 2011 The 2011 FIBA Americas Championship for Men was the qualifying tournament for FIBA Americas at the 2012 Summer Olympics men's basketball tournament in London. The tournament was held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, from August 30 to September 11, 2011. Argentina won the title, defeating Brazil 80–75... |
||||||
| Total | 6 Titles | 9/15 | 74 | 60 | 14 | |
Pan American Games
| Year | Round | Position | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 Basketball at the 1951 Pan American Games The Men's Basketball Tournament at the 1951 Pan American Games was held in the Luna Park Arena from February 28 to March 8, 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.-Final ranking:-References:**... |
Champions | 1st | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1955 Basketball at the 1955 Pan American Games The men's basketball tournament at the 1955 Pan American Games was held from March 13 to March 24, 1955 in Mexico City, Mexico.-Final ranking:-References:**... |
Champions | 1st | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| 1959 Basketball at the 1959 Pan American Games The Men's Basketball Tournament at the 1959 Pan American Games was held from August 27 to September 6, 1959 in Chicago, United States.-Final ranking:-References:**... |
Champions | 1st | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1963 Basketball at the 1963 Pan American Games The Men's Basketball Tournament at the 1963 Pan American Games was held from April 23 to May 3, 1963 in São Paulo, Brazil.-Final ranking:-References:**... |
Champions | 1st | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1967 Basketball at the 1967 Pan American Games The Men's Basketball Tournament at the 1967 Pan American Games was held from July 24 to August 2, 1967 in Winnipeg, Canada.-Participating nations:-Final ranking:-References:**... |
Champions | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1971 Basketball at the 1971 Pan American Games The Men's Basketball Tournament at the 1971 Pan American Games was held from July 31 to August 12, 1971 in Cali, Colombia.-Participating nations:-Preliminary round:... |
Group Stage | 7th | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 1975 Basketball at the 1975 Pan American Games The Men's Basketball Tournament at the 1975 Pan American Games was held from October 13 to October 25, 1975 in Mexico City, Mexico.-Participating nations:-Final ranking:-References:**... |
Champions | 1st | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1979 Basketball at the 1979 Pan American Games The Men's Basketball Tournament at the 1979 Pan American Games was held from July 2 to July 14, 1979 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.-Participating nations:-Final ranking:-References:**... |
Champions | 1st | 9 | 9 | 0 |
 1983Basketball at the 1983 Pan American Games The Men's Basketball Tournament at the 1983 Pan American Games was held from August 15 to August 27, 1983 in Caracas, Venezuela.-Participating nations:-Final ranking:-References:**... |
Champions | 1st | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1987 Basketball at the 1987 Pan American Games The Men's Basketball Tournament at the 1987 Pan American Games was held from August 9 to August 23, 1987 at the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, United States.-Participating nations:-Final ranking:-References:**... |
Runners-up | 2nd | 7 | 6 | 1 |
 1991Basketball at the 1991 Pan American Games The Men's Basketball Tournament at the 1991 Pan American Games was held from August 3 to August 17, 1991 in Havana, Cuba. The women also competed in the Cuban capital, from August 3 to August 12.-Participating nations:-Preliminary round:... |
Third Place | 3rd | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| 1995 Basketball at the 1995 Pan American Games This page shows the results of the Basketball Tournament at the 1995 Pan American Games, held in Mar del Plata, Argentina from March 19 to March 25, 1995... |
Runners-up | 2nd | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| 1999 Basketball at the 1999 Pan American Games This page shows the results of the basketball tournament at the 1999 Pan American Games, held in the Winnipeg Arena in Winnipeg, Canada from July 31 to August 8, 1999.-Men's tournament:-Group A:August 1, 1999August 2, 1999August 4, 1999... |
Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| 2003 Basketball at the 2003 Pan American Games This page shows the results of the basketball tournament at the 2003 Pan American Games, held in the Palacio de los Deportes Virgilio Travieso Soto in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from August 2 to August 8, 2003.-Men's Tournament:-Group A:... |
Semi-Finals | 4th | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| 2007 Basketball at the 2007 Pan American Games Basketball at the 2007 Pan American Games took place at the indoor arena in the Autódromo de Jacarépagua built specially for the Pan Am Games. Brazil was the reigning Pan American champion in the men's competition, while Cuba defended its title in the women's competition.Each competition had eight... |
Quarter-Finals | 5th | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 2011 Basketball at the 2011 Pan American Games Basketball competitions at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara were held from October 21 to October 30 at the CODE Dome. Each team was allowed to enter a maximum of twelve athletes.-Medal table:-Events:-Qualification:... |
Third Place | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Total | 8 Titles | 16/16 | 98 | 83 | 15 |
Olympics
| Head coach | Event | Won | Lost | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Needles Jimmy Needles James R. "Jimmy" Needles was an American basketball coach best known for being the United States' first Olympic basketball coach in 1936.... |
1936 Berlin Basketball at the 1936 Summer Olympics -Fifth-place classification:-First round:Winners advanced to the second round. Losers competed in the first consolation round for another chance to move on.* Estonia def. France, 34-29* Chile def. Turkey, 30-16* Switzerland def. Germany, 25-18... |
5 | 0 |  |
| Omar Browning Omar Browning Omar "Bud" Browning was an American basketball coach. In 1948, he became the United States' second Olympic men's basketball coach. Browning led the team to a final record of 8-0 en route to a gold medal in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London... |
1948 London Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics was the second appearance of the sport as an official medal event. A total number of 23 nations entered the competition.... |
8 | 0 | |
| Warren Womble Warren Womble Warren Womble was the coach for the Peoria Caterpillars, a National Industrial Basketball League team in Peoria, Illinois.... |
1952 Helsinki Basketball at the 1952 Summer Olympics Basketball at the 1952 Summer Olympics was the third appearance of the sport. 23 nations entered the competition.The top six teams at the 1948 Summer Olympics qualified automatically, as did the 1950 World Champion , the top two at the 1951 European championships , and the host country... |
8 | 0 | |
| Nigel Gall | 1956 Melbourne Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics was the fourth appearance of the sport in Olympic competition. Fifteen nations, an unusually low number for the basketball tournament, competed in the event, with 174 participants. A total number of 56 games of basketball were played.The teams were divided... |
8 | 0 | |
| Pete Newell Pete Newell Peter Francis Newell was an American college men's basketball coach and basketball instructional coach. He coached for 15 years at the University of San Francisco, Michigan State University and the University of California, Berkeley, compiling an overall record of 234 wins and 123 losses... |
1960 Rome Basketball at the 1960 Summer Olympics Basketball at the 1960 Summer Olympics was the fifth appearance of the sport in Olympic competition. 16 nations were admitted into the Olympic tournament, with many others being eliminated in a pre-Olympic tournament held earlier in the year from 13 to 20 August 1960 at the Sports Palace at Bologna... |
8 | 0 | |
| Henry Iba Henry Iba Henry Payne "Hank" Iba was an American basketball and baseball coach.-Early life:Iba was born and raised in Easton, Missouri... |
1964 Tokyo Basketball at the 1964 Summer Olympics Basketball contests at the 1964 Summer Olympics took place at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan from October 11 to October 23. The United States defeated the Soviet Union to win their sixth straight gold medal at this event, while Brazil earned the bronze against Puerto... |
9 | 0 | |
| Henry Iba Henry Iba Henry Payne "Hank" Iba was an American basketball and baseball coach.-Early life:Iba was born and raised in Easton, Missouri... |
1968 Mexico City Basketball at the 1968 Summer Olympics -Group B:October 13October 14October 15October 16October 18October 19October 20-Medal bracket:-Classification brackets:5th–8th Place9th–12th Place... |
9 | 0 | |
| Henry Iba Henry Iba Henry Payne "Hank" Iba was an American basketball and baseball coach.-Early life:Iba was born and raised in Easton, Missouri... |
1972 Munich Basketball at the 1972 Summer Olympics -Group B:-Medal bracket:-Classification brackets:5th–8th Place9th–12th Place13th–16th Place Forfeited match.-Gold Medal Match controversy:... |
8 | 1 |  |
