This week in Olympic history: 19-25 August – USA Redeem Team achieve greatness
Olympics.com explores the week in Olympic sports history, highlighting Olympians' birthdays and notable sporting events from 19 to 25 August.
Basketball
Welcome to This Week in Olympic Sports History, where Olympics.com remembers the most significant sports events of the past. This week, we'll cover 19-25 August.
On this day – 24 August 2008: Team USA complete redemption tour
The United States have long dominated Olympic basketball, but when they fell short of gold at Athens 2004, it triggered a sensation they never wanted to feel again.
Having to wait another four years for a shot at Olympic glory, they set out to build an invincible team comprised of a star-studded roster.
The USA men’s basketball team at Beijing 2008 was dubbed the ‘Redeem Team’, a spin on the renowned US ‘Dream Team’ that won gold at Barcelona 1992. Among them were the late Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and now three-time Olympic champion LeBron James.
Led by Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, the Redeem Team emerged from the preliminary round as the only nation with a perfect record. They then cruised past Australia to earn a shot at revenge against Argentina, the defending champions who had dumped them out of the competition in Athens.
USA defeated the Argentinians 101-81 to set up an enticing gold medal match against Spain, a do-or-die clash which they simply could not lose.
The Wukesong Indoor Stadium was treated to a high-scoring, end-to-end world-class final where the Redeem Team continued in the same vein as they had the entire tournament.
They were relentless against a strong Spanish side and produced their finest performance yet, with Wade scoring 27 points and Bryant getting six assists.
USA came out on top in every quarter and made it eight wins out of eight, the Redeem Team taking their shot at redemption and seizing gold at Beijing 2008.
It was the culture shift that American basketball needed and the start of an Olympic dynasty. Team USA have gone on to win every Olympic basketball tournament since The Redeem Team took to the court.
Kobe Bryant (left) and LeBron James with their gold medals at Beijing 2008.
Quote of the Week | LeBron James, three-time Olympic basketball gold medallist
“It just reset the standard. It’s one of the greatest games I ever played.”
Notable Olympic birthdays: 19-25 August
- Valentyn Mankin (Soviet Union, Sailing, three-time Olympic champion) born 19 August 1938
- Nafissatou Thiam (Belgium, Athletics, three-time Olympic champion) born 19 August 1994
- Catalina Ponor (Romania, Artistic Gymnastics, three-time Olympic champion) born 20 August 1987
- Mijain Lopez Nunez (Cuba, Wrestling, five-time Olympic champion) born 20 August 1982
- Bernhard Germeshausen (Germany, Bobsleigh, three-time Olympic champion) born 21 August 1951
- Usain Bolt (Jamaica, Athletics, eight-time Olympic champion) born 21 August 1986
- Laura Dahlmeier (Germany, Biathlon, two-time Olympic champion) born 22 August 1993
- Natalie Coughlin (USA, Swimming, three-time Olympic champion) born 23 August 1982
- Michael Redd (USA, Basketball, Olympic champion) born 24 August 1979
- Wang Zhen (People’s Republic of China, Athletics, Olympic champion) born 24 August 1991
Make sure to check back on Olympics.com next week for more sports and Olympic history.