Basketball at the 1984 Summer Olympics

Lore & Background

The men's tournament featured two groups of six teams, with the top four from each advancing to the knockout stage. Hosts United States and reigning Olympic champions Yugoslavia both advanced undefeated through the preliminary round. China, Egypt, Brazil, and France placed fifth and sixth in their groups and competed in the classification round for 9th–12th places. The knockout stage included quarterfinals, semifinals, and medal games, with the losing quarterfinalists competing for 5th–8th places.

Reader's Guide

The 1984 Olympic basketball tournament is significant for the United States' double gold medal sweep, particularly the women's team's first-ever gold. The Soviet boycott reshaped the field, with West Germany replacing the Soviet men's team and Australia and South Korea replacing the Soviet and Hungarian women's teams. The women's tournament used a single round-robin group of six teams, with the top two playing for gold and the third and fourth for bronze. The men's tournament followed a two-group format leading to a knockout stage. The event marked the eleventh Olympic appearance of basketball and was held at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

Did You Know?

• The United States women's team won their first-ever Olympic gold medal at this tournament.
• The Soviet Union and Hungary withdrew due to the boycott, affecting both men's and women's events.
• West Germany replaced the Soviet Union in the men's competition; Australia and South Korea replaced the Soviet Union and Hungary in the women's competition.
• The women's tournament used a single round-robin group of six teams, with the top two competing for gold.