TheUSA Basketball Men's National Team,[2] commonly known asTeam USA and theUnited States men's national basketball team, is thebasketball team representing theUnited States. It is the most successful men's team in international competition, winning medals in all twenty Olympic tournaments it has entered, including seventeen golds. In the professional era, the team has won the Olympic gold medal in1992,1996,2000,2008,2012,2016,2020, and2024. Two of its gold medal-winning teams were inducted to theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in August 2010: the1960 team, which featured six Hall of Famers (4 players, 2 coaches), and the 1992"Dream Team", featuring 14 Hall of Famers (11 players, 3 coaches). The team is currently ranked first in theFIBA World Rankings.
Traditionally composed of amateur players, the US dominated the first decades of international basketball, winning a record seven consecutive Olympic gold medals. However, by the end of the 1980s, American amateurs faced increasing difficulty against seasoned professionals from theSoviet Union andYugoslavia.[3][4][5][6]
In 1989,FIBA modified its rules and allowedUSA Basketball to field teams withNational Basketball Association players.[7][8] The first such team, known as the "Dream Team", won the gold medal at the1992 Summer Olympics inBarcelona, being superior in all matches.[9][10] With the introduction of NBA players, the team was able to spark a second run of dominance in the 1990s.
Facing increased competition, the US failed to win a medal at the2002 FIBA World Championship, finishing sixth. The2004 Olympic team, being depleted by a number of withdrawals, 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 US won its first seven games at the2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan before losing againstGreece in the semi-finals; ending the competition with the bronze medal. The team won gold two years later—at the2008 Summer Olympics—in a dominant fashion. This success was followed up at the2010 FIBA World Championship, where despite fielding a roster featuring no players from the2008 Olympic team, the US did not lose a single game en route to defeating hostTurkey for the gold medal.
The Americans continued this streak of dominance in the 2010s by going undefeated and capturing gold at the2012 Summer Olympics and2014 FIBA World Cup. At the2016 Summer Olympics, the team, led byMike Krzyzewski for a record third time, won its 15th gold medal, making him the most decorated coach in USA Basketball history.[11][10] After Krzyzewski stepped down in 2016, Team USA lost to France in the quarter-finals of the2019 FIBA World Cup, finishing seventh overall. However, Team USA would avenge this loss in the2020 Summer Olympics, defeating France 87–82 in the final to capture the team's fourth straight gold medal and 16th overall.[6] The team repeated as champions in the2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, once again defeating France 98–87 in the final.
The United States joinedFIBA at the end of 1934 under the supervision of theAmateur Athletic Union.[12] The US men were dominant from the first Olympic tournament to hold basketball, held in Berlin in1936, 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 inLondon,Helsinki,Melbourne,Rome,Tokyo, andMexico City. Participation in these tournaments was limited to amateurs, but the US teams during this period featured players who would later go on to become superstars in professional basketball, includingall-time greatsBill Russell,Oscar Robertson,Jerry West, andJerry Lucas; the latter three competed on the 1960 Rome team often credited as the best US roster until the formation of the 1992 Dream Team.[13]
Alex Groza andRalph Beard, both briefly NBA stars, made the 1948 squad asKentucky Wildcats, with 3-timeOklahoma State All-American and 6-time AAU All-American, and Hall of FamerBob Kurland leading the way. The 1952 team included big manClyde Lovellette of the University of Kansas, a future Hall of Famer and NBA star. Kurland once again led the team to victory.
The 1956 team was led bySan Francisco Dons teammates Bill Russell andK. C. Jones, and defeated its opponents by an unsurpassed average margin of 53.5 points per game.
The 1960 team included nine future NBA players, including four consecutive NBA Rookie(s) of the Year; Robertson (1961 NBA Rookie of the Year), Lucas (1964 NBA Rookie of the Year),Terry Dischinger (1963 NBA Rookie of the Year), andWalt Bellamy (1962 NBA Rookie of the Year) but also Hall of FamerJerry West and NBA All-Star(s),Darrall Imhoff (1967 NBA All Star),Bob Boozer (1968 NBA All Star),Adrian Smith (1966 NBA All Star game MVP) andJay Arnette.[14] They defeated their opponents by an average margin of 42.4 points per game.
The 1972 Olympic men's basketball gold medal game, marking the first ever loss for the US in Olympic play, ranks among the most controversial events in Olympic history. The United States rode their seven consecutive gold medals and 63–0 Olympic record to Munich for the1972 Summer Olympics. The team won its first eight games in convincing fashion, setting up a final against the Soviet Union, holding a 6–0 advantage over the Soviets in Olympic play.[15]
With three seconds left in the gold medal game, American forwardDoug Collins sank two free throws after being hit hard by a Soviet player to put the Americans up 50–49. Immediately following Collins' free throws, the Soviets inbounded the ball and failed to score. Soviet coaches claimed 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. The horn sounded as a length-of-the-court Soviet pass was being released from the inbounding player, the pass missed its mark, and the American players began celebrating.
Nevertheless, the final three seconds were replayed for a third time. This time, the Soviets'Alexander Belov and the US'sKevin Joyce andJim Forbes went up for the pass, and Belov caught the long pass from Ivan Edeshko near the American basket. Belov then laid the ball in for the winning points as the buzzer sounded. The US 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.[16][17] It remains to this day a possibility that game officials were bribed by theCommunist party.[18][19]
After the controversial loss in Munich, 1976 sawDean Smith coach the US to a 7–0 record and its eighth Olympic gold medalin Montreal. The success at this tournament pushed the US's all-time Olympic record to an impressive 78–1.
TheSoviet invasion of Afghanistan prompted the United States and 66 other countries toboycott the1980 Olympics,[20] held in Moscow.[21] The 1980 US team, which featured a number of future NBA players, was the youngest American national team ever assembled. This team featured:Mark Aguirre,Rolando Blackman,Sam Bowie,Michael Brooks,Bill Hanzlik,Alton Lister,Rodney McCray,Isiah Thomas,Darnell Valentine,Danny Vranes,Buck Williams andAl Wood.[22] 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 US cities, recording a 5–1 record.[22] It was coached byDave Gavitt.
Michael Jordan,Patrick Ewing, andChris Mullin, future members of the 1992 Dream Team, made their Olympic debuts in 1984. Jordan led the team with 17.1 points per game, andBob Knight coached the team to an 8–0 record and another Olympic gold.
At the 1987 Pan American Games, held at Indianapolis, the US basketball team was defeated in the final match by Brazil.[23]Oscar Schmidt led his teammates to an achievement: after a 54:68 halftime score, Brazil beat the US 120 to 115.[24] The 3-pointer line — introduced by FIBA just 3 years before — had become tactically relevant.[25] Although not a major competition, Indianapolis '87 brought some important facts: for the first time in basketball history, the US was defeated at home; for the first time, in a final; for the first time, by a team that scored more than 100 points. This defeat would bring changes to the sport soon.[26]
The 1988 US team had a roster of collegians aged 20–23 that included future NBA all-starsDavid Robinson,Danny Manning, andMitch Richmond. The team came up short, winning the bronze medal. The American team lost to the gold medal winner Soviet Union in the semifinals, but then regrouped and 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. This was the last time the American Olympic Team consisted exclusively of non-NBA (college) players.
The decade started with a semifinal loss to Yugoslavia in the1990 FIBA World Championship, followed by another semifinal defeat to Puerto Rico in the1991 Pan American Games in Havana. The 1990 championship marked the last time that the US was represented by college players at a major international tournament (World Championship & Olympics).
The decades-long use of "shamateurs" by the Soviet Union,Yugoslavia and other international teams promptedFIBA to modify[7][8] its rules and allowNBA players in the1992 Olympics and beyond.[27][28][6] 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 the50 Greatest Players in NBA History, theNBA's official list of the 50 greatest players of the league's first 50 years.Magic Johnson andLarry Bird served as co-captains.[29]
Because of this star line-up, the team's games usually featured opposing teams asking for pregame photos and autographs with their US opponents. As expected, the US team ran away with the gold medal; they were so much better than the competition that head coach Chuck Daly did not call a single timeout during the tournament. The 1992 Dream Team won by an average of 43.8 points (second most, behind the 1956 US team). The only time the US was remotely threatened was against Croatia, which was beaten by 32.[30]Michael Jordan andScottie Pippen became the first players to win bothNBA championship and Olympic gold medal in the same year, having played for theChicago Bulls.
Regarding drug-testing the athletes, according to USA Basketball spokesman 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."[31]
The United States fielded another team composed of NBA players in the1994 World Championship, held inToronto, Ontario, Canada. This was an entirely new roster, asUSA 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. Those players wereDerrick Coleman,Joe Dumars,Kevin Johnson,Larry Johnson,Shawn Kemp,Dan Majerle,Reggie Miller,Alonzo Mourning,Shaquille O'Neal,Mark Price,Steve Smith andDominique Wilkins. Coached byDon Nelson of theGolden State Warriors, this team easily captured the gold medal in tournament play.[32] The team was referred to as the "Dream Team II".[33]
The third team composed of NBA players participated in the1996 Summer Olympics held inAtlanta. 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 andShaquille 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 defeatingYugoslavia 95–69.[34] With Atlanta being home to theHawks, these games were the first Olympics to take place in a city with an NBA team since the league started allowing its players to compete in the Olympics. The team was commonly referred to as the "Dream Team III".[35][36]
The1998 World Championship inAthens, Greece was different from the previous teams, as none of its players were current members of NBA teams. Because ofa labor dispute that led to a lockout, no active NBA players were permitted to compete in the tournament. The 12 NBA players picked before the lockout wereTim Duncan,Tim Hardaway,Vin Baker,Gary Payton,Terrell Brandon,Kevin Garnett,Tom Gugliotta,Grant Hill,Allan Houston,Christian Laettner,Glen Rice, andChris Webber.[37]
The replacement team was composed largely of players from American colleges, the minor-leagueContinental Basketball Association, or European pro leagues. The unheralded roster captured a bronze medal, considered a solid achievement given its lack of top-notch talent.[38] The team was nicknamed the "Dirty Dozen" for its work ethic and teamwork. Undrafted free agentBrad Miller became a two-timeNBA All-Star. Some of the other team members—includingTrajan Langdon,Kiwane Garris,David Wood andMichael Hawkins—had brief spells in the NBA. All went on to have careers in Europe, with Langdon being named to theEuroleague'sAll-Decade Team for the 2000s.
