Team USA has long dominated the international basketball world. This program is rich in history and has been home to some of the best basketball players in the world. Let’s rank the 10 greatest Team USA players in history.
10. Vince Carter
“Half man, half great” is what Vince Carter was called around the NBA, but he was also a threat internationally. A six-time NBA All-Star, Carter won a gold medal at the 2003 FIBA Americas Championship and an Olympic gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
At the Olympics, Carter featured France’s 7-foot-tall Frederic Weiss on a poster, delivering perhaps the most devastating dunk in international basketball history.
9. Magic Johnson
The Dream Team was loaded with talented scorers, but they needed a top-tier playmaker to help drive the offense — that’s where Magic Johnson came in.
Recently coming out of retirement, Johnson was co-captain of the Dream Team that won the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, a campaign that saw Team USA demonstrate to the world the talent gap.
8. Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen proved to be the perfect partner for Michael Jordan in the NBA, and as a result, there’s no question that Pippen complements stars extremely well.
Plus, Pippen proved himself on the international stage: His two-way play helped the Dream Team win a gold medal at the 1992 FIBA Americas Championship before taking home the gold at the Barcelona Olympics. Four years later, Pippen won gold again at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Stephen Curry has yet to play in an Olympic game, but basketball fans won’t have to wait much longer as the four-time NBA champion will make his debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
However, it’s worth noting that despite never having played in the Olympics, Curry has won the last two gold medals for the U.S. national team at the FIBA World Cup, and he is yet to lose at the senior level with the U.S. national team.
There’s no doubt that LeBron James is the best basketball player in the world. James has done it all in the NBA, breaking all-time scoring records, winning four NBA titles, four Finals MVPs and four NBA MVPs. But as illustrious as his NBA career has been, it’s no exaggeration to say that his international career has been just as illustrious.
He won a gold medal at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship, two gold medals and a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics, and a bronze medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. James is leading the U.S. National Team at this year’s Paris Olympics, where another gold medal would further cement his legend.
5. Charles Barkley
While the 1992 Dream Team flourished, there’s no doubt that Charles Barkley was the brightest star on that star-studded squad. Barkley led the team with 18.0 points per game and shot 71% from the field en route to a gold medal. Barkley returned to represent the U.S. at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where the U.S. won back-to-back gold medals.
4. Kobe Bryant
As the world began to close the gap again, the Redeem team wasn’t complete until Kobe Bryant stepped in. With Bryant’s addition, it’s no exaggeration to say that Team USA found the missing piece to complete their international puzzle.
The Black Mamba injected intensity into his teammates while inspiring them with his ferocious work ethic, and Bryant persevered in tough moments, playing a key role in winning back-to-back Olympic gold medals.
3. Michael Jordan
Before Team USA began using NBA stars, Michael Jordan played for the national team as an amateur, and in fact, in addition to six NBA championships, he won a Pan American Games gold medal, a Americas Championship gold medal and two Olympic gold medals, the latter being the second-most in Team USA history.
2. Carmelo Anthony
At the NBA level, Carmelo Anthony was already a dangerous perimeter scorer. Once on the international stage, Melo seemed to become even more free. Melo was once Team USA’s all-time leading scorer and led the team in scoring on multiple occasions.
A 10-time NBA All-Star, Melo has also won one FIBA Americas Championship gold medal, one bronze medal on the FIBA World Stage and three Olympic gold medals and one bronze medal. His three Olympic gold medals are tied for the most in the history of the U.S. men’s basketball team.
As a member of the Redeem Team and a unique era in U.S. national basketball history, Kevin Durant is a formidable presence in the NBA and on the international stage.
He is currently Team USA’s all-time leading scorer, and is also tied for the most Olympic gold medals in Team USA men’s basketball history, and will add another to his list once KD joins the team in Paris.
