Ranking the Best USA Men’s Basketball Teams: Does 2024 Stack Up?
Zack Cook
Host · Writer
Where Does 2024 Team USA Stack Up?
After the "Dream Team," it's not hard to make the case that the 2024 Men's Olympic Team ranks right behind them. It's unlikely they'll match the Hall of Famers that the 1992 team had, but they certainly won't be far behind.
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5. 2016 Team USA
The 2016 group in Rio de Janeiro was loaded. Maybe not to the extent of some other teams on this list, but it was a strong roster in its own right. With a veteran wing in Carmelo Anthony, paired with future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant, the 2016 team had an average margin of victory of 22.5 points, highlighting how strong they were on both sides of the ball. Kyrie Irving and Paul George played sizable roles, while DeMarcus Cousins made his presence felt in the paint upfront.
4. 1996 Team USA
In 1996, Team USA swept the competition in Atlanta and finished undefeated to take home the gold medal. With a tough act to follow after the "Dream Team," this group in 1996 made headlines without a problem. With a starting five that featured Gary Payton, Reggie Miller, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone, and Hakeem Olajuwon, it's impossible not to be impressed with the makeup of this team. That doesn't even factor in a bench that included John Stockon, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O'Neal. Talk about an embarrassment of riches.
3. 2012 Team USA
At the London Olympics in 2012, Team USA once again put on a show in men's basketball. If you want to teach the game of basketball, this is a great team to do it with. You had a group that moved the ball around with their playmaking and could shoot it and play high-end defense. LeBron James led this group alongside the late Kobe Bryant, Chis Paul, and Kevin Durant. Durant played an important role for this group, which concluded with a 30-point showing in the gold medal game against Spain.
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2. 2008 Team USA
After a shocking performance at the 2004 Olympics, the 2008 team in Beijing, coined the "Redeem Team", went out and did just that. The 2008 squad was loaded with current stars and youngsters, which helped get the country back on track at the Olympics. A starting five that saw Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwight Howard take the floor consistently lines up amongst the all-time greats. That doesn't even factor in a bench with the likes of Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. It was a dominant showing from Team USA, and it's not hard to understand why this group will go down as one of the best ever.
1. 1992 Team USA
It's pretty much impossible not to put the "Dream Team" as the best Olympic USA men's basketball team ever. This group of men took the tournament by storm and humiliated the competition en route to a gold medal in Barcelona. When you have a group of Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone, and Patrick Ewing, how are other countries supposed to match up against them? All five of these starters ended up in the Basketball Hall of Fame, in addition to six players from their bench, which featured John Stockton, Clyde Drexler, Chris Mullin, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, and Christian Laettner. It truly doesn't get better than this.
Where Does 2024 Team USA Stack Up?
After the "Dream Team," it's not hard to make the case that the 2024 Men's Olympic Team ranks right behind them. It's unlikely they'll match the Hall of Famers that the 1992 team had, but they certainly won't be far behind.
Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
5. 2016 Team USA
The 2016 group in Rio de Janeiro was loaded. Maybe not to the extent of some other teams on this list, but it was a strong roster in its own right. With a veteran wing in Carmelo Anthony, paired with future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant, the 2016 team had an average margin of victory of 22.5 points, highlighting how strong they were on both sides of the ball. Kyrie Irving and Paul George played sizable roles, while DeMarcus Cousins made his presence felt in the paint upfront.