During the late 1990s, international basketball began to gather attention as more and more foreign players became stars in the NBA. Therefore, the 2000 US team had the enormous task of proving that American basketball could remain the best in the world. The new team that was assembled again featuredNBA players, but this time few of them were considered to be true superstars, as several elite players elected not to participate.
The US team participated in the2000 Olympics inSydney, Australia and was coached byRudy Tomjanovich. It won its first two games by lopsided margins, but faced more difficult competition thereafter. In a preliminary game againstLithuania, the US 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 overFrance,Vince Carter pulled off one of the most famous dunks in basketball history, jumping over the 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)FrenchcenterFrédéric Weis on his way to the basket. (The French media would dub Carter's featle dunk de la mort—"the dunk of death".)
A shock came in the semifinals when the United States defeated Lithuania by the close score of 85–83. Lithuanian star (and future NBA player, first with theIndiana Pacers and later with theGolden State Warriors)Šarūnas Jasikevičius failed to get a potential game-winning 3-point shot off in time.
The closeness of the semifinal game was so shocking thatNBC took the unusual step of showing the gold medal game live rather than ontape delay. (The game started around 2 p.m. Sydney time on Sunday, October 1, which is late Saturday evening in the United States. NBC originally planned to show the game almost 24 hours later during its Sundayprime time broadcast.) The US won the gold medal against France in a 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.[39]
As the United States had already qualified for the2002 World Championship as the host country, USA Basketball decided to field players from theNational Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) for theTournament of the Americas in August 2001. Coached byDan Sparks, the team finished last, losing all four games.[40]Marcus Banks led the team in scoring, averaging 18.0 points.[41]
The 2002 team competed in the World Championship in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Coached by George Karl, the team finished a surprisingly disappointing sixth in the competition. During the tournament, Argentina defeated the US in the second preliminary round group stage, thus becoming the first team ever to defeat a US team composed of NBA players. Yugoslavia knocked out the US in the quarterfinals, becoming the first team ever to defeat US team of NBA players in knockout stage. Then Spain repeated the outcome in the 5th place playoff.[42] 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 withPaul 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 one of sport's greatest flops, as they failed to produce as previous teams had.[according to whom?] The United States lost 3 games in the tournament to countries with current or future NBA stars, like Argentina (led byManu Ginóbili), Yugoslavia (led byPeja Stojaković andVlade Divac) and Spain (led byPau Gasol).
Two NBA superstars,Ray Allen andJason Kidd, accepted roles to play on the World Championship team, but were unable to play on that team due to injuries. Many other superstars, includingKobe Bryant,Shaquille O'Neal, andKevin Garnett, turned down invitations to play in that tournament.
The close outcome of 2000 and the humiliating results of 2002 prompted a number of NBA superstars to agree to join the team for theFIBA Americas Championship 2003, dubbed as the Dream Team IV,[43][44] which the squad was required to participate in to qualify for the2004 Summer Olympics. The team easily cruised to a first-place finish, earning it a spot inAthens, 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 new team consisted of some young NBA stars early in their careers, such asDwyane Wade,LeBron James andCarmelo Anthony. OnlyRichard Jefferson,Tim Duncan andAllen Iverson were part of the 2003FIBA Americas San Juan gold medal team. The team was coached byLarry Brown.
After struggles in several exhibition matches, the vulnerability of the 2004 team was confirmed whenPuerto Rico defeated them 92–73, from which they earned the nickname "Nightmare team" (as mock opposed to the Dream Team concept),[45] in the first game of theOlympic tournament in Athens. The 19 point defeat was the most lopsided loss for the US in the history of international competition. After the game, Larry Brown had strong comments about his coaching performance: "I'm humiliated, not for the loss – I can always deal with wins and losses – but I'm disappointed because I had a job to do as a coach, to get us to understand how we're supposed to play as a team and act as a team, and I don't think we did that".[46]
After winning close games againstGreece and Australia, The US fell toLithuania, 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 semifinal match saw the team defeated byArgentina 89–81, ending the United States' hold on the gold medal. The US did rebound to capture the bronze medal by defeating Lithuania.[47] Still, it marked only the second time that an American team failed to officially win gold (excluding the 1980 Moscow Olympics boycott and ignoring the 1972 debacle), and the first time for an American team composed of NBA players.
