The USSR men's basketball team is one of the most powerful teams of its time. The team officially appeared in 1947, and ended its existence in 1991. Famous basketball players played in its composition, who continued their work in this sport after completing a career.
Achievements
The Soviet team took part in 9 Olympics, not counting the 1992 Olympics as part of the CIS team. At the Olympic Games, the team won 2 gold medals, 4 silver and 3 bronzes. Silver medals were received in 1952, 1956, 1960 and 194. All 4 times, Soviet athletes lost the United States. In 1968, the Soviet Union took 3rd place. He repeated the same achievement in 1976 and 1980. In 1972 and 1988, the team became a gold medalist.
The USSR national basketball team also participated 9 times at world championships . The team was able to win 3 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze. Another 14 times, Soviet basketball players became European champions, three times they lost in the finals and 4 times became third.
Arvydas Sabonis
Lithuanian is a famous basketball player of the Soviet Union. Arvydas began his career at Zalgiris in 1981. In 1986, under the 24th peak of the first round, Sabonis was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers NBA, but his debut in the world's strongest basketball league took place only 9 years later.
In 1985, the Lithuanian was recognized as the most valuable player in the European Championship. In 1988, Sabonis became an Olympic champion. In 2010, he entered the FIBA Hall of Fame. From 1985 to 1987, Sabonis became the champion of the USSR as part of Zalgiris.
At the 1982 World Cup in Colombia, Arvydas won gold awards as part of the USSR national team, and 4 years later - silver. At the European championships, Sabonis won 4 medals: 1 gold, 2 bronze and 1 silver. In addition to the gold of Seoul, the Lithuanian piggy bank has 2 bronze medals of the Olympic Games.
Vladimir Tkachenko
Center was recognized as the second best player in the history of the Soviet Union after Sabonis in his position. Vladimir began his professional career in 1974. His first club was Stroitel from Kiev.
In 1976 and 1980, as part of the USSR national basketball team, he participated in the Olympic Games. Both times, Soviet basketball players won bronze medals.
At the world championships, Tkachenko played three times. His debut at the world championships took place in 1978 in the Philippines, when the Soviet team took second place. After 4 years, the USSR national team became the champion, and in 1986 she again took 2nd place. Also, Vladimir Tkachenko is a three-time European champion and two-time medalist.
Janis Krumins
Latvian was a unique basketball player, since he began his professional career at the age of 23. In 2006, he was recognized as the third best center of Soviet basketball in history. Janis lost only to Sabonis and Tkachenko, who took 1st and 2nd places respectively.
Krumins is a three-time European champion. He won the first gold in 1959. Two years later, repeated the achievement. In 1963, Janis as part of the USSR national basketball team won the third gold medal in his career at the Olympic Games. Also, the Latvian three times became the silver medalist of the Olympic Games - in 1956, 1960 and 1964.
Alexander Anatolyevich Volkov
He is one of the first basketball players of the USSR in the National Basketball Association. Volkov began his career as a player in 1981 at the Kiev basketball club Stroitel. In 1986, it was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the 6th round under a total 134th peak. In 1991, Alexander was included in the list of 50 greatest players in the history of FIBA.
In 1985, at the European Championship in Germany, Volkov and his team managed to win gold. This was his first award internationally. A year later, the Soviet Union became the second at the World Cup in Spain. In 1987, at the European Championship, held in Greece, Alexander Anatolyevich Volkov won silver. In 1988, he conquered one of the most important peaks in the basketball world - as part of the USSR team, Volkov became the Olympic champion. A year later, the Soviet team took 3rd place at the 1989 European Championships in Yugoslavia, and in 1990 - 2nd at the Argentine World Cup. Silver World Cup 1990 is the last Volkov medal in the USSR national team.
Alexander Gomelsky
Alexander Yakovlevich is inscribed in gold letters in the history of the USSR national basketball team. “Papa” gained his fame as a coach. It was he who revealed the talent of Janis Krumins.
He managed to bring his wards to two victories at the world championships and seven victories at the European championships. In the last year of his coaching career, Gomelsky managed to win the 1988 Olympic Games.
Vladas Garastas
Like Gomelsky, Garastas is not considered one of the best players in the history of the USSR. However, he was an outstanding coach. Lithuanian began his career as a player in 1952, when he signed an agreement with BC algiris.
Vladas played in the club from Kaunas until 1960. When 4 years were left until the end of his contract, he began to combine the player’s career with coaching courses. In the early 60s, Garastas was considered one of the best young professionals.
In 1979, the Lithuanian adopted the algiris. Vladas coached his native club for 10 years and was able to make him three-time champion of the Soviet Union and winner of the Intercontinental Cup. He was a coach of the USSR national team from 1989 to 1991.