2004 Olympics Disaster: The Story Of Team USA's Basketball Struggles

Miss Maegan Hilpert II 21 May 2025

Is it possible for a team brimming with NBA superstars to stumble on the international stage? Absolutely. The 2004 Athens Olympics serve as a stark reminder that talent alone doesn't guarantee victory, especially when facing hungry and skilled competition.

The image is seared into the minds of American basketball fans: Tim Duncan (#13), Lamar Odom (#14), Allen Iverson (#4), and Dwyane Wade, all icons of the game, sitting on the bench during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games. The date was August 23, 2004, the location, the Indoor Hall of the Olympic Sports Complex in Athens, Greece. They were playing against Angola, but the real story of that Olympics wasn't about a single game; it was about a stunning series of unexpected defeats.

The 2004 Olympics stand as the nadir for the United States men's basketball team. That year, they suffered an unprecedented three losses, a shocking outcome for a program accustomed to dominance. The defeats weren't narrow squeaks either; they were decisive statements from international rivals. Puerto Rico, Lithuania, and Argentina all handed the U.S. humbling losses, exposing vulnerabilities that many didn't believe existed. These losses weren't just minor setbacks; they shattered the aura of invincibility that had surrounded Team USA for so long.

Athlete	Information
Tim Duncan	Full Name: Timothy Theodore Duncan Born: April 25, 1976, Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands Nationality: American Height: 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) Weight: 250 lb (113 kg) Position: Power Forward / Center College: Wake Forest University NBA Draft: 1997 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall (San Antonio Spurs) NBA Career: San Antonio Spurs (1997–2016) NBA Championships: 5 (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014) NBA Finals MVP: 3 (1999, 2003, 2005) NBA MVP: 2 (2002, 2003) Olympic Medal: Bronze (2004 Athens) NBA All-Star: 15 times Official NBA Profile
Allen Iverson	Full Name: Allen Ezail Iverson Born: June 7, 1975, Hampton, Virginia, USA Nationality: American Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Weight: 165 lb (75 kg) Position: Point Guard / Shooting Guard College: Georgetown University NBA Draft: 1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall (Philadelphia 76ers) NBA Career: Philadelphia 76ers (1996–2006), Denver Nuggets (2006–2008), Detroit Pistons (2008–2009), Memphis Grizzlies (2009), Philadelphia 76ers (2009–2010) NBA MVP: 2001 NBA Rookie of the Year: 1997 NBA All-Star: 11 times Olympic Medal: Bronze (2004 Athens) NBA Scoring Champion: 4 times Official NBA Profile
Lamar Odom	Full Name: Lamar Joseph Odom Born: November 6, 1979, South Jamaica, Queens, New York City, USA Nationality: American Height: 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) Weight: 230 lb (104 kg) Position: Forward NBA Draft: 1999 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall (Los Angeles Clippers) NBA Career: Los Angeles Clippers (1999-2003), Miami Heat (2003-2004), Los Angeles Lakers (2004-2011), Dallas Mavericks (2011-2012), Los Angeles Clippers (2012-2013) NBA Championships: 2 (2009, 2010) NBA Sixth Man of the Year: 2011 Olympic Medal: Bronze (2004 Athens) Official NBA Profile Licor 43 So Mixen Sie Den Kultlikr Geniale Rezepte Biscoff Tiramisu Das Einfache Rezept Fr Ein Desserthighlight
Dwyane Wade	Full Name: Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. Born: January 17, 1982, Chicago, Illinois, USA Nationality: American Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Weight: 220 lb (100 kg) Position: Shooting Guard College: Marquette University NBA Draft: 2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall (Miami Heat) NBA Career: Miami Heat (2003-2016), Chicago Bulls (2016-2017), Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-2018), Miami Heat (2018-2019) NBA Championships: 3 (2006, 2012, 2013) NBA Finals MVP: 2006 NBA All-Star: 13 times Olympic Medal: Gold (2008 Beijing) Olympic Medal: Bronze (2004 Athens) Official NBA Profile