Following the disappointments in 2002 and 2004, USA Basketball appointedJerry Colangelo to be solely responsible for selecting the team. Colangelo made it clear that he would ask players for a three-year commitment—the2006 FIBA World Championship and the2008 Summer Olympics. In the 2006 Worlds, the team was eliminated by Greece in the semifinal, losing the game 101–95. The head coach wasDuke University'sMike Krzyzewski, with assistantsJim Boeheim,Mike D'Antoni, andNate McMillan. While some prominent players, such asTim Duncan andKevin Garnett, stated that they did not plan to play for the team, superstarsDwyane Wade,Kobe Bryant andLeBron James publicly announced their commitment for the 2006 Worlds and the ensuing 2008 Olympics. Wade, James andCarmelo Anthony were named captains of the 2006 US World Championship Team.
The United States Team, dubbed Dream Team V or the Redeem Team, dominated Group B in pool play, defeatingChina,Angola,Greece,world championSpain, andGermany by an average of 32.2 points. After finishing first in their group, the US earned the right to play the fourth-place finishers in Group A,Australia. The United States soundly defeated Australia 116–85 in the quarterfinal. Next up for the Americans in the semifinals was the2004 Olympic gold medalist Argentina, led byManu 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 US defeated Argentina 101–81 to reach the gold medal game.[48]
On August 24, the United States defeated Spain 118–107 to capture the Olympic gold medal with the electrifying spark by Team USA leading scorer Dwyane Wade adding 27 points with four 3-point shots and 100% shooting inside the line. The victory ended an eight-year drought at major international competitions (Olympics & World Championships) with the first win since2000.
Due to winning gold at the 2008 Olympics, the US automatically qualified for the World Championships. The US had not won the FIBA World Championship since1994. It was initially believed that there would be only 2–3 spots available with most players returning from the 2008 Olympic team.[49] However, by early July 2010, all ten invited players declined to participate, due to injury, free agency, rest, or personal commitments.[50] Due to the roster being filled with 12 new players and the lack of star power, the team was dubbed the "B Team".[51] Also, the coaches were criticized for selecting too many guards and inexperienced players, and not enough tall players.
However, the team won all five of its preliminary games, four 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 and 15. In the2010 FIBA World Championship final, the US beat host nationTurkey by 17 points and won the gold medal.[52] Tournament MVPKevin Durant broke several Team USA scoring records (most points in a tournament-205, most points in a single game-38, and average points per game-22.8). In addition,Lamar Odom became the first player to win the NBA and FIBA World championships in the same year.
Team USA executive directorJerry Colangelo has said he's open to anyone from the 2010 team to play in future tournaments.[50]
The US team clinched a berth in the2012 Olympics in London by winning the 2010 World Championship. The Olympic team lost some players to injuries who might have made the team and appeared to be short on big men. Their roster featured five players returning from the 2008 Olympic team and five others from the 2010 World Championship team.
The US went undefeated but appeared vulnerable at times in winning five exhibition games. They finished the tournament with a perfect 8–0 record, defeating opponents by an average of 32 points while trailing in the fourth quarter only once. The Americans often played with asmall lineup that emphasized speed, quickness, and outside shooting. The team set an Olympic single-game record with 156 points scored againstNigeria in the preliminary round. In a rematch of the 2008 final, Team USA again narrowly defeatedSpain to capture the gold.
This was announced as the final Olympic Games for Kobe Bryant.[53] By winning the gold medal, the US automatically qualified for the2014 FIBA World Cup.
The United States had automatically qualified for the World Cup by virtue of the gold medal won by their2012 Olympic team. The Americans were considered favorites to win theWorld Cup. The roster was filled with two players returning from the 2012 Olympic team, three from the 2010 FIBA Championship Team, while seven other NBA players made their senior international debuts. The 2014 roster featured four players 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m) or larger, the most of any US team sinceMike Krzyzewski began coaching the team in 2006. The team was also the youngest American team since1992 when NBA players were first allowed on the team; the average player was 24.08 years old, roughly a half-year younger than their 2010 team.
The team advanced to the knockout phase after starting the tournament 5–0 during the group stage. They went undefeated 9–0 in the tournament, winning by an average margin of 33.0 points. The United States was just the third country in World Cup history to repeat as champions. Combined with their 2010 World Championship along with gold by their 2008 and 2012 Olympic teams, they also became the first country in FIBA basketball history to win four consecutive major titles. The United States defeatedSerbia in theWorld Cup Final by 37 points and clinched a berth for the2016 Summer Olympics.
