2012 USA Dream Team: Where Are They Now?

After redeeming themselves to the world in 2008, the men’s national basketball team won the gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Despite being short on big men, the team cruised their way to a second gold medal. The US went undefeated in their eight games and defeated opponents by about 32 points. The team trailed in the fourth quarter just one time. On top of that, the USA squad set an Olympic single-game record with 156 points scored against Nigeria.

The 2012 team followed a long history of successful Olympic teams. The 1992 Dream Team remains one of the most dominant rosters ever. The 1996 Dream Team showed the American people their dominance in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the 2000 Dream Team brought in the new millennium with a gold medal. After the 2004 team fell to bronze, the 2008 Redeem Team brought back the gold medal, and the Americans have not looked back.

With players like LeBron James and Kevin Durant leading the way, the team looked unstoppable at times. James was the only player from the championship-winning Miami Heat, as Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were not on the roster. Three players from the league runner-up Thunder made the cut. Many of these players would become future teammates and champions 10 years later. While some players remain in the league, others have moved on to new ventures.

Let’s take a look at what the 2012 USA team is up to these days. 

Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers Forward)

Davis was a young pup in the league when he won this gold medal. Davis was the 2012 No. 1 overall pick. He was coming off winning a championship with the University of Kentucky. With the USA squad, he averaged 3.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 7.6 minutes of action. He appeared in seven of the team’s eight games. He shot 64.7% from the field by making 11 of his 17 shots.

After that, Davis played for the New Orleans Pelicans, where he grew into an All-Star, All-NBA selection, and All-Defensive player. Davis was traded from the Pelicans to the Lakers in 2019 for a package centered around Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and draft picks. He helped the Lakers win a title in 2020. Since then, he has battled injuries but remains a vital part of the team’s future.

Tyson Chandler (NBA Coach)

As a reserve, Chandler averaged 4.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 11.3 minutes per game. He was efficient when he was allowed to shoot the ball, shooting 70% from the field by making 14 of his 20 shots. At the time, Chandler was coming off one of his best seasons, where he was the Defensive Player of the Year.

Chandler won an NBA championship in 2011 and then the gold medal in 2012. He would play in the league until 2020, when he was named an All-Star once in 2013. Chandler eventually joined the UNICEF Kid Power organization to help fight global malnutrition in Uganda. In 2021, he was named a player development coach for the Dallas Mavericks.

Andre Iguodala (Golden State Warriors Forward)

Talk about another efficient player coming off of the bench. Iguodala was also used for defense but also shot 70% from the field in 12.1 minutes of action. He also added 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists. At the time, he was coming off of the lone All-Star appearance of his career. He was traded to the Denver Nuggets during that summer.

Iguodala was acquired by the Warriors in 2013, and he became an All-Defensive First Team selection. He won four championships with the Warriors, including winning Finals MVP in 2015. At 38 years old, he remains in the league as a member of the Warriors roster. His contributing days are dwindling, but he serves as a veteran leader in the locker room.

Deron Williams (Boxer)

Williams played 18.0 minutes per night as a backup point guard for the team. He averaged 9.0 points and 4.6 assists. He also shot 40.6% from three-point range. At the time, he was playing All-Star basketball for the Brooklyn Nets. Williams played in the league up to 2017 and has been out of basketball since.

Known as an avid boxing and MMA fan, Williams pursued a career in the sport he loved. He even owns a stake in Fortis MMA. Williams trained for years in mixed martial arts and boxing. He was allowed to fight on the undercard of Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury. Williams defeated former NFL running back Frank Gore via a split decision. He can also be spotted attending University of Illinois basketball games.

Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers Forward)

Love was not a starter for the team, but he played a big role in the team. In 17.0 minutes, he shot 63.0% from the field and shot 36.4% from three-point range. He led the team in rebounding with 7.6 boards. He also contributed 11.6 points, rounding out the double-digit scorers on the team with his fifth-best scoring mark. Love was a member of the Timberwolves at the time and was a rebounding champion.