| Dean Smith Dean Smith Dean Edwards Smith is a retired American head coach of men's college basketball. Originally from Emporia, Kansas, Smith has been called a “coaching legend” by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching tenure at the University of North Carolina at Chapel... |
1976 Montreal Basketball at the 1976 Summer Olympics Basketball contests at the 1976 Summer Olympics took place from July 18 to July 27 at the Centre Étienne Desmarteau and the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Canada. Women's basketball was introduced to the Olympic program for the first time at this Games... |
7 | 0 | |
| Bob Knight | 1984 Los Angeles Basketball at the 1984 Summer Olympics -Group B:-Championship bracket:-Classification brackets:5th–8th Place9th–12th Place-Preliminary Round:... |
8 | 0 | |
| John Thompson John Thompson (basketball) John R. Thompson, Jr. is an American former basketball coach for the Georgetown University Hoyas. He is now a professional radio and TV sports commentator... |
1988 Seoul Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics took place at the Jamsil Gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea. The United States won the gold medal in the women's competition, thus repeating their performance from the 1984 tournament. In the men's tournament, the Soviet Union took home their second gold medal in... |
7 | 1 |  |
| Chuck Daly Chuck Daly Charles Jerome "Chuck" Daly was an American basketball head coach. He led the Detroit Pistons to consecutive National Basketball Association Championships in 1989 and 1990, and the Dream Team to the men's basketball gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He had a 14-year NBA coaching... |
1992 Barcelona Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics The Basketball games of the 1992 Summer Olympics were played at the Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona. 12 men's teams and 8 women's teams participated in the tournament.... |
8 | 0 | |
| Lenny Wilkens Lenny Wilkens Leonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA... |
1996 Atlanta Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics Basketball contests at the 1996 Olympic Games were held from July 20, 1996 to August 4, 1996. Games took place at the Morehouse College Gymnasium and the Georgia Dome. For the second straight Olympic games, the American men's team composed almost entirely of NBA players won the gold medal... |
8 | 0 | |
| Rudy Tomjanovich Rudy Tomjanovich Rudolph Tomjanovich, Jr. , nicknamed Rudy T., is an American retired basketball player and coach who coached the Houston Rockets to two consecutive NBA championships. He is currently a scout for the Los Angeles Lakers.-Early life:... |
2000 Sydney Basketball at the 2000 Summer Olympics -Group B:-Championship bracket:-Classification matches:-Preliminary round:The four best teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinal round.-Group A:-Group B:-Championship bracket:... |
8 | 0 | |
| Larry Brown Larry Brown (basketball) Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats.... |
2004 Athens Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena in Athens, Greece for the preliminary rounds, with the latter stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex.... |
5 | 3 | |
| Mike Krzyzewski | 2008 Beijing Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics Basketball contests at the 2008 Olympic Games were held from August 9, 2008 to August 24, 2008. Competitions were held at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China... |
8 | 0 | |
Past rosters
- 1936 Olympic Games: finished 1st among 21 teams
Frank Lubin
Frank Lubin
Frank John Lubin was an American-Lithuanian basketball player.Lubin was born on the east side of Los Angeles, California to a family of Lithuanian immigrants and died in Glendale, California....
, Sam Balter
Sam Balter
Samuel "Sam" Balter, Jr. was an American basketball player.-Career:He competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics...
, Ralph Bishop
Ralph Bishop
Ralph English Bishop was an American basketball player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.He was part of the American basketball team that won the gold medal...
, Joe Fortenberry
Joe Fortenberry
Joseph Cephis Fortenberry was an American basketball player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.He was part of the American basketball team, which won the gold medal...
, John Gibbons
John Gibbons
John Michael Gibbons was the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays in Major League Baseball from 2004 to 2008...
, Francis Johnson
Francis Johnson (basketball)
Francis Lee Johnson was an American basketball player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.He was part of the American basketball team, which won the gold medal...
, Carl Knowles
Carl Knowles
Carl Stanley Knowles was an American basketball player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics....
, Art Mollner
Art Mollner
Arthur "Art" Owen Mollner was an American basketball player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics....
, Donald Piper
Donald Piper
Donald Arthur Piper was an American basketball player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.He was part of the American basketball team, which won the gold medal. He played two matches....
, Jack Ragland
Jack Ragland
Jack Williamson Ragland was an American basketball player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.He was part of the American basketball team, which won the gold medal. He played two matches including the final....
, Willard Schmidt
Willard Schmidt (basketball)
Willard Theodore Schmidt was an American basketball player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.He was part of the American basketball team, which won the gold medal. He played one match....
, Carl Shy
Carl Shy
Carl L. Shy was an American basketball player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.He was part of the American basketball team, which won the gold medal. He played three matches including the final....
, Duane Swanson
Duane Swanson
Duane Alexander Swanson was an American basketball player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.He was part of the American basketball team, which won the gold medal. He played three matches...
, William Wheatley
William Wheatley
William Wheatley was an American stage actor.-Biography:He was born in New York City, the son of Frederick Wheatley, once a favorite actor in Baltimore and Philadelphia. His mother was Sarah Wheatley, who died in 1873. She was an admirable and a justly renowned actress...
(Coach: Jim Needles
Jimmy Needles
James R. "Jimmy" Needles was an American basketball coach best known for being the United States' first Olympic basketball coach in 1936....
)
- 1948 Olympic Games: finished 1st among 23 teams
Bob Kurland
Bob Kurland
Robert Albert "Bob" Kurland was a basketball center, who played for Henry Iba's Oklahoma A & M Aggies basketball team...
, Gordon Carpenter
Gordon Carpenter
Gordon "Shorty" Carpenter was an American basketball player, and part of gold medal winning American basketball team at the 1948 Summer Olympics....
, Clifford Barker
Cliff Barker
Clifford "Cliff" Eugene Barker was a basketball player from the United States, who won the gold medal with the USA national basketball team at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom.-References:...
, Don Barksdale
Don Barksdale
Donald Angelo "Don" Barksdale was a professional basketball player. He was a pioneer with a number of African-American firsts to his credit.-Early life:...
, Ralph Beard
Ralph Beard
Ralph Milton Beard Jr. was an American collegiate and professional basketball player. He was born in Hardinsburg, Kentucky. Beard was a member of Adolph Rupp's "Fabulous Five" University of Kentucky basketball team...
, Lewis Beck
Lew Beck (basketball)
Lewis William Beck, Jr. was an All-American college basketball player who was captain of the United States Olympic basketball team that won the Gold medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics...
, Vincent Boryla
Vince Boryla
Vincent Joseph Boryla is a retired American basketball player, coach, and executive. His nickname was "Moose". He graduated from East Chicago Washington High School in 1944. He played basketball at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Denver...
, Alex Groza
Alex Groza
Alex John Groza was an American professional basketball player from Martins Ferry, Ohio who was banned from the NBA for life in 1951 for point shaving...
, Wallace Jones
Wallace Jones
Wallace "Wah Wah" Clayton Jones is a retired American professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association from 1949 to 1952 with the Indianapolis Olympians....
, Ray Lumpp
Ray Lumpp
Raymond "Ray" George Lumpp is a retired American basketball player. He competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics.He was part of the American men's basketball team, which won the gold medal....
, Robert Pitts
Robert Pitts
Robert C. Pitts was an American basketball player who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics.Pitts played collegiately for the University of Arkansas, making All-Southwest Conference in 1942...
, Jesse Renick
Jesse Renick
Jesse Bernard "Cab" Renick was an American basketball player who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics.Jesse "Cab" Renick was A 6'2" Guard/Forward for Marietta High School in Marietta Oklahoma....
