Olympic Basketball Winners and Medalists: Year By Year

First debuting as a medal sport in Berlin 1936 for men and Montreal 1976 for women, Basketball has become a thrilling staple of the Summer Olympics. It remains one of the most popular Olympic sports of all time, drawing thousands of viewers to watch the on-court action.

Team USA, the home of NBA superstars, dominates both men's and women's Basketball, boasting an impressive 25 Olympic gold medals in their tally. As the current defending champions, Team USA is by far the most successful country in Olympic Basketball.

Only four other nations have ever claimed gold in Olympic Basketball: Argentina (the only other active contender), the USSR, Yugoslavia, and the Unified Team.

Who will challenge Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and attain victory? The competition is fierce, and anything can happen! Read on for a complete list of past Olympic Basketball champions and medalists.

The Olympic Basketball format has evolved since its debut in Berlin 1936, where 23 teams initially competed in a single elimination format to decide the overall Gold medal winner.

In Munich 1972, the format changed to 16 teams in two groups of eight teams. The top two from each group advanced to the Semi-Finals and then the Grand Final. This format structure continued until Tokyo 2020.

For Paris 2024, the Olympic Basketball format remains similar to Tokyo 2020. Twelve teams will be divided into three groups (A, B, and C), playing in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group, plus the two best third-placed teams, advance to the Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals, and the Grand Final. This ensures a competitive knockout stage with diverse matchups.

Since Tokyo 2020, 3x3 Basketball for both men and women has been included as a separate event, which will continue in Paris 2024.

The FIBA World Cup organizes the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournaments and the Olympic basketball tournaments, sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

2024 Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball Roster

The twelve-player roster for defending Olympic champions Team USA is star-studded, featuring renowned NBA players and previous Olympic champions. Their aim is to add to the region's sixteen gold medals tally. Here's their complete player lineup.

• LeBron James
• Stephen Curry
• Kevin Durant
• Joel Embiid
• Jayson Tatum
• Devin Booker
• Jrue Holiday
• Anthony Davis
• Anthony Edwards
• Bam Adebayo
• Tyrese Haliburton
• Derrick White

Final Thoughts

As you can tell, Team USA has by far the most Olympic medals for Olympic Basketball as the most successful country, and the only nation to see consistent success with both gendered teams. Their men's teams have won sixteen of the nineteen tournaments, while the women's teams have won nine out of eleven tournaments, including seven consecutive titles in a row from 1996 to 2020.

Will Team USA's winning streak continue at the 2024 Olympic Games? Only time will tell.

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Olympic Basketball FAQs

Is Basketball an Olympic sport?

Yes, Basketball has been considered a medal sport in the Summer Olympics since 1936 for men and 1976 for women.

Where will they play the Olympics 2024 men's basketball?

The Group Phase of the Olympic Basketball tournaments will be hosted in Lille at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium, with the Final Phase in Paris at the Bercy Arena.

Who will play on the USA Olympic basketball team in 2024?

The United States Olympic team for men's Basketball is headed by NBA superstars LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Devin Booker.

What years did the USA win Olympic gold medals in men's Basketball?

The USA national men's basketball team has won the Olympic Games gold medal for Basketball in the following years: 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1976, 1964, 1992, 1996, 2000, 1008, 2012, 2016, and 2020.

What is the schedule for Olympic Basketball in Paris 2024?

The basketball competitions at the 2024 Summer Olympics will be held from July 27 through to August 11 for both the men's and women's basketball tournaments.

Where can I watch Olympic Basketball at the Paris Olympic Games?

You can watch the Paris Olympics including men's and women's basketball via your country's media rights holders, like CBC in Canada, BBC Sport in the United Kingdom, NBC in the United States, and One Sports in the Philippines. Streaming platforms like YouTube will also offer live coverage.

What countries are competing in Olympic Basketball in 2024?

Twelve teams will be competing in Olympic Basketball at the 2024 Olympic Games. They all earned slots through the FIBA World Cup Olympic Qualifying Tournaments: USA, France, Australia, South Sudan, Japan, Canada, Serbia, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Greece, and Puerto Rico.

What country won the 2016 Olympic gold medal women's Basketball?

The women's team for the USA won the 2016 Olympic gold medal in Basketball in Rio. Team Spain took home the silver medal, while Serbia claimed bronze medals.