The best Team USA player in each Olympic tournament since 1992

Team USA has won a gold medal in men’s basketball in every Olympic Tournament since 1992 outside of one, the disastrous 2004 bronze-medal showing in Athens. USA Basketball has now won five straight gold medals in and will look to make it six in a row at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

Of course, some all-time greats have suited up and played for Team USA at the Olympics, including the Top 2 in just about everyone’s GOAT rankings – Michael Jordan and LeBron James – and various other all-timers like Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and the borderline unquestioned Team USA GOAT, Kevin Durant, as well as so many other icons of the sport.

Today, we’re going to take a look at the best Team USA player in each Olympics since 1992 using our own Global Rating metric to determine the top American at each summer tournament. There are some surprises in here so be ready.

Spoiler alert: Durant and James dominate this list. Oh, and a role player was the best American at the 2020 Olympics, which was one of the weaker Team USA Olympic squads since NBA players started being allowed to participate for the U.S.

Barcelona 1992: Charles Barkley

Global Rating: 35.37

Stats: 18.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.6 spg, 0.1 bpg, 71.1 FG%, 87.5 3P% in eight games

Final result: Gold medal

Runner up: Karl Malone (27.19)

Atlanta 1996: David Robinson

Global Rating: 20.88

Stats: 12.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 0.5 spg, 0.3 bpg, 68.0 FG%, 70.0 FT% in eight games

Final result: Gold medal

Runner up: Shaquille O’Neal (16.39)

Sydney 2000: Ray Allen

Global Rating: 22.35

Stats: 9.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.9 spg, 1.4 bpg, 53.8 FG%, 52.6 3P% in eight games

Final result: Gold medal

Runner up: Vince Carter (18.34)

Athens 2004: Tim Duncan

Global Rating: 13.97

Stats: 12.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.6 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.4 bpg, 56.7 FG%, 75.0 FT%

Final result: Bronze medal

Runner up: Dwyane Wade (6.37)

Beijing 2008: LeBron James

Global Rating: 23.54

Stats: 15.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.8 apg, 2.4 spg, 1.0 bpg, 60.2 FG%, 46.4 3P% in eight games

Final result: Gold medal

Runner up: Dwyane Wade (22.13)

London 2012: Kevin Durant

Global Rating: 25.04

Stats: 19.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.6 spg, 0.6 bpg, 48.5 FG%, 52.3 3P% in eight games

Final result: Gold medal

Runner up: LeBron James (16.00)

Rio de Janeiro 2016: Kevin Durant

Global Rating: 30.08

Stats: 19.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.5 bpg, 57.8 FG%, 58.1 3P% in eight games

Final result: Gold medal

Runner up: Paul George (16.01)

Tokyo 2020: Jrue Holiday

Global Rating: 14.34

Stats: 11.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.7 spg, 0.8 bpg, 48.3 FG%, 35.0 3P% in six games

Final result: Gold medal

Runner up: Bam Adebayo (12.61)

Paris 2024: LeBron James

Global Rating: 30.90

Stats: 14.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 8.5 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.3 bpg, 66.0 FG%, 30.8 3P% in six games

Final result: Gold medal

Runner up: Kevin Durant (24.70)