Multiple withdrawals (largely triggered by a freak injury toPaul George in a pre-2014 World Cup scrimmage) left the2016 US team with just two players with prior Olympic experience (Durant and Anthony). The Americans seemed vulnerable in the preliminary round, narrowly defeating Australia, Serbia, and France by a combined 16 points. However, the team gained momentum in the quarterfinal match against Argentina, winning 105–78. The US team then defeatedSpain in the semifinals setting up a rematch versus Serbia in the gold medal game. The Americans proved their superiority, easily defeating their rival by 30 points. The team averaged 100.9 points (with an average margin of victory at 22.5 points) a game with Anthony (he won a record third straight Olympic gold medal) and Durant as top scorers. Krzyzewski stepped down as the most decorated coach in USA Basketball history, coaching three Olympic gold medal teams and winning two FIBA World Cups.[54]
In 2017, the United States would win a record 7th championship in theFIBA AmeriCup.[55] In 2019, the team struggled and finished in 7th place at theFIBA World Cup. Despite featuring many young NBA players, it was a huge shock and disappointment.[56] The team competed in the2019 Military World Games and finished with thesilver medal behindTeam Lithuania.[57][58] At the2020 Olympics in Tokyo, the United States reclaimed their glory by winning the fourth consecutive gold medal. Led by top scorersKevin Durant,Jayson Tatum, andDevin Booker, the team was able to dominate the tournament and defeatFrance 87–82 in the final, despite losing to them early on in the group stage.[59]
Team USA played two exhibition games in Abu Dhabi in the run-up to the2023 FIBA World Cup.[60] It was the first time that the men's national team played in the United Arab Emirates. The team was coached by nine-time NBA championSteve Kerr, who won five titles as a player (three with Chicago Bulls and two with San Antonio Spurs) and four as head coach (with Golden State Warriors). They ultimately finished fourth at the World Cup, behind Germany, Serbia, and Canada.
After 2023's fourth-place result at the FIBA World Cup, Hill and Kerr set out to convince more experienced players to play in the2024 Summer Olympics.[61] This included Lebron James, who had missed the last two Olympics;Stephen Curry, who had never played in the Olympics; and Kevin Durant. Returning Olympians would beBam Adebayo,Jrue Holiday,Anthony Davis, and Jayson Tatum, while returning FIBA players includedAnthony Edwards andTyrese Haliburton. The team, dubbed "The Avengers" by the media, would be the oldest U.S. men's basketball team, averaging 30 years and 9 months.[62] Although six-time all-starKawhi Leonard was initially drafted onto the roster, he was replaced by Derrick White due to injury.[63] Team USA would play five exhibition games before the Olympics; although they convincingly beatCanada andSerbia, they were forced into a close game byAustralia, who nearly overcame a 25-point deficit, and were at risk of losing to bothSouth Sudan andGermany.[64] Durant would not play all five exhibition games due to a strained calf.[65] During preliminary rounds of Olympic play, Team USA would go undefeated against Serbia, South Sudan, andPuerto Rico, earning the No. 1 seed entering the quarter-finals.[66] Once in the quarterfinals, the U.S. would convincingly defeatBrazil 122–87, with Booker leading the Americans with a team-high 18 points,[67] before moving onto a second rematch vs Serbia in the semifinals. Here, Team USA won 95–91 after overcoming a 17-point deficit, with Curry scoring 36 points.[68] In the final, the Americans faced France for the second straight Olympics, with Curry scoring 24 points to lead the team to a 98–87 win.[69] This win was Team USA's fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal in men's basketball.[70]
Olympic Games
FIBA World Cup
FIBA AmeriCup
| Competition |  |  |  | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | 17 | 1 | 2 | 20 |
| FIBA World Cup | 5 | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| FIBA AmeriCup | 7 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| Total | 29 | 5 | 8 | 42 |
Pan American Games
Goodwill Games
World University Games
The US team has achieved unparalleled success in the Olympic games. While historically at a disadvantage to the Eastern Bloc countries that had used their best and most experienced professional players listed as soldiers or workers in a profession to subvert the amateur rules,[3][71][72] the US team (typically composed ofAAU orcollegiate players) did surprisingly well, winning nine out of eleven Olympic tournaments they had entered before the introduction of NBA players.[9][10] The US is the only Western country that achieved success in a team sport during the Eastern Bloc dominance.Canada'sresults inice hockey and Western European teams'results insoccer significantly deteriorated after the introduction of the Eastern Bloc countries and their quasi-professional players in the late 1940s and early 1950s. In 1992, the US team was represented by the NBA players for the first time and defeated its opponents by an average of 44 points en route to the gold medal against Croatia.[73] The Americans have continued to dominate the Olympic tournaments ever since, excluding underachieving performance at the2004 Summer Olympics.
