The Second Best Olympic Team of All Time

[George O'Brien]

I have no doubt that the 1992 "Dream Team" was the greatest Olympic basketball team of all time. But while the NBA stars won in 1996 and 2000 as well, I'd suggest that 1960 team might be at least as good if not better.

Why? Well their depth might not be as great, but the 1960 USA team had a rather formidable roster, with 10 of the 12 players having NBA careers. The 1960 squad was very well balanced, but had some amazingly good players.

Their lineup included Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas, and Walt Bellamy -- all of whom would be ranked in the NBA's greatest 50 players. Check their career stats.

Jerry West - 27 ppg on 47.4%, 5.8 rpg, 6.7 assists per game
Oscar Robertson - 25.7 ppg on 48.5%, 7.5 rpg, 9.5 assists per game
Jerry Lucas - 17 ppg on 49.9%, 15.6 rpg, 3.3 assists per game
Walt Bellamy - 20.1 ppg on 51.6%, 13.7 rpg, 2.4 assists per game

They averaged 101.9 points a game and average margin of victory of 42.4 points a game as opponents managed to average just 59.5 points a game."

http://www.usabasketball.com/history/moly_1960.html

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

yeah but george, you've also gotta realize, we were playing a game that almost no one else in the world was playing back then. '60 had the russians and us. everyone else was learning what the game was about.

 

[George O'Brien]

yeah but george, you've also gotta realize, we were playing a game that almost no one else in the world was playing back then. '60 had the russians and us. everyone else was learning what the game was about.

My thoughts had more to do with who was on the team rather than how dominant they were. One of the problems the USA team would have from then on was that they often did not get even their best college players. For example, Kareem turned down a chance to play on the 1968 Olympic team.

Probably the second best pre-Dream team group was the 1984 team with Jordan, Mullin, Ewing, Perkins, Tisdale, etc. Without playing the USSR, they had the same situation as the 1960 team of not having particularly good opposition.

In any case, my focus was on how good the members of the team would prove to be in their NBA careers. It would be hard to find a pre-Dream team group with the talent of West, Robertson, Lucas and Bellamy.

 

[nowagimp]

No defensive presence in the middle is not the 2nd best olympic team of all time. This team lacks strong outside shooting and the defensive stopper to be a great team with respect to the others. This team even lacks an experienced point guard, good grief!

 

[Errntknght]

This team even lacks an experienced point guard, good grief!

Tell me this is a joke. It may well be true - I don't know who the PGs were on that team but no matter, with West and Robertson making plays any PG would do. Heck, Jerry Lucas was quite a good passer, too, IIRC.

 

[Superbone]

This team even lacks an experienced point guard, good grief!

Tell me this is a joke. It may well be true - I don't know who the PGs were on that team but no matter, with West and Robertson making plays any PG would do. Heck, Jerry Lucas was quite a good passer, too, IIRC.

I have a feeling gimp was referring to the current US Olympic team and didn't read the topic post too clearly.

 

[George O'Brien]

I have a feeling gimp was referring to the current US Olympic team and didn't read the topic post too clearly.

If he was referring to the 1984 team, Leon (?) Woods played PG and did well. One the 1960 team, I doubt anyone knew whether Jerry West or Oscar Robertson was the PG or whether it mattered.

 

[Errntknght]

I have a feeling gimp was referring to the current US Olympic team and didn't read the topic post too clearly.

Nope, he was referring to the team that George nominated as the 2nd best all time... try reading it again guys.

No defensive presence in the middle is not the 2nd best olympic team of all time. This team lacks strong outside shooting and the defensive stopper to be a great team with respect to the others. This team even lacks an experienced point guard, good grief!

 

[nowagimp]

I have a feeling gimp was referring to the current US Olympic team and didn't read the topic post too clearly.

Nope, he was referring to the team that George nominated as the 2nd best all time... try reading it again guys.

No defensive presence in the middle is not the 2nd best olympic team of all time. This team lacks strong outside shooting and the defensive stopper to be a great team with respect to the others. This team even lacks an experienced point guard, good grief!

My bad, I misread the post. I was referring to this team('07 version). The Obviously the big O and jerry west could pass the ball. I just disagreed that this '07 team was the second best of all time. No comment on the '60 version here.

 

[Errntknght]

LOL... you would have to wait until I put my foot in my mouth to tell us what you meant

 

[nowagimp]

LOL... you would have to wait until I put my foot in my mouth to tell us what you meant

sorry, been kind of busy lately, dont have that much time to talk, or to read posts accurately it appears.