2008 United States men's Olympic basketball team

2008 United States men's Olympic basketball team

The men's national basketball team of the United States won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. They qualified for the Olympics by winning the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team was nicknamed the "Redeem Team", a play on the "Dream Team" name for the 1992 U.S. Olympic team, and a reference to the fact that the United States came away with disappointing bronze medals during the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2006 FIBA World Championship. Former Phoenix Suns chairman and CEO Jerry Colangelo was named managing director of the national team program by the USA Basketball Executive Committee in 2005. Kobe Bryant was named the team captain and Mike Krzyzewski was named the head coach of the 2008 team. An ESPN program, Road to Redemption, followed the team's preparations. Additionally, a Netflix produced documentary titled The Redeem Team was released in 2022.

The United States defeated Spain 118–107 in the final to win the gold. Dwyane Wade was the leading scorer for Team USA, averaging 16 points per game.

After the 2004 Olympics, USA Basketball initiated a long-term project that saw players committing to play for the team long before the start of the 2008 Olympics, instead of hastily accepting invitations merely weeks prior to the start of the tournament. Many 2008 Olympians participated in the 2007 Americas championships, where the US won gold, thus qualifying for the Olympics.

In September 2025, the entire team was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, with two of its members, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard, also being inducted as players at that time. With the Hall of Fame inductions, six players (Anthony, Chris Bosh, Bryant, Howard, Jason Kidd, and Wade) and two coaches (Jim Boeheim and Krzyzewski) have been inducted individually into the Naismith Hall of Fame.

Record

Preparation Matches: USA Basketball International Challenge

<table><thead><tr><th>July 25, 2008</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>United States </td><td>120 – 65</td><td> Canada</td><td>Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas</td></tr><tr><td>July 31, 2008</td></tr><tr><td>United States </td><td>114 – 82</td><td> Turkey</td><td>Cotai Arena, Macau</td></tr><tr><td>August 1, 2008</td></tr><tr><td>United States </td><td>120 – 84</td><td> Russia</td><td>Cotai Arena, Macau</td></tr><tr><td>August 3, 2008</td></tr><tr><td>United States </td><td>89 – 68</td><td> Australia</td><td>Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, Shanghai</td></tr><tr><td>August 5, 2008</td></tr><tr><td>United States </td><td>87 – 76</td><td> Germany</td><td>Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, Shanghai</td></tr></tbody></table>

Preliminary round

The team competed in Group B of the preliminary round.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	United States	5	5	0	515	354	+161	10	Quarterfinals
2	Spain	5	4	1	418	369	+49	9
3	Greece	5	3	2	415	375	+40	8
4	China (H)	5	2	3	366	400	−34	7
5	Germany	5	1	4	330	390	−60	6
6	Angola	5	0	5	321	477	−156	5

August 10, 2008
United States	101 – 70	China	Wukesong Indoor Stadium, Beijing
August 12, 2008
Angola	76 – 97	United States	Wukesong Indoor Stadium, Beijing
August 14, 2008
United States	92 – 69	Greece	Wukesong Indoor Stadium, Beijing
August 16, 2008
Spain	82 – 119	United States	Wukesong Indoor Stadium, Beijing
August 18, 2008
United States	106 – 57	Germany	Wukesong Indoor Stadium, Beijing

Tournament bracket

	Quarterfinals			Semifinals			Final
	A1	Lithuania	94
	B4	China	68
		A1	Lithuania	86
			B2	Spain	91
	B2	Spain	72
	A3	Croatia	59
		B2	Spain	107
			B1	United States	118
	B1	United States	116
	A4	Australia	85
		B1	United States	101			Bronze medal game
			A2	Argentina	81
	A2	Argentina	80			A1	Lithuania	75
	B3	Greece	78			A2	Argentina	87

Roster

2008 United States men's Olympic basketball team

The following is the United States roster in the men's basketball tournament of the 2008 Summer Olympics.

<table><thead><tr><th>United States men's national basketball team – 2008 Summer Olympics roster</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Players</td><td>Coaches</td></tr><tr><td>Pos.</td><td>No.</td><td>Name</td><td>Age – Date of birth</td><td>Height</td><td>Club</td><td>Ctr.</td></tr><tr><td>F</td><td>4</td><td>Carlos Boozer</td><td>26 – November 20, 1981</td><td>6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)</td><td>Utah Jazz</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>G</td><td>5</td><td>Jason Kidd</td><td>35 – March 23, 1973</td><td>6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)</td><td>Dallas Mavericks</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>F</td><td>6</td><td>LeBron James</td><td>23 – December 30, 1984</td><td>6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)</td><td>Cleveland Cavaliers</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>G</td><td>7</td><td>Deron Williams</td><td>24 – June 26, 1984</td><td>6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)</td><td>Utah Jazz</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>G</td><td>8</td><td>Michael Redd</td><td>28 – August 24, 1979</td><td>6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)</td><td>Milwaukee Bucks</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>G</td><td>9</td><td>Dwyane Wade</td><td>26 – January 17, 1982</td><td>6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)</td><td>Miami Heat</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>G</td><td>10</td><td>Kobe Bryant (C)</td><td>29 – August 23, 1978</td><td>6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)</td><td>Los Angeles Lakers</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>C</td><td>11</td><td>Dwight Howard</td><td>22 – December 8, 1985</td><td>6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)</td><td>Orlando Magic</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>F/C</td><td>12</td><td>Chris Bosh</td><td>24 – March 24, 1984</td><td>6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)</td><td>Toronto Raptors</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>G</td><td>13</td><td>Chris Paul</td><td>23 – May 6, 1985</td><td>6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)</td><td>New Orleans Hornets</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>F</td><td>14</td><td>Tayshaun Prince</td><td>28 – February 28, 1980</td><td>6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)</td><td>Detroit Pistons</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>F</td><td>15</td><td>Carmelo Anthony</td><td>24 – May 29, 1984</td><td>6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)</td><td>Denver Nuggets</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>