Facts & Photos: 2012 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. 2
- Between 1948 and 2012, there were six USA games played in the Olympics. In 2012 Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Love tallied 16 points each as the USA defeated Tunisia 110-63; the 1996 women defeated Japan 108-96 in the quarterfinals as Lisa Leslie scored a USA single-game Olympic women’s record 35 points and Katrina McClain tied the rebounding record with 16; Charles Barkley’s 30 points led the 1992 Dream Team to a 127-83 win over Brazil; Cheryl Miller scored 20 points to help the 1984 squad to a 81-47 thrashing of Australia; in 1952, Clyde Levelette topped the USA’s scorers with 27 points in a 85-76 downing of Argentina; and the 1948 men, behind 19 points from Alex Groza, defeated Switzerland 86-21.
- Video: 2012 U.S. Men vs. Spain in the Gold Medal Game
- Complete Recap of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team
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The 2012 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team averaged 111.5 points per game in its eight-straight wins – second only to the 1992 U.S. Olympic men’s team that scored an average of 117.3 ppg.
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Anthony Davis and James Harden made their USA National Team debuts with the 2012 Olympic squad, while Tyson Chandler, Andre Iguodala, Kevin Love and Russell Wesbrook also played in their first and only Olympics. |
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Anthony Davis won an NCAA title in his freshman season at the University of Kentucky in 2011-12, was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans as the No. 1 pick in the June 2012 NBA Draft, helped USA Basketball to an Olympic gold medal in the summer of 2012 and then finished second in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting in 2012-13.
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With their 2012 gold medals, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James joined David Robinson (1988, 1992 and 1996) as the USA’s only three-time Olympic men’s basketball team members. Anthony went on to play on the gold-medal winning 2016 Olympic Team to become USA Basketball's only male four-time Olympian.
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The 2012 Olympic gold medal game was a rematch from the 2008 Olympic title match between the USA and Spain. The game featured 16 lead changes, while 30 points from Kevin Durant helped the USA capture a 107-100 win and a second-straight gold medal.
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