Who have beaten the United States in men’s basketball at the Olympic Games?

Emanuel Ginobili (Michael Tipton, Wikimedia Commons)

In the history of the Olympic Games, the United States have been dominant in men’s basketball. Of the 20 Olympic men’s basketball tournaments, the United States have won the gold medal 16 times. That includes the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, where the Americans did not send an Olympic team at all because of their protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. With no Olympic men’s basketball on Thursday, I thought about taking a trip down memory lane, and look back at the six times the Americans have lost an Olympic men’s basketball game.

1972 Munich Gold Medal Game

In the gold medal game of the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, the Soviet Union upset the United States 51-50. At the previous seven Olympic men’s basketball tournaments, the United States had gone undefeated. Sergei Belov led the Soviets with 20 points. The game was filled with controversy and questionable calls by the Brazilian and Bulgarian officials. The Americans filed a protest but were unsuccessful.

1988 Seoul Semifinal Game

In the semifinals of the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, the United States were beaten 82-76, and once again by the Soviet Union. Rimas Kurtinaitis led the Soviets with 28 points. The Soviet Union would go on to beat Yugoslavia in the gold medal game, 76-63. This was the last Olympic Games where the United States were not represented by NBA players.

Three losses in 2004

The United States lost more times in the men’s basketball tournament at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens than they did at the previous 14 Olympic Games combined. The Americans were upset 92-73 to Puerto Rico (thanks to 24 points by Carlos Arroyo), 77-71 to the host Greeks (thanks to 22 points by Antonis Fotsis), and 89-81 to Argentina in the semifinal (thanks to 29 points by future Hall of Famer Manu Ginobili).

Opening game loss to France in 2021

The United States opened the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, with a stunning 83-76 loss to France. Evan Fournier led France with 28 points. The United States got revenge, as they ran the table the rest of the way, and beat France 87-82 in the gold medal game.

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