Most Olympic points by USA Basketball player: Where Kevin Durant ranks on full list of single-game records | Sporting News

Most Olympic points by USA Basketball player: Where Kevin Durant ranks on full list of single-game records | Sporting News

July 28, 2024

Make no mistake, Kevin Durant is one of the greatest scorers to ever pick up a basketball.

A four-time NBA scoring champion, Durant’s scoring ability translates to all levels of basketball. Case in point: his standing as the United State’s all-time scoring leader in Olympic competition.

Durant again put his scoring excellence on full display in his 2024 Olympics debut, where he returned from injury to turn in a flawless first half. In under nine minutes of action, Durant scored 21 points on perfect 8-of-8 shooting from the field, including 5-of-5 shooting from 3-point range. He would finish with 23 points after attempting just one more shot and getting two shots to go from the free throw line.

Durant’s first half set the tone for a performance for the record books. Where does his scoring effort rank among the greatest games from a Team USA member at the Olympics? Here is where he fits on the all-time list.

MORE: USA vs. Serbia box score: Stats from Olympic opener

Most Olympic points by USA men’s basketball player

Carmelo Anthony’s 37-point performance against Nigeria in the 2012 London games stands as the greatest single-game scoring performance from a USA men’s basketball player at the Olympics.

Anthony (two times) and Durant (two times) are two of six men’s USA basketball players to score 30-plus points in Olympic competition.

Rank Player Points Opponent (Year)
1. Carmelo Anthony 37 Nigeria (2012)
2. Carmelo Anthony 31 Australia (2016)
  Stephon Marbury 31 Spain (2004)
4. Kevin Durant 30 Serbia (2016)
  Klay Thompson 30 France (2016)
  Kevin Durant 30 Spain (2012)
  Charles Barkley 30 Brazil (1992)
  Adrian Dantley 30 Yugoslavia (1976)

MORE: Kevin Durant Olympics timeline: Medals, stats, records and more

USA men’s basketball Olympic career scoring leaders

Durant’s performance increases his hold as Team USA’s all-time scoring leader in Olympic competition. He is on pace to be the first USA men’s basketball player to surpass the 500-point mark in Olympic competition.

Rank Player Points
1. Kevin Durant 458*
2. Carmelo Anthony 336
3. LeBron James 294*
4. David Robinson 270
5. Michael Jordan 256
6. Charles Barkley 231
7. Kobe Bryant 217
8. Chris Mullin 196
9. Dwyane Wade 186
10. Karl Malone 171

* Active players for USA basketball