The American national men’s basketball team owns an impressive 143-6 (0.959 winning percentage) all-time record at the Olympics. Since 1992 when the NBA players began representing the United States, their win-loss record has been 58-4 in eight Olympics, capturing seven gold medals and one bronze medal.
Team USA Olympic Basketball Medal Record
Olympic Games record
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD |
| 1936 | Gold medalists | 1st of 23 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 154 | 69 | +85 |
| 1948 | Gold medalists | 1st of 23 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 524 | 256 | +268 |
| 1952 | Gold medalists | 1st of 23 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 562 | 406 | +156 |
| 1956 | Gold medalists | 1st of 15 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 793 | 365 | +428 |
| 1960 | Gold medalists | 1st of 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 815 | 476 | +339 |
| 1964 | Gold medalists | 1st of 16 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 704 | 434 | +270 |
| 1968 | Gold medalists | 1st of 16 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 739 | 505 | +234 |
| 1972 | Silver medalists | 2nd of 16 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 660 | 401 | +259 |
| 1976 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 586 | 500 | +86 |
| 1980 | Originally qualified as defending champions, but withdrew | |||||||
| 1984 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 763 | 506 | +257 |
| 1988 | Bronze medalists | 3rd of 12 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 733 | 490 | +243 |
| 1992 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 938 | 588 | +350 |
| 1996 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 816 | 562 | +254 |
| 2000 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 760 | 587 | +173 |
| 2004 | Bronze medalists | 3rd of 12 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 705 | 668 | +37 |
| 2008 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 850 | 627 | +223 |
| 2012 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 924 | 667 | +257 |
| 2016 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 807 | 627 | +180 |
| 2020 | Gold medalists | 1st of 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 594 | 474 | +120 |
| Total | 16 titles | 19/20 | 149 | 143 | 6 | 13427 | 9208 | +4219 |
USA Team Olympic Basketball Game Records
Most Points: 156
USA vs. Nigeria, 2012
Most Rebounds: 64
USA vs. Australia, 1972
Most Field Goals Made: 59
USA vs. Nigeria, 2012
Most Field Goals Attempted: 91
USA vs. Spain, 1992
Highest Field Goal Percentage: 0.711% (59-83)
USA vs. Nigeria, 2012
Most 3-Point Field Goals Made: 29
USA vs. Nigeria, 2012
Most 3-Point Field Goals Attempted: 46
USA vs. Australia, 2012
USA vs. Nigeria, 2012
Highest 3-point Percentage: 0.636% (7-11)
USA vs. Canada, 1988
Most Free Throws Made: 33
USA vs. Serbia, 2016
Most Free Throws Attempted: 46
USA vs. Italy, 1960
Highest Free Throw Percentage: 0.958% (23-24)
USA vs. Soviet Union, 1956
Most Assists: 41
USA vs. Nigeria, 2012
USA vs. China, 1996
Most Blocked Shots: 14
USA vs. Canada, 1984
Most Steals: 32
USA vs. Croatia, 1992
FAQs
1. Has the USA basketball team ever lost in the Olympics?
Yes, the USA basketball team has indeed suffered losses in a couple of the Olympics matches. Since basketball was introduced in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, the USA’s first-ever loss was in the 1972 Germany Olympics. They secured their only silver medal to date after losing to Soviet Union 51-50 in the final.
Their second loss came at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul after they lost to Soviet Union 76-82 in the semifinals. In the third-place game against Australia, they defeated them to secure the bronze medal.
At the 2004 Athens Olympics, which is considered one of their worst performances ever, the USA men’s team lost three games - Puerto Rico 92, USA 73; Lithuania 94, USA 90; and Argentina 89, USA 81. Their 24-game Olympic winning streak since 1992 ended when they lost to Puerto Rico in the opening game. In the semi-final, they lost to Argentina 81-89. They had to be content with a bronze medal after they beat Lithuania 104-96.
They lost their opening game against France at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but captured the gold medal anyway.
2. How many times has the USA won the basketball Olympics?
The USA has won the basketball Olympics a record 16 times out of their 19 appearances. They won the gold medal in the following years - 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1976, 1984, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020.
3. Who is USA Basketball’s all-time leading scorer at the Olympics?
Carmelo Anthony currently sits atop Team USA's all-time leaderboard for most career points in the Olympics. He has 336 points to his name, which includes Team USA's single-game scoring record of 37 points against Nigeria in the 2012 Olympics in London. He played at the Olympics in the following years - 2016, 2012, 2008, and 2004.
4. Why did the USA lose at the 2004 Olympics?
Several prominent players declined invitations, in part due to security concerns over attending the first Olympic Games after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The roster was hastily assembled, and heavily flawed. They managed to secure the bronze with a victory over Lithuania in the third-place game, but the 2004 Olympics has widely been deemed a disaster in USA’s basketball history.