, Jack Robinson
Robert Robinson (basketball)
Robert Jackson "Jackie" Robinson is a retired American Baptist pastor and theologian and was a college basketball player who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics....
, Ken Rollins
Kenny Rollins
Kenneth Herman "Kenny" Rollins was an American basketball player who competed at the 1948 London Olympics and was also a member of the University of Kentucky's "Fab Five" who won the 1948 NCAA Tournament....
(Coach: Omar Browning
Omar Browning
Omar "Bud" Browning was an American basketball coach. In 1948, he became the United States' second Olympic men's basketball coach. Browning led the team to a final record of 8-0 en route to a gold medal in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London...
)
- 1950 World Championship: finished 2nd among 10 teams
John Stanich, Bob Fisher, Bryce Heffley, Tom Jaquet, Dan Kahler, John Langdon, Les Metzger, J. L. Parks
J. L. Parks
John Leonard "J. L." Parks is a retired American basketball player. He won two national championships at Oklahoma A&M University and represented the U.S...
, Jimmy Reese, Don Slocum, Blake Williams
Blake Williams (basketball)
Blake Williams is a retired American basketball player. He won two national championships at Oklahoma A&M University and represented the U.S...
(Coach: Gordon Carpenter
Gordon Carpenter
Gordon "Shorty" Carpenter was an American basketball player, and part of gold medal winning American basketball team at the 1948 Summer Olympics....
)
- 1952 Olympic Games: finished 1st among 23 teams
Bob Kurland
Bob Kurland
Robert Albert "Bob" Kurland was a basketball center, who played for Henry Iba's Oklahoma A & M Aggies basketball team...
, Howard Williams
Howie Williams (basketball)
Howard "Howie" Earl Williams was an American basketball player who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics. Williams played collegiately at Purdue University....
, Dan Pippin
Dan Pippin
Dan Luther Pippin was farmboy from Waynesville, Missouri who became an All Big 6 and All American basketball player at the University of Missouri. He later captained the 1952 United States Olympic team that won the gold medal in Helsinki...
, William Hougland
Bill Hougland
William "Bill" Marion Hougland was an American basketball player who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics and in the 1956 Summer Olympics. He was also a member of the Kansas Jayhawks' 1952 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship team.He was part of the American basketball team, which won the...
, Charles Hoag
Charles Hoag
Charles Hoag was the city of Minneapolis’s first school master, second Treasurer of Hennepin County and a classical scholar. He is also known to have played a part in the naming of Minneapolis....
, Clyde Lovellette, Melvin Kelley
Dean Kelley
Melvin Dean Kelley was an American basketball player who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics.He was part of the American basketball team, which won the gold medal. He played seven matches....
, Robert Kenney, Marcus Freiberger
Mark Freiberger
Marcus "Marc" Ross Freiberger was an American basketball player who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics. Freiberger played collegiately at the University of Oklahoma....
, Ronald Bontemps
Ron Bontemps
Ronald "Ron" Yngve Bontemps was an American basketball player who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics. He attended Beloit College....
, Victor Wayne Glasgow
Wayne Glasgow
Victor Wayne Glasgow played in college for Oklahoma University where he was a two time All-Big Seven selection. Passed playing in the NBA to play for the Phillips Petroleum Co. 66er's AAU team....
, Frank McCabe, John Keller
John Keller
John Frederick Keller was an American basketball player who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics.He competed in three games as a member of the American basketball team, which won the gold medal....
, Bill Lienhard
Bill Lienhard
William "Bill" Barner Lienhard was an American basketball player who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics.Bill Lienhard was born in Slaton, Texas. He went to college at the University of Kansas, where he was a member of the 1952 NCAA Champion basketball team. He was then part of the American...
(Coach: Warren Womble
Warren Womble
Warren Womble was the coach for the Peoria Caterpillars, a National Industrial Basketball League team in Peoria, Illinois....
)
- 1954 World Championship: finished 1st among 12 teams
Joe Stratton, B. H. Born
B. H. Born
Bert H. "B. H." Born is an American retired basketball center. After graduating from Medicine Lodge High School in 1950, he played for the Kansas Jayhawks from 1951 to 1954. In the 1951–52 season, Born was a reserve behind Clyde Lovellette, averaging 1.6 points per game...
, Richard Gott, Forrest Hamilton, Bill Johnson, Allen Kelley
Allen Kelley
Earl Allen Kelley is a former American basketball player who competed in the 1960 Summer Olympics.He was part of the American basketball team, which won the gold medal in 1960....
, Kirby Minter
Kirby Minter
James Kirby Minter is a retired American basketball player. Minter graduated from Durant High School in 1947, and was inducted to the Durant Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007...
, Don Penwell, Dick Retherford, Kendall Sheets, Ed Solomon, Jerry Arkarath (Coach: Warren Womble
Warren Womble
Warren Womble was the coach for the Peoria Caterpillars, a National Industrial Basketball League team in Peoria, Illinois....
)
- 1956 Olympic Games: finished 1st among 15 teams
Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
, William Hougland
Bill Hougland
William "Bill" Marion Hougland was an American basketball player who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics and in the 1956 Summer Olympics. He was also a member of the Kansas Jayhawks' 1952 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship team.He was part of the American basketball team, which won the...
, Kenneth "K.C." Jones
K. C. Jones
K. C. Jones is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. K. C. Jones is his full name.-Playing career:...
, Gilbert Ford
Gilbert Ford
Gilbert "Gib" Ford was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Mr.Ford played collegiality at the University of Texas....
, Burdette Haldorson
Burdette Haldorson
Burdette Eliele "Burdie" Haldorson was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics and in the 1960 Summer Olympics...
, Carl Cain
Carl Cain
Carl Cecil Cain was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Cain played collegiately at the University of Iowa....
, Dick Boushka, James Walsh
Jim Walsh (basketball)
James Patrick Walsh was an American basketball player.A 6'4" forward from Stanford University, Walsh competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics, where he won a gold medal with the United States national basketball team...
, Charles Darling
Charles Darling (basketball)
Charles Frick "Chuck" Darling was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Darling played collegiately at the University of Iowa....
, William Evans
William Evans (basketball)
William Best "Billy" Evans was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Evans played collegiately at the University of Kentucky....
, Robert Jeangerard
Robert Jeangerard
Robert Eugene Jeangerard is a retired American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Jeangerard played collegiately at the University of Colorado....
, Ron Tomsic
Ron Tomsic
Ronald Paul Tomsic is a former American basketball player.Tomsic, a guard, played college basketball at Stanford University from 1951–1955. He scored 1,416 points in his Stanford career, the most in school history at the time...
(Coach: Gerald Tucker
Gerald Tucker
Gerald Tucker was the head coach on the 1956 USA Men's Basketball Gold Medal Olympic Team. He was the coach of Bartlesville Phillips 66ers for four seasons from 1954-58 having the most wins in the National Industrial Basketball League in each of those 4 seasons...
)
- 1959 World Championship: finished 2nd among 13 teams
Jerry Vayda
Jerry Vayda
Jerry Vayda is a retired American basketball player.A 6'4" forward who played collegiately at University of North Carolina....
, Dick Baker, Jim Coshow, Hank D'Antonio, Bob Hodges, Eddie White, Robert Jeangerard
Robert Jeangerard
Robert Eugene Jeangerard is a retired American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Jeangerard played collegiately at the University of Colorado....
, Henry McDonald, John F. Miller, Ronald Olsen, Virgil Riley, Dick Welsh (Coach: Charles "Buzz" Bennett)
- 1960 Olympic Games: finished 1st among 16 teams
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
, Jerry West
Jerry West
Jerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
, Walter Bellamy
Walter Bellamy
Walter Bellamy was a professional footballer who played for Ilford, Tufnell Park, Dulwich Hamlet, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion.- Football career :...
