1976 Olympic Basketball Final-USA Regains the Gold Medal!

After their controversial loss to the Soviet Union in the 1972 Olympic basketball final, the USA returned to the top of the podium with a convincing 95-74 thumping of Yugoslavia in the 1976 Olympic Gold Medal game. Here are the final seconds, the celebration, and the medal ceremony. Curt Gowdy and Bill Russell provide the commentary. No ownership of this material is claimed.
1976 USA Olympic Basketball Roster
Tate Armstrong
Quinn Buckner
Kenny Carr
Adrian Dantley
Walter Davis
Phil Ford
Ernie Grunfeld
Phil Hubbard
Mitch Kupchak
Tom LaGarde
Scott May
Steve Sheppard
Coach: Dean Smith

[@djonian]

Excellent clip. I've always thought two of the best USA Basketball coaching jobs was this one by Dean Smith and the '86 World Championship by Lute Olson. Those two put on a clinic in X's and O's and especially, roster construction and role definition. People dont understand. '72 hurt, man. The country was bitter and wanted the Gold back. Dean's '76 team had more pressure on them than any amateur Olympic team ever. And they delivered. Great blend of scoring, good guard play, and winners. Thx for posting.

[@retromaven2159]

Wish I had found more of the game...

[@joshjones287]

Thank you for putting this video up. I can't find any 1976 usa Olympic basketball videos.

[@retromaven2159]

Extremely difficult to find. I was lucky to run across this clip. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@dskywalker3397]

I remember Quinn Buckner’s celebration as a kid. We would imitate his celebration. I remember the that the joy you see in this video was real. The U.S. team was tremendously excited that they had won the gold.

[@jamessollazzo4860]

butch lee and puerto rico almost beat them, lost by a point

[@bstnd3]

Curt Gowdy handled virtually every big sporting event back in those days.

[@rjpsuh06]

Curt Gowdy, Bill Russell and Jim Lampley handled this game for ABC. Bill’s old Celtics teammate John Thompson of Georgetown was one of the Assistant Coaches

[@richardkonig1483]

Dean Smith NCAA champ with and without shot clock NIT champ Gold medal coach Great coach Great human being

[@williamdiemert9866]

Curt Gowdy, Bill Russell, Dean Smith, and Jim McKay R.I.P

[@oneactoneda4393]

After been robbed in 1972 Olympic, Im glad that US regained their title here. I would like to see how US avenged their lost against USSR in the final but since USSR already lost to Yugoslavia in semis, well nevermind. They deserved to lost anyway

[@twicethechamps]

Quinn Buckner and Scott May also won an NCAA title with the unbeaten Indiana Hoosiers that year and went on to the NBA.

[@jamessollazzo4860]

i thought kent benson was on this team also!

[@pgo301]

I remember, I think the final four game with Marquette and Bo Ellis that year. Indiana was just too talented and stacked off the bench. Lots of players from Indiana went onto descent NBA careers.

[@shawnyoung8752]

@@pgo301 Buckner played with celtics and won A title. I think he is the only Player to win Ncaa title. Gold medal and nba title. Haveleck? Lattener won ncaa and gold. Nba? Benson had decent career. Scott May was good with Bulls.Bobby wilkerson played with bulls for several years. Abernathey same with teams cause his defense. Laskowski played 2 or 3 years. They played Mickigan in title game. First time 2 teams from same conferance had. Hubbard was on 76 team. Rickey Green should have been. Mich also had a freshman on that 76 team from Chicago. Green. Hubbard and Britt were chicago kids that were ignored by Illinois. Like Bo Ellis. Larry Williams louisville. Mo Cheeks. Nba players that Illini gave no look at.

[@MMAALL]

@@shawnyoung8752 Michael Jordan

[@MalcolmPusey-dc1ku]

What is up with the short version of the Star Spangled Banner, during the 76 Olympics?

[@entertainmentsportsandmore5783]

Future NBA players were Adrian Dantley and Quinn Buckner.

[@rrmarshall3239]

All 12 members from the team played in the NBA, Dantley being the only one to have a Hall of Fame career. Adrian Dantley- 7 teams 1976-1991 Quinn Buckner- Milwaukee (1976-82) Boston (1982-85) Indiana (1985-86) Phil Ford-Kansas City (1978-82) New Jersey (1982) Milwaukee (1982-83) Houston (1983-85) Scott May- Chicago (1976-81) Milwaukee (1981-82) Detroit (1982) Mitch Kupchak- Washington (1976-81) LA Lakers (1981-1986) Phil Hubbard- Detroit (1979-82) Cleveland (1982-89) Walter Davis- Phoenix (1977-88) and 3 other teams Kenny Carr- LA Lakers (1977-79) Cleveland (1979-82) Detroit (1982) Portland (1982-86) Tate Armstrong- Chicago (1977-79) Ernie Grunfeld- Milwaukee (1977-79) Kansas City (1979-82) New York (1982-86) Tom LaGarde- 5 teams 1977-84 Steve Sheppard- Chicago (1977-79) Detroit (1979)

[@rony41165]

All of them would play in the nba just not as long as

[@rony41165]

Dantley hall of fame, only if Detroit kept him and he won the championship. Davis had. Good career. They and Phil ford would be named rooki of the year when they joined.

[@generalbullmoose]

Phil Hubbard would have had one of those careers, but he blew out his knee with Team USA at the World University Games in '77, and was never the same after that. He had to sit out his junior year at Michigan because of it.

[@jamessollazzo4860]

usa chants actually started in montreal with the basketball and boxing teams

[@generalbullmoose]

How did they beat Puerto Rico by only one point, though?

[@retromaven2159]

Puerto Rico was led by standout Marquette guard Butch Lee who would lead the Warriors to the national title the following year. He was a first round draft pick in 1978.

[@lapuntadifeza]

disgrace