| Olympic Games record | Head coach(es) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Team | |
 1936 | Gold medalists | 1st of 23 | 5[c] | 5 | 0 | 154 | 69 | +85 | Team | Needles |
 1948 | Gold medalists | 1st of 23 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 524 | 256 | +268 | Team | Browning |
 1952 | Gold medalists | 1st of 23 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 562 | 406 | +156 | Team | Womble |
 1956 | Gold medalists | 1st of 15 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 793 | 365 | +428 | Team | Tucker |
 1960 | Gold medalists | 1st of 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 815 | 476 | +339 | Team | Newell |
 1964 | Gold medalists | 1st of 16 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 704 | 434 | +270 | Team | Iba |
 1968 | Gold medalists | 1st of 16 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 739 | 505 | +234 | Team | |
 1972 | Silver medalists | 2nd of 16 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 660 | 401 | +259 | Team | Iba |
 1976 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 7[d] | 7 | 0 | 586 | 500 | +86 | Team | Smith |
 1980 | Originally qualified as defending champions, butwithdrew | Gavitt | ||||||||
 1984 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 763 | 506 | +257 | Team | Knight |
 1988 | Bronze medalists | 3rd of 12 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 733 | 490 | +243 | Team | Thompson |
 1992 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 938 | 588 | +350 | Team | Daly |
| 1996 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 816 | 562 | +254 | Team | Wilkens |
| 2000 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 760 | 587 | +173 | Team | Tomjanovich |
 2004 | Bronze medalists | 3rd of 12 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 705 | 668 | +37 | Team | Brown |
 2008 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 850 | 627 | +223 | Team | Krzyzewski |
| 2012 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 924 | 667 | +257 | Team | |
 2016 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 807 | 627 | +180 | Team | |
 2020 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 594 | 474 | +120 | Team | Popovich |
 2024 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 632 | 518 | +114 | Team | Kerr |
| 2028 | Qualified as host | Team | Spoelstra | |||||||
| Total | 17 titles | 20/22 | 155 | 149 | 6 | 14,059 | 9,726 | +4,333 | ||
Prior to the introduction of the NBA players, the United States was usually represented by military, industrial or collegiate players. European and South American countries, meanwhile, were allowed to use their best players.[74] In 1950 and 1954, AAU teams Denver Chevrolets (in 1950) and Peoria Caterpillars (1954) were the US representatives;[75][76] in 1959, the United States sent an Air Force team;[77] in 1963 and 1967, the team was composed of AAU, armed forces and college ranks;[78][79] in 1970 and 1974 (with the 1974 team being the youngest and least experienced team in history), the US fielded exclusively collegians;[80][81] in 1978, an Athletes In Action (AIA) team was the American representative;[82] in 1982, 1986, and 1990, the team was again made up of collegiate players.[83][84] Starting with 1994 and with the exception of 1998, when the US used players from the European leagues and college players,[85] the team was made up of NBA players.[86]
| FIBA World Cup record | Manager(s) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Team | |
 1950 | Runners-up | 2nd of 10 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 258 | 233 | +25 | Team | Carpenter |
 1954 | Champions | 1st of 12 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 614 | 388 | +226 | Team | Womble |
 1959 | Runners-up | 2nd of 13 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 641 | 582 | +59 | Team | Bennett |
 1963 | Fourth place | 4th of 13 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 754 | 635 | +119 | Team | Pinholster |
 1967 | Fourth place | 4th of 13 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 675 | 583 | +92 | Team | Fischer |
 1970 | Fifth place | 5th of 13 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 703 | 577 | +126 | Team | Fischer |
 1974 | Third place | 3rd of 14 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 938 | 758 | +180 | Team | Bartow |
 1978 | Fifth place | 5th of 14 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 908 | 843 | +65 | Team | Oates |
 1982 | Runners-up | 2nd of 13 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 857 | 768 | +89 | Team | Weltlich |
| 1986 | Champions | 1st of 24 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 845 | 712 | +133 | Team | Olson |
| 1990 | Third place | 3rd of 16 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 804 | 710 | +94 | Team | Krzyzewski |
| 1994 | Champions | 1st of 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 961 | 659 | +302 | Team | Nelson |
| 1998 | Third place | 3rd of 16 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 739 | 634 | +105 | Team | Tomjanovich |
| 2002 | Sixth place | 6th of 16 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 831 | 679 | +152 | Team | Karl |
| 2006 | Third place | 3rd of 24 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 932 | 748 | +184 | Team | Krzyzewski |
 2010 | Champions | 1st of 24 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 835 | 614 | +221 | Team | Krzyzewski |
| 2014 | Champions | 1st of 24 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 941 | 644 | +297 | Team | |
| 2019 | Seventh place | 7th of 32 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 692 | 587 | +105 | Team | Popovich |
  2023 | Fourth place | 4th of 32 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 836 | 701 | +135 | Team | Kerr |
 2027 | To be determined | Spoelstra | ||||||||
| Total | 5 titles | 19/20 | 166 | 134 | 32 | 14,764 | 12,055 | +2,709 | ||
Prior to the implementation of a new FIBA competition system in 2017, the US team used different players depending on the circumstances. In 1992,[87] 1999,[88] 2003[89] and 2007,[90] the Americans sent in NBA players as they needed to qualify for the Olympics. In 1989[91] and 2005,[92] the US also used the tournament for qualification purposes but sent in either college players (in 1989 NBA players weren't allowed) orNBA Development League,CBA and European leagues players (in 2005 the US team didn't need to win gold in order to qualify for the World Championship). In 1993,[93] 1997[94] and 2001,[95] the US team entered the tournament without any specific purpose and was represented by CBA players in 1993 and 1997, and byjunior players in 2001. In 1980, 1984, 1988, 1995, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015, the American team didn't enter the tournament. In 2017,[96] the US participated for the first time in ten years with a squad of NBA G League players and American professionals playing in European leagues, winning the gold medal.
