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In the National Basketball Association, there are many honors that distinguish a few players from a lot. They include the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, the Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award, the scoring title, and arguably the most prestigious and coveted of them all, the Larry O’Brien Trophy, which is more Known as the NBA World Championship title. However, there is one other honour that is arguably more important than all of the above, as it proves victory on behalf of a country and again only one exclusive player club has won – the gold medal.
Which NBA players have gold medals? Many NBA players have won gold medals throughout their eras. The list includes Michael Jordan, the late great Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Kay Vin Durant et al. While most NBA fans generally think that only NBA players can win gold, that’s not the case because college players have a chance too.
early bloomers
Since the game of basketball was invented by James Naismith in 1891, no other country has performed better in international competitions than the United States. At the Summer Olympics, basketball was first held as a demonstration in 1904 and was later officially listed as a medal sport. 1936. To date, the United States has won an impressive 16 gold medals at the quadrennial event.
The U.S. has also won gold medals in other international competitions such as the FIBA ​​World Cup (5), the Pan American Games (8), the FIBA ​​America’s Cup (7), the Goodwill Games (3) and the Universiade (14).
Before the 1992 Summer Olympics, the United States sent mostly amateur (non-NBA) basketball players to the Olympics due to the strict rules that existed at the time. That all changed in April 1989, when former FIBA ​​Secretary General Borislav Stankovic revised the rules that allow the United States to send NBA players to international competitions.
To celebrate the new assignment, the United States assembled arguably the greatest team of all time. The legendary team, known as the “Dream Team,” beat all competitors by an average of 44 points per game on the way to the gold medal.
The team boasted point guards Magic Johnson and Jon Stockton, shooting guards Michael Jordan and Clyde Drexler, small forwards Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen and Chris Mullin, big Forwards Charles Barkley, Karl Malone and Christian Laettner, and centers, David Robinson and Patrick Ewing.
continued dominance
Following the success of the Dream Team template, the United States formed a second top NBA star known as “Dream Team II,” who entered and won the 1994 FIBA ​​World Championship in equally dominant fashion. It is worth noting that the Dream Team II did not include any players from the original Dream Team.
The team includes guards Kevin Johnson, Mark Price, Steve Smith, Reggie Miller, Joe Dumars and Dan Majler, forwards Dominic Wilkins, Sean Kemp, Larry Johnson and Derrick Coleman and centers Shaquille O’Neal and Alonso mourned.
To continue its success at the 1996 Summer Olympics, the United States assembled a five-member Dream Team consisting of Stockton, Barkley, Pippen, Robinson and Malone. The new additions to the team include guards Anfernee Hardaway, Gary Payton, Reggie Miller and Mitch Richmond, forwards Grant Hill and centers Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O’Neal.
Due to the infamous NBA lockout of the 1998-99 season, only non-NBA players were selected to represent the United States in the 1998 FIBA​​ World Championships, and they only finished third due to stiff competition.
A new generation of stars
At the 2000 Summer Olympics, the United States made an incredible defense of its 1996 Olympic victory. While the team did win the gold, it faced a formidable challenge from Lithuania and final rivals France, who challenged the invincibility of the United States.
Guards Steve Smith and Gary Payton and center Alonso Mourning are the only players on the team with international experience. The rest of the team consists of guards Jason Kidd, Ray Allen, Tim Hardaway and Alan Houston and forwards Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett, Vin Baker, Sheriff Abbey Dulle-Rahim and Antonio McDyess.
After triple disappointment at the 2002 and 2006 FIBA ​​World Championships and the 2004 Summer Olympics, the U.S. returned to the drawing board and formed the Redemption Team, which included freshmen other than guard Jason Kidd, for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Get ready, in which the US re-establishes its dominance.
This lineup, considered one of the best ever, includes guards Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul and Michael Redder, forwards LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony , Tayshaun Prince, Chris Bosh and Carlos Boozer, and center Dwight Howard.
Instead of keeping their roster in the gold medal-winning 2008 Summer Olympics squad, the United States looked to the future by offering their 2010 FIBA ​​World Championship campaign the glory of rising stars.
The 2010 FIBA ​​World Championship lineup includes guards Stephen Curry, Chauncey Billups, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon, forwards Kevin Durant , Andre Iguodala, Lamar Odom, Kevin Love, Rudy Gay and Danny Granger among other household names, as well as center Tyson Chandler.
Other NBA players who have since gone on to win gold medals in subsequent Olympics (2012, 2016 and 2020) and FIBA ​​World Championships (2014) include Anthony Davis, James Harden, Deron Williams, Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, DeMar DeRozan, DeMarcus Cousins, Kenneth Faried, Mason Plumlee, Andre Drummond, Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler and Harrison Barnes.
They also include Paul George, Draymond Green, DeAndre Jordan, Jerami Grant, Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker, Jue Holiday, Damian Lillard, Zach LaVine, Jayson Tatum, Khris Middleton, JaVale McGee and Keldon Johnson.
Non-U.S. NBA players who won gold medals
Among non-US NBA players to win gold, Manu Ginobili is unique for his historic victory at the 2004 Olympics. Others included brother duo Pau Gasol and Marc Gasol, who won one and two FIBA​​ World Championship gold medals respectively.
Former Nets and Croatian superstar Drazen Petrovic also entered the list with one FIBA ​​World Championship gold medal and one European Championship gold medal, while former Houston Rockets center Yao Ming won three FIBA ​​Asian Cup gold medals. Former Sacramento King and Serbian standout Peja Stojakovic won a FIBA ​​Gold World Championship gold medal and a EuroBasket gold medal.
The list of players who have won at least a FIBA ​​World Championship or EuroBasket gold medal includes Arvydas Sabonis, Vlade Divac, Toni Kukoc, Andrei Kirilenko, Goran Dragic, Luis Scola, Ricky Rubio, Dino Radja, Dejan Bodiroga, Jose Calderon, Boris Diaw, Nikos Galis and Predrag Danilovic.
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