Olympic ranking: The National Teams with the best point differential in tournament history

With the 2024 Olympic Games from Paris officially wrapped up, we decided to review history and examine the National Teams with the highest point differentials in Olympic basketball history.

Somewhat noteworthy: The 2024 USA Basketball team – despite being as loaded as it was with LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant – had merely the 21st-best point differential in history, which speaks to how far the rest of the world has progressed in basketball. Meanwhile, the Dream Team led by Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley ranks second in differential… and No. 1 since NBA players compete in the Olympic tournament.

Below, check out the national basketball teams with the best average point differential in Olympic Games history.

1

1956 United States

Average point differential: +53.50

Best game: Team USA 101 – Thailand 29 (72 points)

Worst game: Team USA 85 – Soviet Union 55 (30 points)

Final result: Gold medal

2

1992 United States

Average point differential: +43.75

Best game: Team USA 116 – Angola 48 (68 points)

Worst game: Team USA 117 – Croatia 85 (32 points)

Final result: Gold medal

3

1960 United States

Average point differential: +42.38

Best game: Team USA 104 – Yugoslavia 42 (62 points)

Worst game: Team USA 81 – Soviet Union 57 (24 points)

Final result: Gold medal

4

1948 United States

Average point differential: +33.50

Best game: Team USA 86 – Switzerland 21 (65 points)

Worst game: Team USA 59 – Argentina 57 (two points)

Final result: Gold medal

5

2012 United States

Average point differential: +32.13

Best game: Team USA 156 – Nigeria 73 (83 points)

Worst game: Team USA 99 – Lithuania 94 (five points)

Final result: Gold medal

6

1984 United States

Average point differential: +32.13

Best game: Team USA 120 – France 62 (58 points)

Worst game: Team USA 78 – Germany 67 (11 points)

Final result: Gold medal

7

1996 United States

Average point differential: +31.75

Best game: Team USA 133 – China 70 (63 points)

Worst game: Team USA 104 – Lithuania 82 (22 points)

Final result: Gold medal

8

1964 United States

Average point differential: +30.00

Best game: Team USA 116 – South Korea 50 (66 points)

Worst game: Team USA 69 – Yugoslavia 61 (eight points)

Final result: Gold medal

9

1988 United States

Average point differential: +29.75

Best game: Team USA 102 – Egypt 35 (67 points)

Worst game: Team USA 76 – Soviet Union 82 (-6 points)

Final result: Bronze medal

10

1972 United States

Average point differential: +28.78

Best game: Team USA 99 – Japan 33 (66 points)

Worst game: Team USA 50 – Soviet Union 51 (-1 point)

Final result: Silver medal

11

1976 Soviet Union

Average point differential: +28.14

Best game: Soviet Union 129 – Japan 63 (66 points)

Worst game: Soviet Union 84 – Yugoslavia 89 (-5 points)

Final result: Bronze medal

12

2008 United States

Average point differential: +27.88

Best game: Team USA 106 – Germany 57 (49 points)

Worst game: Team USA 118 – Spain 107 (11 points)

Final result: Gold medal

13

1968 Soviet Union

Average point differential: +27.78

Best game: Soviet Union 123 – Morocco 51 (72 points)

Worst game: Soviet Union 62 – Yugoslavia 63 (-1 points)

Final result: Bronze medal

14

1968 United States

Average point differential: +26.00

Best game: Team USA 93 – Senegal 36 (57 points)

Worst game: Team USA 61 – Puerto Rico 56 (five points)

Final result: Gold medal

15

2016 United States

Average point differential: +22.50

Best game: Team USA 119 – China 62 (57 points)

Worst game: Team USA 94 – Serbia 91 (three points)

Final result: Gold medal

16

2000 United States

Average point differential: +21.63

Best game: Team USA 119 – China 72 (47 points)

Worst game: Team USA 85 – Lithuania 83 (two points)

Final result: Gold medal

17

1936 United States

Average point differential: +20.75

Best game: Team USA 56 – Philippines 23 (33 points)

Worst game: Team USA 19 – Canada 8 (11 points)

Final result: Gold medal

18

1996 Yugoslavia

Average point differential: +20.38

Best game: Yugoslavia 128 – China 61 (67 points)

Worst game: Yugoslavia 69 – Team USA 95 (-26 points)

Final result: Silver medal

19

2021 United States

Average point differential: +20.00

Best game: Team USA 120 – Iran 66 (54 points)

Worst game: Team USA 76 – France 83 (-7 points)

Final result: Gold medal

20

1952 United States

Average point differential: +19.50

Best game: Team USA 103 – Chile 55 (48 points)

Worst game: Team USA 57 – Brazil 53 (four points)

Final result: Gold medal

21

2024 United States

Average point differential: +19.00

Best game: Team USA 122 – Brazil 87 (35 points)

Worst game: Team USA 95 – Serbia 91 (four points)

Final result: Gold medal

22

1972 Soviet Union

Average point differential: +18.56

Best game: Soviet Union 94 – Senegal 52 (42 points)

Worst game: Soviet Union 51 – Team USA 50 (one point)

Final result: Gold medal

23

1980 Yugoslavia

Average point differential: +18.50

Best game: Yugoslavia 129 – Poland 91 (38 points)

Worst game: Yugoslavia 96 – Brazil 95 (one point)

Final result: Gold medal

24

1960 France

Average point differential: +17.13

Best game: France 122 – Philippines 75 (47 points)

Worst game: France 70 – Hungary 74 (-4 points)

Final result: 10th place

25

1980 Soviet Union

Average point differential: +16.63

Best game: Soviet Union 121 – India 65 (56 points)

Worst game: Soviet Union 91 – Yugoslavia 101 (-10 points)

Final result: Bronze medal