Team USA vs Rest of the World
The US Basketball Federation joined FIBA, the ruling international organism, in 1934 and, until a rule change by FIBA in 1989 allowed differently, always fielded amateur (college) players in internationl tournaments.
The 1989 rule change brought about the birth of the first “Dream Team”, which took part in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. It fielded an incredible selection of NBA stars: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Chris Mullin, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, John Stockton, David Robinson, Scottie Pippen, Clyde Drexler, Christian Laettner (Coach: Chuck Daly) and it was so much stronger than any opposition that Coach Daly did not call a single time-out in the entire tournament! Needless to say, Jordan & Co. clinched the gold medal.
Since then the opposition (mainly European, plus Argentina), has stiffened and Team USA has not always fared well in international tournament, as the tables below, showing US finishes in Olympics and World Basketball Championship, show.
Olympics Games record:
- 1936: 1st
- 1948: 1st
- 1952: 1st
- 1956: 1st
- 1960: 1st
- 1964: 1st
- 1968: 1st
- 1972: 2nd (refused, never awarded)
- 1976: 1st
- 1980: did not participate (1980 Summer Olympics boycott)
- 1984: 1st
- 1988: 3rd
- 1992: 1st (1989 rule change by FIBA allowed USA Basketball to field teams with professional players)
- 1996: 1st
- 2000: 1st
- 2004: 3rd
- 2008: 1st
FIBA World Championship record:
