Team USA men’s basketball easily advanced to the semifinals in the Paris Olympics with their victory over Brazil on Tuesday. Already Team USA men’s basketball all-time leading scorer in the Olympics, Kevin Durant passed Lisa Leslie’s point total in the win. He now has the most points for Team USA in the Olympics, man or woman.
The former NBA MVP has a long way to go though to become the all-time top scorer in Olympics history. Durant currently has scored 494 points, not even halfway to reaching the all-time record holder. At 35 years old, one can assume that this is either his last, or second-to-last time taking part in the Summer Games. Here are the top five scorers at the Olympics in men’s basketball history.
(Lauren Jackson of Australia is the all-time Olympics scorer in women’s basketball with 575 points.)
The All-Time Leading Scorers In Men’s Basketball At The Olympics
1. Oscar Schmidt – 1,093 Points
Oscar Schmidt took part in five Olympics for Brazil from 1980 until 1996. Despite his scoring prowess, he never won a medal in the Olympics as Brazil last took one home in 1964 (bronze). Schmidt averaged 28.8 points in his 38 Olympic outings. On September 24, 1988, he dropped 55 points against Spain which is still a men’s basketball Olympics record. With over 1,000 career points at the Olympics, it doesn’t seem likely that anyone will surpass his record anytime soon. Schmidt was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
2. Andrew Gaze – 789 Points
Andrew Gaze played 26 games at the NBA level. Although he received little playing time and was inactive the whole postseason run, he won a ring with the San Antonio Spurs in 1999. He played in five Olympics for Australia from 1984 until 2000. In the final of those five appearances, he and the Australian team earned a bronze medal. In 40 Olympic contests, Gaze averaged 19.7 points.
3. Pau Gasol – 649 Points
An 18-year NBA veteran, Pau Gasol won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023. He participated in the five Olympic Games from 2004 until 2020 for Spain. Gasol and Spain took home three medals in that time (silver in 2008 and 2012, bronze in 2016).
4. Luis Scola – 591 Points
Much like Gasol, Luis Scola played in the five Summer Olympics from 2004 until 2020, but with Argentina. He had a 10-year NBA career, much of that coming with the Houston Rockets. Argentina won gold in men’s basketball in 2004, the only time USA didn’t come in first place since NBA players have been allowed. Scola also owns a bronze medal from the 2008 Olympics.
5. Patty Mills – 567 Points
Known as ‘FIBA Patty’, Patty Mills likely played in his last Olympics with Australia after they were eliminated by Serbia on Tuesday. This was his fifth time taking part in the Summer Olympics. In 2020, Mills and Australia finished in third place earning a bronze medal. His last game saw him score 26 points which included hitting a clutch jumper to send the game into overtime. He finishes with 567 points for his Olympics career. Mills surpassed Argentinian legend Manu Ginobili for the fifth slot in this year’s Olympics.
