Team USA has won a gold medal in men’s basketball in every Olympic Tournament since 1992 outside of one, the disastrous 2004 bronze-medal showing in Athens. USA Basketball has now won five straight gold medals in and will look to make it six in a row at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
Of course, some all-time greats have suited up and played for Team USA at the Olympics, including the Top 2 in just about everyone’s GOAT rankings – Michael Jordan and LeBron James – and various other all-timers like Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and the borderline unquestioned Team USA GOAT, Kevin Durant, as well as so many other icons of the sport.
Today, we’re going to take a look at the best Team USA player in each Olympics since 1992 using our own Global Rating metric to determine the top American at each summer tournament. There are some surprises in here so be ready.
Spoiler alert: Durant and James dominate this list. Oh, and a role player was the best American at the 2020 Olympics, which was one of the weaker Team USA Olympic squads since NBA players started being allowed to participate for the U.S.
USA TODAY Sports
Global Rating: 35.37
Stats: 18.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.6 spg, 0.1 bpg, 71.1 FG%, 87.5 3P% in eight games
Final result: Gold medal
Runner up: Karl Malone (27.19)
TIM ZIELENBACH/AFP via Getty Images
Global Rating: 20.88
Stats: 12.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 0.5 spg, 0.3 bpg, 68.0 FG%, 70.0 FT% in eight games
Final result: Gold medal
Runner up: Shaquille O’Neal (16.39)
Jamie Squire /Allsport
Global Rating: 22.35
Stats: 9.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.9 spg, 1.4 bpg, 53.8 FG%, 52.6 3P% in eight games
Final result: Gold medal
Runner up: Vince Carter (18.34)
Don Emmert/AFP via Getty Images
Global Rating: 13.97
Stats: 12.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.6 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.4 bpg, 56.7 FG%, 75.0 FT%
Final result: Bronze medal
Runner up: Dwyane Wade (6.37)
Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Global Rating: 23.54
Stats: 15.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.8 apg, 2.4 spg, 1.0 bpg, 60.2 FG%, 46.4 3P% in eight games
Final result: Gold medal
Runner up: Dwyane Wade (22.13)
Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Global Rating: 25.04
Stats: 19.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.6 spg, 0.6 bpg, 48.5 FG%, 52.3 3P% in eight games
Final result: Gold medal
Runner up: LeBron James (16.00)
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images
Global Rating: 30.08
Stats: 19.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.5 bpg, 57.8 FG%, 58.1 3P% in eight games
Final result: Gold medal
Runner up: Paul George (16.01)
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Global Rating: 14.34
Stats: 11.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.7 spg, 0.8 bpg, 48.3 FG%, 35.0 3P% in six games
Final result: Gold medal
Runner up: Bam Adebayo (12.61)
GREGORY SHAMUS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Global Rating: 30.90
Stats: 14.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 8.5 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.3 bpg, 66.0 FG%, 30.8 3P% in six games
Final result: Gold medal
Runner up: Kevin Durant (24.70)