, Jerry Lucas
Jerry Lucas
Jerry Ray Lucas was a basketball player from the 1950s to the 1970s, and is now a memory education expert. In 1996, the NBA's 50th anniversary, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in National Basketball Association history...
, Jay Arnette
Jay Arnette
Jay Hoyland Arnette is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'2" guard from the University of Texas, Arnette competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics, where he won a gold medal with the United States national basketball team...
, Bob Boozer
Bob Boozer
Robert Louis "Bob" Boozer is a retired American professional basketball player. Boozer was born and raised in North Omaha, Nebraska and graduated from Tech High in Omaha....
, Terry Dischinger
Terry Dischinger
Terence Gilbert "Terry" Dischinger is a retired American basketball player in the NBA. He currently practices orthodontics.-High school career:...
, Adrian Smith
Adrian Smith (basketball)
Adrian Howard Smith is a retired American Northeast Mississippi Community College, University of Kentucky, NBA, and ABA player....
, Burdette Haldorson
Burdette Haldorson
Burdette Eliele "Burdie" Haldorson was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics and in the 1960 Summer Olympics...
, Lester Lane
Lester Lane
Lester E. Lane was an American basketball player who competed in the 1960 Summer Olympics.Lane was born in Purcell, Oklahoma.He was part of the American basketball team, which won the gold medal in 1960....
, Darrall Imhoff
Darrall Imhoff
Darrall Tucker Imhoff is an American former professional basketball player. He spent twelve seasons in the NBA , playing for half a dozen teams...
, Allen Kelley
Allen Kelley
Earl Allen Kelley is a former American basketball player who competed in the 1960 Summer Olympics.He was part of the American basketball team, which won the gold medal in 1960....
(Coach: Pete Newell
Pete Newell
Peter Francis Newell was an American college men's basketball coach and basketball instructional coach. He coached for 15 years at the University of San Francisco, Michigan State University and the University of California, Berkeley, compiling an overall record of 234 wins and 123 losses...
)
- 1963 World Championship: finished 4th among 13 teams
Pete McCaffrey, Mel Peterson, Willis Reed
Willis Reed
Willis Reed, Jr. is a retired American basketball player, coach and manager of basketball teams. He spent his entire professional playing career with the New York Knicks. In 1982, his outstanding record and achievements were recognized by his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall...
, Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson (basketball)
Melvin L. "Mel" Gibson is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'3" and 180 lb former Western Carolina University guard played a single season in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1963-64 in which he appeared in nine games and recorded a total of 13 points.He played for the...
, Bunk Adams, Jerry Shipp, Lucious Jackson
Lucious Jackson
Lucious Brown "Luke" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball player.-Collegiate career:Born in San Marcos, Texas, Jackson played college basketball at Pan American College and was a member the U.S. Olympic basketball team that won the gold at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo...
, Charlie Bowerman, Walt Torrence, Vinnie Ernst, Ed Smallwood, Don Kojis
Don Kojis
Donald R. Kojis was a professional basketball player who attended Marquette University and was drafted by the Chicago Packers in the 2nd round of the 1961 NBA Draft...
(Coach: Garland Pinholster)
- 1964 Olympic Games: finished 1st among 16 teams
Bill Bradley
Bill Bradley
William Warren "Bill" Bradley is an American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, and former three-term Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in the 2000 election.Bradley was born and raised in a suburb of St....
, Larry Brown
Larry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
, Jim Barnes
Jim Barnes (basketball)
V. James Barnes , a.k.a. Jim 'Bad News' Barnes was an American basketball player....
, Joe Caldwell
Joe Caldwell
Joe Louis Caldwell is a retired American professional basketball player. He spent 6 seasons in the NBA and 5 seasons in the now-defunct ABA, and he was one of the few players to be an All-Star in both leagues...
, Pete McCaffrey, Melvin Counts
Mel Counts
Mel Grant Counts is a retired American basketball player who was in the NBA from 1964 to 1976. He was on the United States Olympic basketball team that won the gold at the 1964 Summer Olympics. He played in college for Oregon State University and was selected by the Boston Celtics in the 1964...
, Dick Davies
Dick Davies
Richard Allen "Dick" Davies is a retired American basketball player. He played for the gold medal-winning United States men's national basketball team at the 1964 Summer Olympics...
, Walt Hazzard
Walt Hazzard
Walter "Walt" Raphael Hazzard Jr. , also known as Mahdi Abdul-Rahman, was an American college, Olympic, and professional basketball player and college basketball coach...
, Lucious Jackson
Lucious Jackson
Lucious Brown "Luke" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball player.-Collegiate career:Born in San Marcos, Texas, Jackson played college basketball at Pan American College and was a member the U.S. Olympic basketball team that won the gold at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo...
, Jerry Shipp, Jeff Mullins, George Wilson (Coach: Henry “Hank” Iba
Henry Iba
Henry Payne "Hank" Iba was an American basketball and baseball coach.-Early life:Iba was born and raised in Easton, Missouri...
)
- 1967 World Championship: finished 4th among 13 teams
Stan McKenzie
Stan McKenzie
Stanley McKenzie is an American 6'5" retired American professional National Basketball Association player. McKenzie played college basketball at New York University. He was selected by the Baltimore Bullets in the 11th round of the 1966 NBA Draft.-External links:* @ basketballreference.com...
, Vern Benson, Darius Cunningham, John Clawson
John Clawson
John Richard Clawson is a retired American basketball player.A 6'4" forward from Naperville High School in Illinois, Clawson played at the University of Michigan, where his team won three Big Ten Conference titles and participated in two NCAA Final Fours...
, Jay Miller, Mike Silliman
Mike Silliman
Michael Barnwell Silliman was an American professional basketball player. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky.A 6'6" forward from the United States Military Academy, Silliman participated in the 1968 Summer Olympics, where he won a gold medal with the United States national basketball team...
, Charles Paulk, Mike Barrett
Mike Barrett (basketball player)
Michael Thomas "Bird Man" Barrett was an American basketball player.He was reared in Richwood, West Virginia and attended Richwood High School....
, Darel Carrier
Darel Carrier
James Darel Carrier is a former professional basketball player. Carrier played his high school basketball at the now defunct Bristow High School. A 6'3" guard, Carrier played college basketball at Western Kentucky University. Carrier was selected in the 9th round of the 1964 NBA Draft by the...
, Al Tucker
Al Tucker
-External links:* *...
, Kendall Rhine, Jim Williams (Coach: Hal Fischer)
- 1968 Olympic Games: finished 1st among 16 teams
Spencer Haywood
Spencer Haywood
Spencer Haywood is a retired American professional basketball player.- High school :In 1964, Haywood moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he attended Pershing High School...
, Mike Barrett, John Clawson, Don Dee, Calvin Fowler, Joseph "Jo Jo" White
Jo Jo White
Joseph Henry "Jo Jo" White is an American former professional basketball player.-Life and career:White was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of a minister...
, Bill Hosket, Jim King, Glynn Saulters, Charles Scott, Mike Silliman, Ken Spain (Coach: Henry “Hank” Iba
Henry Iba
Henry Payne "Hank" Iba was an American basketball and baseball coach.-Early life:Iba was born and raised in Easton, Missouri...
)
- 1970 World Championship: finished 5th among 13 teams
Tal Brody, Bill Walton
Bill Walton
William Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
, Kenny Washington, Brad Luchini, Michael Silliman, Bob Wolfe, Jim Williams, Art Wilmore, Darnell Hillman, Stan Isaac, Bruce McDonald, Garfield Smith (Coach: Hal Fischer)
- 1972 Olympic Games: finished 2nd among 16 teams
Doug Collins
Doug Collins
Paul Douglas "Doug" Collins is a retired American basketball player, a former four-time NBA All-Star and currently the head coach of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers.-High school and college:...
