The History of the 2000 United States men's Olympic basketball team
As the millennium switched over into the 21st century, a lot of nations were getting better at basketball. In just a few short years the NBA had gone from a league that was easily 90% US born players, to one that at least 20% of the players were foreign born. A lot of people were talking that maybe the US would not win the gold as easily as it had in the past.
Even with the talk, the US was still the favorite to win the gold medal, as the toop players in the league were all US born.
In late 1999 USA basketball realeased a list of about 40 players who were to be considered for the team. A lot of familar faces were on the list including Dream Team I and III members Karl Malone, John Stockton, Scottie Pippen and David Robinson. Dream Team III members Gary Payton, Shaquille O'Neal, Reggie Miller and Grant Hill where alson on the squad. A lot of younger players such as Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter, Tim Duncan and Paul Pierce were also on the roster.
Despite the invite, all the original members of the Dream Team dropped out, and every member of Dream Team III, except for Gary Payton, also dropped out. Almost every player on the 2000 All-NBA team dropped out as well. The disinterest and dropping out of the games biggest stars hurt the perception of the team and the US overall as it looked like American's were just not that interested.
The USA however, was able to put together a very solid roster. Carter and Garnett both joined, as did superstars Ray Allen, Jason Kidd, and Alonzo Mourning. The US also added Steve Smith, Antonio McDyess, Allan Houston, Tim Hardaway, Vince Baker, and Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
The roster is one of the older rosters the US has ever put together, but it had a nice balance between the older players and the younger players.
Like in previous years, the host got a bid (Australia), the World Champion got a bid (Yugoslavia) and the previous Olympic winner (United States) got a bid. Asia (China), Oceanian (New Zealand), Africa (Angonla), and Europe (Itlay) all got their continental tournament winner in as well. The America's runner up, Canada, got the America's automatic bid since the US was already in. The European runner up (Spain), fourth place (France), fifth place (Lithuania) and sixth place (Russia) also got bids. Yugoslavia got 3rd place in Europe but had an automatic bid. The number of European teams angered the rest of the world and some countries threatened to boycot the 2002 World Basketball Championships if changes were not made in the future.
As in previous years, there were two Groups of six teams in pool play and the top 4 in each group advanced.
The US started Group play on Septmember 17, 2000, vs China. The US had very little resistance from the Chinese basketball team and crushed them 119-72.
Next the US took on Italy, and after a close first half the US pulled away to a 93-61 victory.
Lithuania, the US' third opponent, had four guys who would play in the NBA and one of the deepest rosters in the world outside the US. The Lithuanians made the US work for every bucket and refused to go away. Evetually the US was able to get some separation for an 85-76 win.
The US crushed New Zealand 102-56 in the penultimate game of the Group play. New Zealand had some NBA talent, but was the weakest team in the tournament, and was only in the Olympics because Australia did not participate in the Oceanic playin tournament due to being the host nation.
France gave the US the biggest scare they had in a long time in the last game of Group play. The first half went as expected with the US leading 59-48, but France reeled off 14 straight points at one point in the second half to actually take the lead. The US was able to father themselves and come back. This was the game were Vince Carer epically jumped over French center Frederic Weis for a dunk. The US won 106-94.
The US finished 5-0 as the top seed in Group A, they were followed by Italy, Lithuania, and France. Group B was topped by Canada, followed by Yugoslavia, Australia and Russia.
The US took on Russia in the quarterfinals. It was the first international meeting between the two since the USSR fell. The game felt like a throw back to a bygone era between the two cold war superpowers. The US got a hard 85-70 victory.
In the Semi finals the US once again took on Lithuania, and once again struggled. The US had a 12 point lead at the half, but came out flat in the second half and had trouble defending the three point line. The US was outscored 47-37 in the second, which is the most they have ever been outscored in the second half of a game. But the US held on to an 85-83 victory to advance to the gold medal game for the third straight time.
France had taken the momentum they got vs the US in Group play and used that to stun Canada in the quarterfinals, than upset the host nation in the semifinals to make their first gold medal game since 1984.
The US did not take France lightly, and quickly built a big lead, and lead 46-32 at the half. But like they did with Lithuania, the US took their foot off the gas pedal and the French came back. The US held on to a 85-75 lead for the gold medal.
The US won gold, France the silver, and Lithuania the bronze, with the host nation Australia finishing 4th.
The struggles of the US were not unnoticed, a lot of critics called it the end of American dominace at the Olympics, and it looked to be true as the US got embarassed in their next two international events.
In total, 34 players who played in the Olympics, not on team USA, would play in the NBA.
Every member of Team USA made multiple all-star games, and Kevin Garnett was an MVP and DPOTY winner. Jason Kidd took one of the NBA worst franchises, the Nets, and made them title contenders. But like 1996, injuries defined the 2000 team. A lot of players careers were cut short due to injuries.
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