In the summer of 2000, the Olympic Games were played in Sydney, where in the grand final the United States won the Gold by defeating a France that was given as moral champion with its Olympic silver, 85-75 in a bad game by all but controlled at all times by the Americans. These games were a warning to the USA that something was happening in world basketball, and that they were not always going to win the competitions as they presumed, with their NBA players. Globalized basketball had its effect …

In the semifinals, the United States defeated Lithuania by 85-83, with triple failure in the last moments of Jasikevicius that would give victory to the Lithuanians, and on the other hand France would beat Australia by a clear 76-52. In the fight for bronze Lithuania easily beat Australia by 89-71.

United States 85
*Payton – 7p, 3a.
*Houston – 8p, 4r.
*Carter – 13p, 4br.
*Garnett – 6p, 3r.
*Mourning – 9p, 7r.
Kidd – 4p, 7r.
Allen – 13p, 1br.
Smith – 4p, 2a.
Baker – 11p, 5r.
McDyess – 3p, 2r.
T.Hardaway – 2p, 1r.
Abdur-Rahim – 5p.

France 75
*Rigaudeau – 10p, 2a.
*Foirest – 3p, 2a.
*Risacher – 15p, 3r.
*Bilba – 3p, 3r.
*Weis – 1p, 2r.
Sonko – 0p, 1a.
Sciarra – 19p, 4r.
Dioumassi – 3p, 1br.
Palmer – 10p, 2r.
Julian – 11p, 2r.
T.Gadou – 0p.