, Jim Brewer
Jim Brewer (basketball)
James Turner Brewer is a retired American National Basketball Association player. Brewer was the first notable player to come out of Proviso East High School, which has one of the most successful high school basketball programs in Illinois. In 1969, Brewer, playing center, led his team to the...
, Ed Ratleff, Dwight Jones, Thomas Henderson, Tommy Burleson, Kevin Joyce, Bobby Jones, Kenny Davis, Mike Bantom, James Forbes, Tom McMillen (Coach: Henry “Hank” Iba
Henry Iba
Henry Payne "Hank" Iba was an American basketball and baseball coach.-Early life:Iba was born and raised in Easton, Missouri...
)
- 1974 World Championship: finished 3rd among 14 teams
John Lucas
John Lucas II
John Harding Lucas II is a retired American professional basketball player and a current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers.-Basketball playing career and substance abuse:...
, Tom Boswell, Joe Meriweather, Rick Schmidt, Rich Kelley, Quinn Buckner, Myron Wilkins, Steve Grote, Luther Burden, Frank Oleynick, Eugene Short, Gus Gerard (Coach: Gene Bartow
Gene Bartow
Gene Bartow is a former men's college basketball coach. The Browning, Missouri, native coached 36 years at six universities after coaching two high schools in Missouri for six years.-High school:...
)
- 1976 Olympic Games: finished 1st among 12 teams
Adrian Dantley
Adrian Dantley
Adrian Delano Dantley is a retired American basketball player who played 15 seasons in the NBA, including seven as a member of the Utah Jazz. A forward/guard and six-time NBA All-Star, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008...
, Phil Ford, Steve Sheppard, Phil Hubbard, Mitch Kupchak
Mitch Kupchak
Mitchell "Mitch" Kupchak is a retired American basketball player and current general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers since the 2000–01 NBA season after predecessor Jerry West moved to the Memphis Grizzlies organization....
, Michael "Tate" Armstrong, Quinn Buckner, Kenny Carr, Walter Davis, Ernie Grunfeld, Tom LaGarde, Scott May (Coach: Dean Smith
Dean Smith
Dean Edwards Smith is a retired American head coach of men's college basketball. Originally from Emporia, Kansas, Smith has been called a “coaching legend” by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching tenure at the University of North Carolina at Chapel...
)
- 1978 World Championship: finished 5th among 14 teams
Irvin Kiffin, Wayne Smith, Tim Hall, Derrick Jackson, Eugene Parker, Tom Schneeberger, Ernst Wansley, Marvin Delph, Ralph Drollinger, Brad Hoffman, Mike Jackson (Coach: Bill Oates)
- 1980 Olympic Games: did not participate
- 1982 World Championship: finished 2nd among 13 teams
Doc Rivers
Doc Rivers
Glenn Anton "Doc" Rivers is a former professional basketball player and the current head coach of the NBA's Boston Celtics. Rivers was known for his defense while playing in the NBA...
, Antoine Carr
Antoine Carr
Antoine Labotte Carr is a retired American basketball player. A 16-year NBA journeyman, he was known for the goggles he wore onto the court.-Early life:Antoine Carr was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
, John Pinone
John Pinone
John Gabriel Pinone Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. Pinone played competitively at South Catholic High School in Hartford, leading the team to the Class L state championship in 1977 and 1979...
, Mitchell Wiggins
Mitchell Wiggins
Mitchell Lee Wiggins is a retired American professional basketball player, in the shooting guard position.-High school/college career:...
, Jeff Turner
Jeff Turner
Jeffrey Steven Turner is a retired American professional basketball player and broadcasting announcer. Turner played ten NBA seasons , spending time with the New Jersey Nets as well as the Orlando Magic. He ended his NBA career with 3,697 career points. Turner was a 6' 9" forward/center...
, Joe Kleine
Joe Kleine
Joseph William Kleine is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.Kleine, a seven-foot center, graduated from Slater High School in Slater, Missouri and originally enrolled to play basketball at the University of Notre Dame...
, Earl Jones
Earl Jones (basketball)
Earl Jones is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 7'0" 210 lb center and played collegiately at the University of the District of Columbia from 1980 to 1984...
, Ted Kitchel
Ted Kitchel
Ted Kitchel is a retired American basketball player. He was a two-time All-American at Indiana University and represented the United States in the 1982 FIBA World Championship in Colombia...
, Fred Reynolds, Jon Sundvold
Jon Sundvold
Jon Thomas "Sunny" Sundvold is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1st round of the 1983 NBA Draft. A 6'2" shooting guard from the University of Missouri, Sundvold played in 9 NBA seasons from 1983–1992...
, Jim Thomas
Jim Thomas (basketball)
James Edward Thomas is a retired American basketball player. A 6'3", guard, he played college basketball at Indiana University from 1979–1983, and played professionally in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, L.A. Clippers, and Minnesota Timberwolves from 1983–1990...
, Mark West (Coach: Bob Weltlich)
- 1984 Olympic Games: finished 1st among 12 teams
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
, Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing
Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle...
, Chris Mullin
Chris Mullin (basketball)
Christopher Paul Mullin is a retired American basketball player and former general manager of the NBA's Golden State Warriors. He has also been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame....
, Sam Perkins
Sam Perkins
Samuel Perkins is a retired American professional basketball player, also known by the nicknames "Sleepy Sam" and "Big Smooth." He attended Samuel J. Tilden High School, Shaker High School and the University of North Carolina, where he was a teammate of Michael Jordan...
, Steve Alford
Steve Alford
Stephen Todd Alford is a retired American basketball player and the current head coach of the University of New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team...
, Vern Fleming
Vern Fleming
Vern Fleming is a former professional basketball player in the NBA who played twelve seasons from 1984 until 1996...
, Joe Kleine
Joe Kleine
Joseph William Kleine is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.Kleine, a seven-foot center, graduated from Slater High School in Slater, Missouri and originally enrolled to play basketball at the University of Notre Dame...
, Jon Koncak
Jon Koncak
Jon Francis Koncak is a former American professional basketball player. A 7'0" center from Southern Methodist University, Koncak was selected with the 5th pick in the 1985 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. Koncak spent ten seasons with the Hawks , mainly in a reserve role, then concluded his...
, Alvin Robertson
Alvin Robertson
Alvin Cyrrale Robertson is a retired American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association from 1984 to 1993, and for one final season in 1995–96.-Career:...
, Wayman Tisdale
Wayman Tisdale
Wayman Lawrence Tisdale was an American professional basketball player in the NBA and a smooth jazz bass guitarist. A three-time All American at the University of Oklahoma, he was elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.-Early life:Tisdale was born in Fort Worth, Texas...
, Jeff Turner
Jeff Turner
Jeffrey Steven Turner is a retired American professional basketball player and broadcasting announcer. Turner played ten NBA seasons , spending time with the New Jersey Nets as well as the Orlando Magic. He ended his NBA career with 3,697 career points. Turner was a 6' 9" forward/center...
, Leon Wood
Leon Wood
Osie Leon Wood III , is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1st round of the 1984 NBA Draft. A 6'3" shooting guard from Saint Monica Catholic High School and California State University-Fullerton, Wood played in six NBA seasons for...
(Coach: Bobby Knight)
- 1986 World Championship: finished 1st among 24 teams
David Robinson
David Robinson (basketball)
David Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". He and teammate power forward Tim Duncan were...
, Rony Seikaly
Rony Seikaly
Ronald Fred "Rony" Seikaly is a retired Lebanese-born American professional basketball player.-Early life:Seikaly was born in Beirut, Lebanon. At the age of 9, Rony moved from Beirut where he'd been attending elementary school at the Athenee de Beirut to Greece, where he spent the rest of his youth...
, Sean Elliott
Sean Elliott
Sean Michael Elliott is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.-Early life:Elliott was born in Tucson, Arizona and was youngest of three boys. He was a very intelligent boy growing up and attended the G.A.T.E. program at Toleson Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona...
