Basketball was first developed in 1891 by James Naismith, who was a teacher of physical education. People all over the world got introduced to basketball when it was played in 1904 Olympics at an experimental level. It gradually gained prominence and came to the forefront when it was first included as a medal event in the summer Olympics of 1936, held in Berlin. The American men’s basketball team has time and again proved its credibility as it has won 13 tournaments out of the total 16 basketball tournaments in Olympics.
The American basketball team was completely unbeatable during the earlier years and remained champions for 7 consecutive years starting from the Olympics of 1936 to the Olympics of 1968. However, their winning spree did not end here as they went on to win more gold medals in the years 1976, 1984, 1992, 1996 and 2000. The American basketball team is currently the defending champion as it exhibited brilliant performance and convincingly defeated Spain to win gold in 2008 Olympics.The best team was in 1992 and it was called the Dream Team.
The Original Dream Team of American Basketball
The first basketball medal event in the 1936 Berlin Olympics saw the United States of America as one of the strongest basketball teams which later on went on to gain the gold medal for that particular year. The team comprised of competent players like Sam Balter, Ralph Bishop, Joe Fortenberry, Tex Gibbons, Francis Johnson, Carl Knowles, Frank Lubin, Art Mollner, Donald Piper, Jack Ragland, Willard Schmidt, Carl Shy, Duane Swanson and Bill Wheatley.
Out of the total 21 nations that competed for the gold in basketball, the United States of America remained undefeated all throughout the tournament. It won the semifinals by defeating Mexico with a score of 25-10 and won the gold by winning the finals on the 14th of August,1936 with a score of 19-8. Due to unfavorable weather conditions and the match being played outdoors on a tennis court, the match was limited to low scores. The bad weather however did not hamper the enthusiasm of the spectators as a huge crowd had gathered to witness this match. Joe Fortenberry remained the highest scorer as he managed to acquire 7 points. Under the guidance of Coach James Needles, this team made history by winning the first gold medal for basketball in Olympics.
This first Olympic win in basketball was very special as the players were succumbed to many oddities. Many players participating in the 1936 Olympics had to quit their jobs as they were being a part of the Olympics hosted by Germany which was under the influence of Nazism. The American basketball team was not prepared for an outdoor basketball court made of clay and sand. Moreover the usual heavy ball was replaced by a lighter ball which was more similar to that of a soccer ball. Due to heavy rains during the finals, the court got waterlogged and made it very difficult for the players. After battling against theses adversities, America received the much deserved first ever Olympic gold medal for basketball. This win will always hold a special place in the history of basketball tournaments in all future Olympics.
The basketball team for the 2012 Olympics has been announced. This team has a mixed bag of experienced and fresh players. Chairman of the American Basketball, Jerry Colangelo is completely charged up and is leaving no loose ends. A person of great caliber, Jerry Colangelo has announced a competent team with 20 players instead of the normal 18 player team. With Coach Mike Krzyzewski, this team is definitely going to get the best possible training. With some experienced players like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Deron Williams, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, who have been part of previous Olympic tournaments and upcoming players like Anthony Davis and James Harden, this team is proficient enough to bring back the gold medal in 2012 London Olympics.
