Ranking the 5 best USA Men's Basketball teams in Olympics history
The USA men's basketball team has dominated at the Olympics ever since it has participated, taking gold in 15 of the 18 tournaments it appeared in. Since professional players were allowed to play, from 1992 onwards, America has dominated too, winning the gold medal in six of the last seven tournaments mainly due to their NBA talent.
Checkout: USA Olympic Basketball Team 2021
Even as the competition continues to get tougher by the dribble, the USA men's basketball squad still has the most impressive roster in almost every international tournament. The 1992 'Dream Team' at Barcelona changed a lot in international basketball tournaments, as the USA men's basketball team became one of the big attractions of the Summer Olympics ever since.
Five best USA Men's Basketball teams in Olympics history
Though Argentina (2004) stopped the USA men's basketball's dominance since 1992, they've pretty much sent 'dream' teams to every tournament. Now, the USA continue to be favorites to win the gold medal at the 2021 Olympics, but the field has definitely caught up, as France already defeated them and teams like Spain, Australia and Slovenia could definitely pose more than a slight threat.
Be it as it may, we're focusing on the USA men's basketball squad's dominance in Olympics' basketball in this article, and we will give you the best five USA teams in Olympics' history.
Without further ado, let us start.
Honorary Mention: 2004 USA men's basketball team at Athens
The USA men's basketball squad at the 2004 Olympics in Athens was sincerely a great one, though some of the star players were starting their NBA careers at the time.
Even though they only had a bronze medal to show for, the team had Tim Duncan, LeBron James, Allen Iverson, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony and it was definitely interesting to watch before it collapsed.
#5 "The Big O and The Logo" - Rome 1960
This might be a bit of a far-fetched take given how basketball has evolved internationally and the absence, by rules, of players who were active in the NBA. However, when Jerry West and Oscar Robertson are on the same roster, it does not hurt to take a look and appreciate it.
The USA men's basketball team steamrolled through everyone at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, and the team definitely had some talent. Apart from West and Robertson, two legends of basketball, the roster also included Jerry Lucas and Walt Bellamy.
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Moreover, the team had eight future NBA players who also became All-Stars in their careers. Among the eight future All-Stars in the 1960 team, there were 43 All-Star selections, headlined by West (14) and Robertson (12).
They won the gold medal easily, defeating every team, with a 24-point win over the then Soviet Union in the semifinals as the closest match of the tournament for them.
#4 Dream Team 2 - Atlanta 1996
Definitely an underrated USA men's basketball team, the 1996 squad surely deserves some analysis and praise for the team's construction. Headlined by dream-teamers Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, David Robinson, John Stockton and Scottie Pippen, the team also included all-time greats like Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing and Reggie Miller.
The team won the gold medal at Atlanta 1996 in undefeated fashion and with dominance. The squad won the five games of the first round with a point differential of 177. Then, it beat Brazil by 33 points in the Quarterfinals, Australia by 28 in the Semifinals and FR Yugoslavia by 26 in the gold medal match at the Olympics.