When it comes to scoring in Olympic men’s basketball, Team USA has seen some standout performances. Among these, a few players have reached exceptional heights, etching their names into the record books with impressive single-game scoring performances.
While no American players has approached Oscar Schmidt’s 55 points in 1988 or Luka Doncic’s 48 points in 2021, keep in mind that the United States Olympic Basketball National Teams have never relied on one player.
That’s especially true since 1992 when NBA players were first allowed to compete in the Olympics. Since then, 14 of the top 15 single-game scoring performances have come after 1992.
U.S. Players Who Scored Most points in an Olympic Game?
A number of legendary basketball players have put on the Team USA jersey to represent the United States in the Olympics throughout the years: Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, Clyde Drexler and Patrick Ewing. Surprisingly none of them are on the list of highest single-game scorers in the Olympics.
| # | Points | Player | Opponent | Olympics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 37 | Carmelo Anthony | Nigeria | 2012 |
| 2 | 36 | Steph Curry | Serbia | 2024 |
| 3 | 31 | Stephon Marbury | Spain | 2004 |
| 3 | 31 | Carmelo Anthony | Australia | 2016 |
| 5 | 30 | Adrian Dantley | Yugoslavia | 1976 |
| 5 | 30 | Charles Barkley | Brazil | 1992 |
| 5 | 30 | Kevin Durant | Spain | 2012 |
| 5 | 30 | Klay Thompson | France | 2016 |
| 5 | 30 | Kevin Durant | Serbia | 2016 |
| 10 | 29 | Kevin Durant | France | 2021 |
| 10 | 29 | Kevin Durant | Spain | 2021 |
| 12 | 28 | David Robinson | Serbia & Montenegro | 1996 |
| 12 | 28 | Kevin Durant | Argentina | 2012 |
| 14 | 27 | Dwyane Wade | Spain | 2008 |
| 14 | 27 | Kevin Durant | Argentina | 2016 |
| 14 | 27 | Jayson Tatum | Czech Republic | 2021 |
Leading the pack is Carmelo Anthony, who set the benchmark with a remarkable 37 points in 14 minutes (!!!!!!) against Nigeria during the 2012 London Olympics. This stellar performance remains the highest single-game scoring record for Team USA. Anthony’s explosive scoring overwhelmed Nigeria in Team USA’s 156-73 victory showcasing his elite offensive skills and cementing his legacy as a key player in the team’s gold medal run.
Up until the game against Serbia in the 2024 Paris semifinals, Steph Curry was struggling from three then he found his stroke. And Team USA needed Curry’s Olympic career-high 36 points and second highest-scoring single game total for the Americans. Steph hit nine 3-pointers, scored 14 of the first 15 points for the U.S., fueled the team’s 95-91 comeback victory over Serbia and into the Gold Medal game.
Stephon Marbury was on the infamous 2004 Athens Olympics Team when the New York City-born guard scored 31 points in a game against Spain, helping Team USA secure a 102-94 win.
During the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Charles Barkley scored 30 points against Brazil in a 127-83 blow out win. Sir Charles’ dominant performance wasn’t isolated to one game, Barkley shot an insane 85.7% from the field during the 1992 Dream Team run. Barkley led Team USA in scoring and was instrumental in securing the gold medal.
Last but not least is Kevin Durant. No surprise that Team USA’s all-time leading scorer has had a handful of notable scoring performances in the Olympics. In the 2012 London Olympics, Durant scored 30 points against Spain. KD’s ability to score consistently was a key factor in Team USA’s success in four Olympic runs. Durant also recorded another 30-point game against Serbia in the 2016 Rio Olympics, showcasing his scoring versatility on the international stage. That’s the reason why KD is the United States’ all-time leader in points:
| Rank | Player | Career Points | Olympics |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kevin Durant | 518 | 4 |
| 2 | LeBron James | 358 | 4 |
| 3 | Carmelo Anthony | 336 | 4 |
| 4 | David Robinson | 270 | 3 |
| 5 | Michael Jordan | 256 | 2 |
| 6 | Charles Barkley | 231 | 2 |
| 7 | Kobe Bryant | 217 | 2 |
| 8 | Chris Mullin | 196 | 2 |
| 9 | Dwyane Wade | 186 | 2 |
| 10 | Karl Malone | 171 | 2 |
| 11 | Scottie Pippen | 170 | 2 |
| 12 | Patrick Ewing | 164 | 2 |
| 13 | Mitch Richmond | 148 | 2 |
| 14 | Spencer Haywood | 145 | 1 |
| 15 | Jerry Lucas | 136 | 1 |
| 15 | Oscar Robertson | 136 | 1 |
In second place, way below Durant is LeBron James at 358 points. That’s 160 points fewer than Durant. In third place is Carmelo Anthony having scored 336 points across four Summer Olympics. David Robinson is fourth on the list. The Admiral played in three Olympics (1988, 1992, 1996). Michael Jordan rounds out the top five. MJ scored 256 points in two Olympics; in 1984 as a collegian and then with the Dream Team in 1992. Jordan has the most points among those players that played in two Olympic Games.
Barkley made waves in two Olympics; good enough for 231 points shooting a ridiculous .744 from the field in 15 games during the Barcelona and Atlanta Olympics (1996). Kobe Bryant is seventh all-time having played in Beijing for The Redeem Team and in the 2012 London Olympics, scoring 217 points in his Olympic career. Chris Mullin joined Jordan on both the 1984 and 1992 teams and accumulating 196 efficient points. In Barcelona, Mullin shot 62% from the field.