| FIBA AmeriCup record | Manager(s) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Team | |
| 1980 | Did not participate | |||||||||
 1984 | ||||||||||
| 1988 | ||||||||||
| 1989 | Runners-up | 2nd of 12 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 776 | 740 | +36 | Team | Cremins |
| 1992 | Champions | 1st of 10 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 727 | 418 | +309 | Team | Daly |
| 1993 | Champions | 1st of 10 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 710 | 659 | +51 | Team | Thibault |
| 1995 | Did not participate | |||||||||
| 1997 | Champions | 1st of 10 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 845 | 759 | +86 | Team | McHone |
 1999 | Champions | 1st of 10 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 978 | 662 | +316 | Team | Brown |
| 2001 | Tenth place | 10th of 10 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 323 | 435 | -112 | Team | Sparks |
| 2003 | Champions | 1st of 10 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 1017 | 708 | +309 | Team | Brown |
 2005 | Fourth place | 4th of 10 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 846 | 850 | −4 | Team | McHone |
| 2007 | Champions | 1st of 10 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 1167 | 772 | +395 | Team | Krzyzewski |
| 2009 | Did not participate | |||||||||
| 2011 | ||||||||||
 2013 | ||||||||||
| 2015 | ||||||||||
| 2017 | Champions | 1st of 12 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 414 | 316 | +98 | Team | Van Gundy |
| 2022 | Third place | 3rd of 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 498 | 426 | +72 | Team | Jensen |
 2025 | Third place | 3rd of 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 530 | 504 | +26 | Team | Silas |
| Total | 7 titles | 12/20 | 91 | 73 | 18 | 8,831 | 7,249 | +1,582 | ||
The following tables summarizes the all-time competitive record for theUnited States men's national basketball team, broken down by confederation. Competitive results are inclusive of games in theOlympic Games,FIBA Basketball World Cup,FIBA AmeriCup, and qualifying campaigns for these competitions. This record excludes the results of international friendlies or exhibitions, along with minor tournaments such as thePan American Games,World University Games, andGoodwill Games. The United States has played competitive games against 57 current and former national teams, with the latest result, a win, coming against France on August 10, 2024, in the2024 Olympics. The last competitive was a2025 FIBA AmeriCup qualification matchup against Bahamas on February 23, 2025.
| Positive balance (more wins) | |
| Neutral balance (wins = losses) | |
| Negative balance (more losses) |
Through Bahamas vs United States on February 23, 2025
| Opponent | Played | Won | Lost | % Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 19 | 19 | 0 | 100% |
| Americas | 216 | 186 | 30 | 86.11% |
| Asia | 31 | 31 | 0 | 100% |
| Europe | 151 | 125 | 26 | 82.78% |
| Oceania | 20 | 20 | 0 | 100% |
| Total | 434 | 378 | 56 | 87.1% |
| Opponent | Played | Won | Lost | % Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Algeria | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Angola | 5 | 5 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Egypt | 6 | 6 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Ivory Coast | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Nigeria | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Senegal | 2 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
 South Sudan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Tunisia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Total | 19 | 19 | 0 | 100% |
| Opponent | Played | Won | Lost | % Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 32 | 25 | 7 | 78.1% |
 Bahamas | 4 | 4 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Brazil | 33 | 24 | 9 | 72.7% |
| Canada | 23 | 21 | 2 | 91.3% |
| Chile | 4 | 4 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Colombia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Cuba | 13 | 12 | 1 | 92.3% |
| Dominican Republic | 9 | 8 | 1 | 88.9% |
| Mexico | 15 | 12 | 3 | 80.0% |
 Panama | 10 | 10 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Peru | 3 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Puerto Rico | 37 | 33 | 4 | 89.1% |
| Uruguay | 18 | 18 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Virgin Islands | 3 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Venezuela | 10 | 7 | 3 | 70.0% |
| Total | 216 | 186 | 30 | 86.11% |
| Opponent | Played | Won | Lost | % Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 11 | 11 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Iran | 2 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Japan | 4 | 4 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Jordan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Philippines | 6 | 6 | 0 | 100.0% |
 South Korea | 3 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Taiwan | 3 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Thailand | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Total | 31 | 31 | 0 | 100% |
