By Mitchell Copeland

Ever since the U.S. started to compete in Men’s Olympic basketball, they dominated. They entered the international scene in the 1930’s and immediately made their mark, effortlessly humiliating each and every competitor, until they received a gold medal. They then proceeded to repeat this feat five times consecutively. Their perfect record was tarnished with a few defeats on their way to their seventh straight gold medal in 1968. 

In other words, America had been bringing home the gold from before World War II and the entire Cold War, until a controversial 1972 loss to the Soviet team. 

When the Cold War was still running its course, American media was no stranger to anti-communist themes ; war movies with soviet spies, the space race, hockey games, boxing movies, and even basketball. The hatred of our Cold War-era enemies was persistently expressed through the narrative of competition in athletics and entertainment. We beat them in hockey, or basketball,  or in the space race-depending on who you asked. But the fact that we dispute it at all demonstrates our connection of sports and pop-culture to our particular xenophobia.  

So what happened in 1972 that ended our near-perfect run? 

Well the Soviets supposedly paid the refs to add a few seconds to the clock which allowed them to sink the game winning shot. None of the U.S. players have ever gone to pick up their second place medal. America shared the title with Western Europe for the following years until the NBA got let loose into the Olympics in 1992. 

In Barcelona, the summer of 92, The Dream Team arrived at the Olympic trials. Composed of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, and other all stars, The Dream Team was absolutely stacked. They returned the crown to the once-great dynasty of American sports.

They forever changed the history of international basketball, leaving some to believe they were the greatest team to ever play together. After their performance, America had a reputation for having star studded teams. 

They had returning stars from the Dream Team, such as John Stockton, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, and David Robinson. They also had new talent; Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and even Lebron James (who lost). 

They seemed like Titans among men at some times, dominating the court (insert image here). They were just too talented for other countries to compete with. The American style of basketball was just too strong for international competition, until it wasn’t; the 2004 team only managed to bring home bronze.

The 2004 Olympics were strange to say the least for the U.S. basketball team. They spent the entire summer on a cruise ship sitting off the coast of Greece instead of in the Olympic village with all the other athletes. 

The best way to explain why this happened is to simply say that we were only about a year and half out from 9/11 at the time, and people were paranoid about terrorism. The U.S. had already lost a few scrimmages and preliminary games to other countries, which was a first for the U.S. 

They met their match in the semi-finals against the soon-to-be-champs, Argentina. Led by Spurs legend, Manu Ginóbili, the Argentina national team battled their way to an Olympic gold through intense teamwork and selfless playstyle. The U.S. was no longer able to coast by on their athletic prowess and an overconfident mindset.

The loss shook the waters of  international basketball, and broke the pride of U.S. sports fans. The U.S. was supposed to be the undisputed, undefeated champion-at least in their mind. Hopefully you’re starting to notice a pattern of the U.S. going from consistently being the most dominant team, to suddenly falling to second or third despite having a very good team. 

But if you recall the pattern correctly, the U.S. always rebounds from defeat. This concept created the nickname for the 2008 Olympic U.S. team; The Redeem Team. 

After another loss to Argentina in the FIBA World Championship in 2006, the U.S. team was on a mission to take back the title, and the pride of their nation. Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and other talents managed to bring home the gold in a close yet secure 118-107 win against a tough Spanish team led by two time NBA champion, Pau Gasol. 

America was the champion once again. In 2012, we returned and won once again. Then again in 2016, and 2020. But in 2019, the U.S. team didn’t reach the podium in the FIBA tournament and only placed 3rd in 2023. The U.S. is losing its grip on the title of #1 yet again. But like always, we plan on bouncing back.

The 2024 team roster was released recently, with renowned stars like Lebron, Curry, KD, Embiid, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, and countless other top-level NBA players. 

The American team was clearly tired of being mocked by athletes like Noah Lyles, and international sports fans alike. So they assembled some of the best players of all time, who’ve all won gold medals before, and some of the league’s finest, most successful stars. 

Ironically, last time America was losing in basketball, the country’s spirit was floundering amidst the turmoil when war and terrorism struck. Right now our country is in an election year, and former president Donald Trump is undergoing multiple criminal trials. American politics are overrun with horse race journalism and social media comment sections are flooded with insults and idiots.

 I’m being a bit dramatic perhaps, but still, the direction of America is unknown just as the fate of the U.S. men’s basketball team at this summer’s Olympics. American success in basketball seems to bring fourth peace; after the win in 2008 the winning continued and the anxieties that clouded our spirit in 2004 were slowly fading away. Our first seven Olympic gold medals occurred during a period between wars which America was “winning”. However, our loss in 72 was followed by even more intense Soviet rivalry and the turbulence of the late 1960s and 1970s. It seems losing the throne damaged our collective spirit.. Our recent losses in the international scene are right around Covid-19, war in Ukraine, and of course, a vital election. So maybe if we just believe in this year’s squad of elite veterans and young talent, they’ll bring home the gold, and the U.S. will take a step forward with this year’s team: The Believe Team.