, Steve Kerr
Steve Kerr
Stephen Douglas "Steve" Kerr is a retired American professional basketball player. He shot .454 from three point range over his career and currently holds the record as the most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history...
, Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues
Muggsy Bogues
Tyrone Curtis "Muggsy" Bogues is a retired American professional basketball player and former head coach of the now-defunct Charlotte Sting of the Women's National Basketball Association . The shortest player ever to play in the NBA, the Bogues played point guard for four teams during his...
, Brian Shaw, Charles D. Smith
Charles D. Smith
Charles Daniel Smith is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.- College career :...
, Kenny Smith
Kenny Smith
Kenneth "The Jet" Smith is a retired National Basketball Association player and current TV basketball analyst, primarily for Inside the NBA on TNT.-Early life:...
, Derrick McKey
Derrick McKey
Derrick Wayne McKey is a retired American basketball player who played the most part of his NBA career between the small forward and the power forward positions.-Early life and college career:...
, Tommy Amaker
Tommy Amaker
Harold Tommy Amaker is the current head coach of the Harvard University men's basketball team. He has also served as head basketball coach for the University of Michigan men's basketball team and at Seton Hall University. He played point guard and later served as an assistant coach at Duke...
, Tom Hammonds
Tom Hammonds
Tom Edward Hammonds is a retired American professional basketball player and National Hot Rod Association drag racer. He was born in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and attended Crestview High School in Crestview, Florida....
, Armon Gilliam (Coach: Lute Olson
Lute Olson
Robert Luther "Lute" Olson is a retired American men's basketball coach. He was most recently head coach at the University of Arizona for a period of 25 years. He was also head coach at the University of Iowa for 9 years and California State University, Long Beach for one season...
)
- 1988 Olympic Games: finished 3rd among 12 teams
David Robinson
David Robinson (basketball)
David Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". He and teammate power forward Tim Duncan were...
, Mitch Richmond
Mitch Richmond
Mitchell James "Mitch" Richmond is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He played collegiately at Kansas State University. He was a 6-time NBA All-Star, a 5-time All-NBA Team member and a former NBA Rookie of the Year...
, Stacey Augmon
Stacey Augmon
Stacey Orlando Augmon is a retired American professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He gained the nickname "Plastic Man" due to his athletic ability to "stretch"...
, Danny Manning
Danny Manning
Daniel Ricardo "Danny" Manning is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He is an assistant basketball coach at his alma mater, the University of Kansas Jayhawks. Manning won the National Championship with the Jayhawks in 1988 as a player, and...
, Dan Majerle
Dan Majerle
Daniel Lewis Majerle is a retired American professional basketball player and currently an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. Known by his fans as "Downtown Dan," "Thunder Dan," and "Dan the Man," he played 14 years in the NBA, primarily with the Phoenix Suns, also with the Miami...
, J.R. Reid, Willie Anderson
Willie Anderson (basketball)
Willie Lloyd Anderson, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association....
, Charles E. Smith
Charles E. Smith (basketball)
Charles Edward Smith IV is a retired American professional basketball player who played with the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA.-College career:Smith attended All Saints High School in Washington, D.C...
, Hersey Hawkins, Charles D. Smith
Charles D. Smith
Charles Daniel Smith is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.- College career :...
, Vernell Coles
Bimbo Coles
Vernell Eufaye "Bimbo" Coles is a retired American basketball player. Coles was a standout at Greenbrier East High School in Lewisburg, West Virginia. He played his college basketball for the Virginia Tech Hokies for four seasons . He was a member of the United States 1988 Olympic basketball team...
, Jeff Grayer
Jeff Grayer
Jeffrey Grayer is a retired American basketball player. A and shooting guard, Grayer starred at Iowa State University 1985-1988 where he set the all-time career scoring record, with 2,502 points. He was named 3-time all-Big Eight and All-American in 1988...
(Coach: John Thompson
John Thompson (basketball)
John R. Thompson, Jr. is an American former basketball coach for the Georgetown University Hoyas. He is now a professional radio and TV sports commentator...
)
- 1990 World Championship: finished 3rd among 16 teams
Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player, who played most of his 15-year NBA career for the Miami Heat....
, Chris Gatling
Chris Gatling
Chris Raymond Gatling is a retired American professional basketball player, having played for numerous NBA teams from 1991 to 2002...
, Christian Laettner
Christian Laettner
Christian Donald Laettner is a retired American professional basketball player and entrepreneur. He had a distinguished college and national career, and played in the National Basketball Association for thirteen seasons, from 1992–2005. He is presently a minority holder for the Major League...
, Henry Williams
Henry Williams (basketball)
Henry Williams is a retired American basketball player.- College career :Williams played college basketball for UNC Charlotte under coach Jeff Mullins from 1988 through 1992. In his four years with the 49ers, Williams remains the 49ers' all-time leading scorer with 2,383 points. The school has...
, Kenny Anderson
Kenny Anderson
Kenneth "Kenny" Anderson is a retired American basketball player. After a college career at Georgia Institute of Technology, he played point guard professionally from 1991 to 2006, mostly in the National Basketball Association....
, Todd Day
Todd Day
Todd Fitzgerald Day is a retired American professional basketball player. Day is the all-time leading scorer at the University of Arkansas, and played eight seasons in the NBA...
, Lee Mayberry
Lee Mayberry
Orva Lee Mayberry, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player, spending seven seasons in the National Basketball Association.-Early career:...
, Billy Owens
Billy Owens
Billy Eugene Owens is an American former professional basketball player.As a high school senior, Owens averaged 34 points per game, and helped lead Carlisle High School to four consecutive state titles. He was considered to be the second best prep player of 1988, behind Alonzo Mourning...
, Mark Randall, Chris Smith
Chris Smith (basketball)
Christopher 'Chris' Gerard Smith is an American former professional basketball player, in the point guard position.-Basketball career:Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Smith played collegiately at the University of Connecticut...
, Doug Smith
Doug Smith (basketball)
Douglas Smith is a retired American basketball player who was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1st round of the 1991 NBA Draft. Smith played in five NBA seasons, for the Mavericks and the Boston Celtics and averaged 8.0 ppg in his NBA career...
, Bryant Stith
Bryant Stith
Bryant Lamonica Stith is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.A 6'5" shooting guard, Bryant was selected from the University of Virginia with the 13th overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in the 1992 NBA Draft. Bryant played eight seasons with the team before being traded to...
(Coach: Mike Krzyzewski)
- 1992 Olympic Games: finished 1st among 12 teams
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
, Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
, Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
, Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
, Chris Mullin
Chris Mullin (basketball)
Christopher Paul Mullin is a retired American basketball player and former general manager of the NBA's Golden State Warriors. He has also been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame....
, Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing
Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle...
, Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
, John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
, David Robinson
David Robinson (basketball)
David Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". He and teammate power forward Tim Duncan were...
, Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen
Scottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
, Clyde Drexler
Clyde Drexler
Clyde Austin "Clyde The Glide" Drexler is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard and small forward. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBA named him one of basketball's fifty greatest players as of 1996. Drexler won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and...
, Christian Laettner
Christian Laettner
Christian Donald Laettner is a retired American professional basketball player and entrepreneur. He had a distinguished college and national career, and played in the National Basketball Association for thirteen seasons, from 1992–2005. He is presently a minority holder for the Major League...
(Coach: Chuck Daly
Chuck Daly
Charles Jerome "Chuck" Daly was an American basketball head coach. He led the Detroit Pistons to consecutive National Basketball Association Championships in 1989 and 1990, and the Dream Team to the men's basketball gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He had a 14-year NBA coaching...
)
- 1994 World Championship: finished 1st among 16 teams
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
, Dominique Wilkins
Dominique Wilkins
Jacques Dominique Wilkins is a retired American professional basketball player who primarily played for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA...
, Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player, who played most of his 15-year NBA career for the Miami Heat....
