Considering America’s place in the world when it comes to men’s basketball, it should come as no surprise that the United States often receives opponents’ absolute best shots in international competition, be it at the Olympics or World Cup.
Just recently, in an Olympic elimination game between the top-seeded Americans and second-seeded Spaniards, we saw Ricky Rubio, a career 11.0 point per game scorer in the NBA whose career-high scoring-wise as a pro was 34 points, go toe-to-toe with Kevin Durant and drop 38 against Team USA, albeit in a defeat for Spain.
It was the greatest scoring mark against Team USA in the Olympic Games ever:
Best scoring marks against Team USA at the Olympic Games:
Manu Ginobili 🇦🇷: 29 points
Pau Gasol 🇪🇸: 29 points
Patrick Mills 🇦🇺: 30 points
Oscar Schmidt 🇧🇷: 31 points
Butch Lee 🇵🇷: 35 points
RICKY RUBIO 🇪🇸: 38 points— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) August 3, 2021
Below, check out the 25 best scoring performances that have come against Team USA in the two major FIBA tournaments – a list that, for the most part, isn’t a who’s who of NBA legends.
1. Oscar Schmidt (Brazil): 43 points
1986 Worlds: United States beat Brazil 96-80
2. Ricky Rubio (Spain): 38 points
2020 Olympics: United States beat Spain 95-81
13-20 FG, 4-7 3P, 8-8 FT
2. Aleksandr Salnikov (Soviet Union): 38 points
1974 Worlds: Soviet Union beat United States 105-94
4. Jordi Villacampa (Spain): 35 points
1990 Worlds: United States beat Spain 95-85
4. Butch Lee (Puerto Rico): 35 points
1976 Olympics: United States beat Puerto Rico 95-94
6. Dirk Nowitzki (Germany): 34 points
2002 Worlds: United States beat Germany 104-87
8-20 FG, 1-3 3P, 17-19 FT
7. Hector Campana (Argentina): 33 points
1990 Worlds: United States beat Argentina 104-100
8. Carlton Myers (Italy): 32 points
1998 Worlds: United States beat Italy 80-77
7-21 FG, 3-10 3P, 15-15 FT
9. Shane Heal (Australia): 31 points
1998 Worlds: United States beat Australia 96-78
12-18 FG, 5-7 3P, 2-3 FT
9. Drazen Petrovic (Yugoslavia): 31 points
1990 Worlds: Yugoslavia beat United States 99-91
9. Oscar Schmidt (Brazil): 31 points
1988 Olympics: United States beat Brazil 102-87
12. Patrick Mills (Australia): 30 points
2016 Olympics: United States beat Australia 98-88
11-22 FG, 5-11 3P, 3-4 FT
12. Sergei Babkov (Russia): 30 points
1998 Worlds: Russia beat United States 66-64
9-14 FG, 4-6 3P, 8-8 FT
14. Manu Ginobili (Argentina): 29 points
2004 Olympics: Argentina beat United States 89-81
9-13 FG, 4-6 3P, 7-8 FT
14. Pau Gasol (Spain): 29 points
2004 Olympics: United States beat Spain 102-94
9-17 FG, 0-1 3P, 11-11 FT
14. Arturas Karnisovas (Lithuania): 29 points
1998 Worlds: Lithuania beat United States 84-82
10-16 FG, 2-6 3P, 7-11 FT
14. Anatolij Myshkin (Soviet Union): 29 points
1982 Worlds: Soviet Union beat United States 95-94
14. Luis Murillo (Colombia): 29 points
1982 Worlds: United States beat Colombia 100-83
14. Rolando Frazer (Panama): 29 points
1982 Worlds: United States beat Panama 100-79
20. Evan Fournier (France): 28 points
2020 Olympics: France beat United States 83-76
11-22 FG, 4-12 3P, 2-3 FT
20. Bogdan Bogdanovic (Serbia): 28 points
2019 Worlds: Serbia beat United States 94-89
10-17 FG, 7-14 3P, 1-2 FT
20. Luis Scola (Argentina): 28 points
2008 Olympics: United States beat Argentina 101-81
13-21 FG, 2-2 FT
20. Sarunas Jasikevicius (Lithuania): 28 points
2004 Olympics: Lithuania beat United States 94-90
9-14 FG, 7-12 3P, 3-3 FT
20. Jordi Villacampa (Spain): 28 points
1994 Worlds: United States beat Spain 115-100
6-11 FG, 2-4 3P, 14-15 FT
20. Rimas Kurtinaitis (Soviet Union): 28 points
1988 Olympics: Soviet Union beat United States 82-76
20. Zhang Yongyun (China): 28 points
1986 Worlds: United States beat China 107-81
20. Juan Antonio San Epifanio 'Epi' (Spain): 28 points
1982 Worlds: Spain beat United States 109-99
