Facts & Photos: 1984 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were to be held July 24-Aug. 9, 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the Summer Games to 2021. USA Basketball is celebrating the original dates of the 2020 Olympics with a look back at past U.S. Olympic men’s and women’s basketball teams through photos and fun facts. Be sure to check in daily for Olympic memories galore!
On this day in USA Basketball Olympic History: Aug. 4
- Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James poured in 20 points apiece to lead the 2012 U.S. team to a 99-94 victory over Lithuania; the 1995-95 USA Women's National Team saw its year-long journey come to a golden finish with a 111-87 victory over Brazil in the gold medal game behind a team-high 29 points from Lisa Leslie. Additionally, in securing the win, the '96 women shot a U.S. Olympic women's single-game record 66.2% from the field; In 1992 Chris Mullin netted 21 points in a 115-77 quarterfinal win over Puerto Rico; with the help of 24 points from Michael Jordan and a double-double of 12 points and a U.S. Olympic men's record (tie) 12 assists from Leon Wood, the 1984 squad downed Spain 101-68; and in 1948 Don Barksdale scored a high of 17 points asthe USA defeated Egypt 66-28.
- Video: Last Four Minutes USA Men's 1984 Gold Medal Game vs. Spain & 1984 USA Men's Quarterfinal vs. Germany
- Complete Recap of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team
|
The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics marked the first Olympic basketball competition held in the United States. And, with the U.S. men’s and women’s basketball teams winning gold, 1984 was the first time a single nation won both tournaments in the same year.
 |
|
|
Following the USA not participating in the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, the Soviet Union, along with seventeen other countries, boycotted the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. |
|
|
The USA was led by Bobby Knight, with assistant coaches Don Donoher, C.M. Newton and George Raveling.
 From left to right: C.M. Newton, George Raveling, Bobby Knight and Don Donoher. |
|
|
Michael Jordan, who also won gold at the 1992 Olympics, made his Olympic debut at the 1984 Games, and he averaged a team-high 17.1 points per game.
|
|
|
Like Jordan, Patrick Ewing and Chris Mullin made their Olympic debuts in 1984 and returned to win gold in 1992 as well.
|
|
|
Steve Alford’s 8-of-8 shooting from the field against France at the 1984 Olympic Games still stands as a U.S. Olympic men’s single-game record for shooting percentage.
|
|
|
In the U.S. Olympic men’s single-competition records, Leon Wood’s 63 assists in 1984 remain at the No. 1 spot.
|
|
|
The 1984 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team Trials, held April 17-22 at Indiana University, consisted of 72 of college basketball’s top players. Among the list of players who did not make the Olympic roster were future Olympians Charles Barkley, Karl Malone and John Stockton, as well as Johnny Dawkins, Terry Porter, Joe Dumars, Dell Curry, Chuck Person, Tyrone Corbin, A.C. Green, Antoine Carr, Otis Thorpe, Michael Cage, Kevin Willis and Roy Tarpley.
|