, Shawn Kemp
Shawn Kemp
Shawn T. Kemp is a former American professional basketball player, who played in the National Basketball Association for 14 seasons. He was a six-time NBA All-Star and a three-time All-NBA Second Team member.-Early years:...
, Reggie Miller
Reggie Miller
Reginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
, Derrick Coleman
Derrick Coleman
Derrick D. Coleman is a retired American basketball player in the NBA. Coleman grew up and attended high school in Detroit, Michigan and attended college at Syracuse University...
, Joe Dumars
Joe Dumars
Joe Dumars III , nicknamed Joe D, is a retired American basketball player in the NBA, and currently the Detroit Pistons' President of Basketball Operations....
, Kevin Johnson
Kevin Johnson
Kevin Maurice Johnson is the current mayor of Sacramento, California. He is Sacramento's first African American mayor. Prior to entering politics, Johnson was a basketball player in the NBA, playing point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Phoenix Suns...
, Mark Price
Mark Price
William Mark Price is a retired American basketball player who played for 12 seasons in the NBA, from 1986 to 1998...
, Steve Smith
Steve Smith (basketball)
Steven Delano "Steve" Smith is a retired American basketball player. He played with several teams in his 14-season National Basketball Association career, including the Miami Heat, the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs, but is perhaps best known for his five-year stint with the...
, Dan Majerle
Dan Majerle
Daniel Lewis Majerle is a retired American professional basketball player and currently an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. Known by his fans as "Downtown Dan," "Thunder Dan," and "Dan the Man," he played 14 years in the NBA, primarily with the Phoenix Suns, also with the Miami...
, Larry Johnson (Coach: Don Nelson
Don Nelson
Donald Arvid "Don" Nelson is a former NBA player and head coach. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors....
)
- 1996 Olympic Games: finished 1st among 12 teams
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
, Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
, Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
, Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen
Scottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
, Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
, John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
, David Robinson
David Robinson (basketball)
David Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". He and teammate power forward Tim Duncan were...
, Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
, Anfernee Hardaway, Grant Hill
Grant Hill
Grant Hill is the name of:* Grant Hill, American basketball player* Grant Hill , Canadian politician* Grant Hill, San Diego, California, an urban neighboorhood in central San Diego...
, Reggie Miller
Reggie Miller
Reginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
, Mitch Richmond
Mitch Richmond
Mitchell James "Mitch" Richmond is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He played collegiately at Kansas State University. He was a 6-time NBA All-Star, a 5-time All-NBA Team member and a former NBA Rookie of the Year...
(Coach: Lenny Wilkens
Lenny Wilkens
Leonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA...
)
- 1998 World Championship: finished 3rd among 16 teams
Trajan Langdon
Trajan Langdon
Trajan Shaka Langdon is a retired American professional basketball player. A 210 lb. shooting guard, he gained fame in the U.S. while playing college basketball at Duke University with the Duke Blue Devils.-Biography:...
, Michael Hawkins
Michael Hawkins (basketball)
Steven Michael Hawkins, referred to as Michael Hawkins , is an American former professional basketball player...
, Wendell Alexis
Wendell Alexis
Wendell Alexis is a retired American basketball player who played for several European clubs between 1986 and 2004, most notably for ALBA Berlin, where he was voted MVP of the German Bundesliga three times during his 6-year stint.After attending Christ The King Regional High School, Alexis played...
, Brad Miller
Brad Miller (basketball)
Bradley Alan Miller is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA...
, Bill Edwards
Bill Edwards (basketball)
William Allen Edwards , popularly nicknamed Dolla Bill, is a retired American professional basketball player...
, Kiwane Garris
Kiwane Garris
Kiwane Garris is an American former professional basketball player. He was listed as a 6'2" , 183 lb point guard....
, Ashraf Amaya
Ashraf Amaya
Ashraf Amaya is a retired American basketball player.Amaya attended Oak Park and River Forest High School for his freshman year but he transferred to Walther Lutheran High School to finish his high school career. While at Walther, Amaya led the Broncos to a 3rd place finish in the 1988 Illinois...
, Jason Sasser
Jason Sasser
Jason Jermane Sasser is an American professional basketball player. He is a 6'7" 225 lb small forward who graduated Justin F. Kimball High School in Dallas, Texas, and played collegiately for the Texas Tech Red Raiders...
, Jimmy Oliver
Jimmy Oliver
Jimmy Allen Oliver is an American professional basketball player who was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2nd round of the 1991 NBA Draft.-1987-1989:...
, Jimmy King
Jimmy King
Jimmy Hal King is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.-College career:He was part of the famed University of Michigan Wolverines Fab Five along with Ray Jackson, current NBA player Juwan Howard, and former NBA players Chris Webber and Jalen Rose, that reached the 1992 and...
, Gerard King
Gerard King
Gerard King is an American professional basketball player, formerly for the Washington Wizards in the NBA.He played for the US national team in the 1998 FIBA World Championship, winning the bronze medal....
, David Wood
David Wood (basketball)
David Leroy Wood is a former American professional basketball player, most notably in the NBA.His NBA career spanned from 1988 until 1997...
(Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich
Rudy Tomjanovich
Rudolph Tomjanovich, Jr. , nicknamed Rudy T., is an American retired basketball player and coach who coached the Houston Rockets to two consecutive NBA championships. He is currently a scout for the Los Angeles Lakers.-Early life:...
)
- 2000 Olympic Games: finished 1st among 12 teams
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
, Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd is an American professional basketball point guard who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Raised in Oakland, California, Kidd played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted second overall by the Dallas...
, Ray Allen
Ray Allen
Walter Ray Allen is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of...
, Vince Carter
Vince Carter
Vincent Lamar "Vince" Carter is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns. He is a shooting guard who can also play small forward....
, Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
, Tim Hardaway
Tim Hardaway
Timothy Duane "Tim" Hardaway is a retired American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association and who in his prime was one of the league's best point guards...
, Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player, who played most of his 15-year NBA career for the Miami Heat....
, Steve Smith
Steve Smith (basketball)
Steven Delano "Steve" Smith is a retired American basketball player. He played with several teams in his 14-season National Basketball Association career, including the Miami Heat, the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs, but is perhaps best known for his five-year stint with the...
, Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim is a retired American professional basketball player and current assistant general manager for the Sacramento Kings. He last played for the Kings of the National Basketball Association . On the basketball court, he played both forward or center positions. Abdur-Rahim was a...
, Vin Baker
Vin Baker
Vincent Lamont Baker is a former American professional basketball player who played in the NBA. He appeared in four consecutive All-Star Games before his career was halted due to alcoholism....
, Allan Houston
Allan Houston
Allan Wade Houston is a retired American professional basketball player for the NBA, and currently the Assistant General Manager for the New York Knicks. He was one of the top 3-point shooters in the NBA until a knee injury forced him to retire...
, Antonio McDyess
Antonio McDyess
Antonio Keithflen McDyess is an American professional basketball player. McDyess is listed at 6'9" , 245 lb. and is a power forward/center. In 2009 he signed a 3-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs....
(Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich
Rudy Tomjanovich
Rudolph Tomjanovich, Jr. , nicknamed Rudy T., is an American retired basketball player and coach who coached the Houston Rockets to two consecutive NBA championships. He is currently a scout for the Los Angeles Lakers.-Early life:...
)
- 2002 World Championship: finished 6th among 16 teams
Reggie Miller
Reggie Miller
Reginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
, Paul Pierce
Paul Pierce
Paul Anthony Pierce , nicknamed The Truth, is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the NBA. He earned First Team All-America honors in his junior year at Kansas, and has been a starter every season since being selected by the Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the...
, Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace
Ben Camey Wallace is an American basketball center for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. A native of Alabama, Wallace attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University and signed with the Washington Bullets as an undrafted free agent in 1996...
, Jermaine O'Neal
Jermaine O'Neal
Jermaine Lee O'Neal is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. The 6 ft 11 in , 255 lb forward-center had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA Draft straight out of high school...
, Shawn Marion
Shawn Marion
Shawn Dwayne Marion is an American professional basketball player currently with the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Born in Waukegan, Illinois, Marion attended high school in Clarksville, Tennessee. Before transferring to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Marion...
, Baron Davis
Baron Davis
Baron Walter Louis Davis is an American professional basketball player with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. Drafted as the third pick in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, Davis was a star at Crossroads School and UCLA....
, Antonio Davis
Antonio Davis
Antonio Lee Davis is a retired American National Basketball Association player. Davis is also the former president of the NBA Players Association .-College career:...
, Michael Finley
Michael Finley
Michael Howard Finley is a retired American professional basketball player. He last played for the Boston Celtics of the NBA.-High school career:...
, Andre Miller
Andre Miller
Andre Lloyd Miller is an American professional basketball player, currently with the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association.- College career :...
, Jay Williams
Jay Williams (basketball)
Jason David Williams , professionally known as Jay Williams, is a former American professional basketball player with the NBA Chicago Bulls. He last signed with the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League, but was waived by the Toros on December 30, 2006 to rehabilitate a nagging injury...
, Elton Brand
Elton Brand
Elton Tyron Brand is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association...
, Raef LaFrentz
Raef LaFrentz
Raef Andrew LaFrentz is a retired American professional basketball power forward and center who played in the NBA from 1998 to 2009. Born and raised in Iowa, LaFrentz attended the University of Kansas and was drafted in 1998 by the Denver Nuggets...
(Coach: George Karl
George Karl
George Matthew Karl is a former National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association player. He is the current head coach of the Denver Nuggets. On December 10, 2010 he became the seventh coach in NBA history to record 1,000 wins.-Biography:Karl was born in Penn Hills,...
)
- 2004 Olympic Games: finished 3rd among 12 teams
Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
, Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson
Allen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
, LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
, Amar'e Stoudemire, Shawn Marion
Shawn Marion
Shawn Dwayne Marion is an American professional basketball player currently with the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Born in Waukegan, Illinois, Marion attended high school in Clarksville, Tennessee. Before transferring to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Marion...
, Carlos Boozer
Carlos Boozer
Carlos Austin Boozer, Jr. is an American professional basketball player with the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association...
, Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
, Stephon Marbury
Stephon Marbury
Stephon Xavier Marbury is an American professional basketball player.The , point guard was selected out of the Georgia Institute of Technology by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 4th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly thereafter to the Minnesota Timberwolves.He was an NBA...
, Richard Jefferson
Richard Jefferson
Richard Allen Jefferson is a 6 ft 7 in American professional basketball player currently playing for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association...
, Lamar Odom
Lamar Odom
Lamar Joseph Odom is an American professional basketball forward with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.-Early life:...
, Emeka Okafor
Emeka Okafor
Chukwuemeka Ndubuisi Okafor, abbreviated as Emeka Okafor , is an American basketball power forward and center for the New Orleans Hornets of the National Basketball Association. Prior to the NBA, Okafor attended Houston's Bellaire High School, and the University of Connecticut.-Early life:Okafor...
(Coach: Larry Brown
Larry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
)
- 2006 World Championship: finished 3rd among 24 teams
LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
, Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
, Shane Battier
Shane Battier
Shane Courtney Battier is an American professional basketball player . He most recently played with the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association. He has also been a member of the U.S...
, Brad Miller
Brad Miller (basketball)
Bradley Alan Miller is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA...
, Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...
, Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh
Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
, Elton Brand
Elton Brand
Elton Tyron Brand is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association...
, Antawn Jamison
Antawn Jamison
Antawn Cortez Jamison is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He currently plays power forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers and was a member of the USA National Team for the 2006 FIBA World Championships...
, Kirk Hinrich
Kirk Hinrich
Kirk James Hinrich is an American professional basketball player, currently a guard for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. He has also been a member of the USA National Team....
, Chris Paul
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul is an American professional basketball point guard for the New Orleans Hornets.Paul was born and raised in North Carolina. Despite only playing two varsity basketball seasons in high school, he was a McDonald's All-American and accepted a scholarship with nearby Wake...
, Joe Johnson
Joe Johnson (basketball)
Joe Marcus Johnson is an American professional basketball player, currently a member of the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. Johnson stands at 6'7" and 240 lbs ....
(Coach: Mike Krzyzewski)
- 2008 Olympic Games: finished 1st among 12 teams
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
, LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd is an American professional basketball point guard who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Raised in Oakland, California, Kidd played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted second overall by the Dallas...
, Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
, Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
, Carlos Boozer
Carlos Boozer
Carlos Austin Boozer, Jr. is an American professional basketball player with the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association...
, Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...
, Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh
Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
, Chris Paul
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul is an American professional basketball point guard for the New Orleans Hornets.Paul was born and raised in North Carolina. Despite only playing two varsity basketball seasons in high school, he was a McDonald's All-American and accepted a scholarship with nearby Wake...
, Tayshaun Prince
Tayshaun Prince
Tayshaun Durell Prince is an American basketball player who last played for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association. Prince is a small forward, listed at and . A graduate of Dominguez High School and the University of Kentucky, Prince was drafted in the first round by the...
, Michael Redd
Michael Redd
Michael Wesley Redd is an American professional basketball player who currently is a free agent. He has most recently played for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, where he attended West High School. He also was a member of the U.S...
, Deron Williams
Deron Williams
Deron Michael Williams , nicknamed D-Will, is an American basketball player currently with the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association . Williams has also played for the Utah Jazz of the NBA and Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball League...
(Coach: Mike Krzyzewski, Assistant Coaches: Jay Triano, Mike D'Antoni, Jim Boeheim, Nate McMillan)
- 2010 World Championship: finished 1st among 24 teams
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball point guard for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has also played for Team USA. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the...
, Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
, Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose
Derrick Martell Rose is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association ....
, Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He was drafted by the Thunder's former incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics, which relocated from Seattle, Washington to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
, Rudy Gay
Rudy Gay
Rudy Carlton Gay, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Memphis Grizzlies...
, Andre Iguodala
Andre Iguodala
Andre Tyler Iguodala is an American professional basketball player who plays small forward for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association . Iguodala is listed at 6 ft 6 in and 207 lbs. . Iguodala played his high school basketball for Lanphier High School in Springfield, Illinois...
, Danny Granger
Danny Granger
Danny Granger, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. He is mainly a small forward, though he does log time at the power forward position. He is also able to initiate the team's offense and so is regarded as one who can play the point forward position...
, Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry (basketball)
-Freshman season:Before Stephen Curry played even one college game, head coach, Bob McKillop, said at a Davidson Alumni event, "Wait till you see Steph Curry...
, Eric Gordon
Eric Gordon
Eric Ambrose Gordon, Jr. , nicknamed "EJ", is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA. In high school, he was named "Mr. Basketball" of Indiana during his senior year while playing at North Central High School...
, Kevin Love
Kevin Love
Kevin Love, born in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former NASCAR driver. He ran five races in the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series season, all for Fiddleback Racing....
, Lamar Odom
Lamar Odom
Lamar Joseph Odom is an American professional basketball forward with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.-Early life:...
, Tyson Chandler
Tyson Chandler
Tyson Cleotis Chandler is an American professional basketball center who most recently played for the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. He was also a member of the United States men's national basketball team.-High school:...
, (Coach: Mike Krzyzewski)
See also
- United States at the team sports international competitionsUnited States at the team sports international competitionsThe United States at the team sports international competitions has achieved 35 victories at the Olympic Games and 29 World Championship, in addition to several successes in continental competitions. For team sports are the disciplines of the Olympic program...
- United States women's national basketball teamUnited States women's national basketball teamThe United States women's national basketball team are the defending Olympic champions in women's basketball. The team is composed of some of the top American players in the WNBA and the women's college game....