Every four years the basketball world comes together to give fans something to watch during the NBA offseason. The Olympics hosted some epic basketball moments, and another was added to the list at the 2024 Paris Games. Steph Curry and Team USA orchestrated a 17-point comeback to defeat Nikola Jokic and Serbia in the semifinals. Team USA will now face France in a hostile environment to decide the gold medal.
Men's and Women's Olympics basketball have been catalysts to growing the game and is an integral part of the sport today. Without these great moments, we may not have witnessed some great International players in the NBA. There also may not be a WNBA, as one choice on this list helped kickstart the league in 1997.
1. The Dream Team in 1992
Well before Steph Curry took to the stage, Men's basketball began and ended with the Dream Team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The stars aligned and a stacked group of Hall of Famers joined forces to win a gold medal for the USA. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, and Scottie Pippen were some names who put basketball on the map internationally.
The Americans' performance at those Olympics is one reason we see some of the world's best players in the NBA today. “It had a huge impact in Europe. If you see interviews that I did or Dirk or Pau Gasol, Manu Ginóbili – we all were affected by the Dream Team,” France International basketball player Tony Parker told reporters.
Team USA won all eight games in the Olympics by a combined score of 43.8 points per game.
2. USA Women's Basketball goes on an unbelievable run
The USA women finished third at the 1992 Olympics and 1994 World Championships, which didn't sit well with USA basketball. They prepared for the tournament by going on a 52-game international exhibition series. The best American players joined forces like the men in 1992, with Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Dawn Staley, Rebecca Lobo, and Jennifer Azzi leading the way.
The success of this American team helped create the idea of the WNBA, which began playing in June 1997. The team won by an average of 45.2 points and kick-started a run of gold medals which continues to this year's tournament. This year's iteration of the team is looking for the USA's eighth-straight championship.
3. Kobe Bryant's gold medal performance
Team USA won bronze at the 2004 Olympics after not rostering as good of a team as in past years. The USA sent Kobe Bryant, Lebron, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and other NBA All-Stars to reclaim their place at the top of International basketball.
The 2008 gold medal game was going to be an epic matchup, as Spain had the Gasol Brothers, Rudy Fernandez, Jose Calderon, and Ricky Rubio. It was a back-and-forth affair, with the Americans leading by two points with eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
The result was doubtful until Kobe took over the game, scoring 13 of his 20 points, with six assists and two blocks in 27 minutes. Steph Curry may have had a better-scoring day in the semifinals against Serbia, but it wasn't for a gold medal like Kobe's performance.
4. Manu Ginobili dominates in Athens
The Americans entered the 2004 Olympics without the star power of past teams but were still favorites to win the gold medal. The USA lost to Puerto Rico and Lithuania in the group stage, but people believed they'd turn it around. The USA managed to advance to the semifinals and came up against Argentina.
Argentina advanced to the semifinals by beating Serbia and Montenegro in the tournament's first game. They lost their other two group games but qualified as the last seed for the playoffs. Manu Ginobili's clutch shot in the first game was the difference between advancing and going home without a win. However, his performance against the USA was his masterpiece.
Ginobili scored a game-high 29 points to defeat the tournament-favorites 89-81. Argentina then faced Italy in the gold medal game and won 84-69.
5. Steph Curry had a semifinal masterpiece
The 2024 Olympic Men's semifinal will have a lasting memory of the USA's 17-point comeback to win 95-91 over Serbia. However, they wouldn't have been in that position without Curry's performance in the first quarter. Curry's teammates shot 1-of-8 in the first quarter, while Steph scored 14 of the team's first 15 points and a single-quarter Olympic record with 17.
Steph Curry finished the game with 36 points, while shooting 9-of-14 from three, adding another notch to his legacy as the greatest three-point shooter in history. Lebron James' night can't be overlooked, as he tallied 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. However, Curry was the hero. The question is whether they can finish the job in the gold medal game against France.
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