| Opponent | Played | Won | Lost | % Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bulgaria | 2 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Croatia | 4 | 4 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Czechoslovakia | 7 | 7 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Czech Republic | 2 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Estonia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Finland | 2 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
| France | 13 | 11 | 2 | 84.6% |
| Germany | 7 | 6 | 1 | 85.7% |
| Greece | 8 | 7 | 1 | 87.5% |
 Hungary | 2 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Israel | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Italy | 15 | 13 | 2 | 86.7% |
 Lithuania | 11 | 8 | 3 | 72.7% |
 Montenegro | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Poland | 2 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Russia | 6 | 5 | 1 | 83.3% |
 Serbia | 8 | 6 | 2 | 75.0% |
 Slovenia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Soviet Union | 17 | 10 | 7 | 58.8% |
| Spain | 19 | 17 | 2 | 89.5% |
 Switzerland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Turkey | 3 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
 Ukraine | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Yugoslavia | 15 | 10 | 5 | 66.7% |
| Total | 151 | 125 | 26 | 82.78% |
| Opponent | Played | Won | Lost | % Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 16 | 16 | 0 | 100.0% |
 New Zealand | 4 | 4 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Total | 20 | 20 | 0 | 100% |
On April 17, 2024, the U.S. roster for the2024 Summer Olympics was announced.[97] On July 10, 2024,Kawhi Leonard withdrew from the team due to injury and was replaced byDerrick White.[98]
| United States men's national basketball team – 2024 Summer Olympics roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Until 1992, there were few players who got the opportunity to compete in multiple Olympics. Unlike their seasoned and veteran counterparts from Europe, US players usually participated in a single Olympics (withBob Kurland,Bill Hougland, andBurdette Haldorson being lone exceptions) and after winning a medal turned pro. Consequently, prior to 1992, US teams were assembled from scratch every four years. After the introduction of NBA players, US teams became more cohesive, and players often chose to compete in more than one Olympic tournament.
| Player | Career | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total (min. 2 medals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Durant | 2012–2024 |  | 4 | ||
| Carmelo Anthony | 2004–2016 | |  | 4 | |
| LeBron James | 2004–2012, 2024 | | | 4 | |
| David Robinson | 1988–1996 | | | 3 | |
| Bob Kurland | 1948–1952 | | 2 | ||
| Bill Hougland | 1952–1956 | | 2 | ||
| Burdette Haldorson | 1956–1960 | | 2 | ||
| Michael Jordan | 1984, 1992 | | 2 | ||
| Patrick Ewing | 1984, 1992 | | 2 | ||
| Chris Mullin | 1984, 1992 | | 2 | ||
| Charles Barkley | 1992–1996 | | 2 | ||
| Scottie Pippen | 1992–1996 | | 2 | ||
| Karl Malone | 1992–1996 | | 2 | ||
| John Stockton | 1992–1996 | | 2 | ||
| Gary Payton | 1996–2000 | | 2 | ||
| Jason Kidd | 2000, 2008 | | 2 | ||
| Deron Williams | 2008–2012 | | 2 | ||
| Kobe Bryant | 2008–2012 | | 2 | ||
| Chris Paul | 2008–2012 | | 2 | ||
| Anthony Davis | 2012, 2024 | | 2 | ||
| Draymond Green | 2016–2020 | | 2 | ||
| Jrue Holiday | 2020–2024 | | 2 | ||
| Jayson Tatum | 2020–2024 | | 2 | ||
| Bam Adebayo | 2020–2024 | | 2 | ||
| Devin Booker | 2020–2024 | | 2 | ||
| Mitch Richmond | 1988, 1996 | | | 2 | |
| Dwyane Wade | 2004–2008 | | | 2 |
| Player | Career | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total (min. 2 medals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rudy Gay | 2010–2014 |  | 2 | ||
| Derrick Rose | 2010–2014 | | 2 | ||
| Stephen Curry | 2010–2014 | | 2 | ||
| Alonzo Mourning | 1990–1994 | |  | 2 | |
| Brad Miller | 1998, 2006 | | 2 |
| Player | Career | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total (min. 2 medals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Kidd | 1999, 2003, 2007 |  | 3 | ||
| Reggie Jordan | 1993, 1997 | | 2 | ||
| Elton Brand | 1999, 2003 | | 2 | ||
| Tim Duncan | 1999, 2003 | | 2 | ||
| Christian Laettner | 1989–1992 | |  | 2 | |
| Gary Payton | 1989, 1999 | | | 2 |
Los Estados Unidos de América (American Athletic Union) y Austria (Federación Austriaca de Hand-Ball) han solicitado su filiación a la Federación Internacional de Basket-Ball.[The United States of America (American Athletic Union) and Austria (Austrian Hand-Ball Federation) have applied for membership to the Fédération Internationale de Basketball.]
2019 Military World Games - Men's Basketball Final: United States vs Lithuania FULL TOURNAMENT VIDEO 2019-10-27 (1:35:01) HD
2019 Military World Games - Men's Basketball Final: United States vs Lithuania 10/27/2019
United States men's national basketball team squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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