After dealing with a few disastrous seasons with the Timberwolves, he was traded to the Cavaliers in 2014 for a package of players centered around Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett, the previous two No. 1 overall picks. Love became an All-Star contributor with the Cavaliers, where he played in four consecutive NBA Finals. He was a part of the 2016 championship team. When LeBron James left in 2018, he stayed with the team and plays a vital sixth-man role for the team today.

James Harden (Philadelphia 76ers Point Guard)

Harden did not see a ton of playing time. He played the second-fewest minutes per game at 9.1. He averaged 5.5 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.8 assists. He managed to make 17 of his 34 attempts, though. Harden was coming off an NBA Finals appearance with the Oklahoma City Thunder. When he returned to the NBA, he played in four games with the Thunder and was then traded to the Houston Rockets.

He played with the team up to 2020, where he scored the second-most points in team history. Harden won the league MVP in 2018. He also had three straight seasons of averaging at least 30.0 points per game, including 36.1 points per game during the 2018-19 season. Harden was eventually traded to the Nets but was then flipped to the 76ers last year. He has battled injuries this season, having played in just nine games.

Russell Westbrook (Los Angeles Lakers Point Guard)

Westbrook was Harden’s teammate at the time of their 2012 Finals appearance. Westbrook made the most of his minutes in the Olympics, where he averaged 8.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 13.8 minutes of action. When he returned to OKC, he grew into an All-Star tandem with Kevin Durant. The team made runs to the Western Conference Finals in 2014 and 2016.

When Durant left the Thunder, Westbrook made history. He averaged a triple-double during the 2016-17 season. It was the first time since Oscar Robertson, which is why he was named the league MVP. Westbrook has averaged a triple-double for a season four times. Westbrook was acquired by the Lakers in 2021 but saw his first season end in disaster when the team won 33 games. The Lakers continue to play horrid as the team sits near the bottom of the standings.

Chris Paul (Phoenix Suns Point Guard)

Paul was the team’s starting point guard and started in every game. He averaged 8.3 points and 5.1 assists. His assist total did not lead the team. He shot 51.0% from the field and 46.4% from three-point range. He just missed the Olympic 50-40-90 Club by shooting 50.0% from the free throw line. Paul was an All-Star and All-Defensive player for the Los Angeles Clippers at the time.

Since then, Paul has made stops with the Clippers, Rockets, and Thunder. He is the all-time leader in assists and steals for both the Pelicans and Clippers. He is now the starting point guard for the Phoenix Suns. In 2021, he played in the NBA Finals. Last year, the Suns led the league in wins but were ousted in the second round of the playoffs. Paul is currently helping the Suns contend for a top seed in the Western Conference.

Carmelo Anthony (Free Agent)

Anthony was the key sixth man off of the bench. He averaged the second-most points on the team at 16.3 in 17.8 minutes of action. He also contributed 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 53.5% from the field and 50.0% from three-point range. Anthony was one year away from leading the league in scoring with the New York Knicks.

While with the Knicks, Anthony was a scoring champion and multi-All-Star. A few years ago, Anthony nearly walked away from the game but made a comeback and has served as a key bench piece for the Trail Blazers. He then joined the Lakers to team up with longtime friend LeBron James, but the team missed the playoffs. Now, Anthony is without a team at 38 years old. He could join a team midseason.

Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets Forward)

Durant was a starter for the 2012 team, where he led the team in scoring. It came as no surprise at the time. After all, Durant was coming off a third straight season of leading the league in scoring. With this team, Durant averaged 19.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. He shot 48.5% from the field and was automatic from three-point range, making 34 of 65 outside shots. He also added 88.9% at the free throw line, making 24 of 27 attempts.

After coming up short in the NBA Finals, Durant led the Thunder to the Conference Finals in 2014 and 2016. He won the league MVP in 2014, where he led the league in scoring for a fourth and final time. In 2016, the Thunder blew a 3-1 lead in the Conference Finals to the Warriors. He joined the superteam Warriors team that had won 73 games the year before. He led the team to the championship in 2017 and 2018 and was named Finals MVP. Durant played in the Finals again in 2019 but suffered an Achilles injury that kept him out of the following season. He joined the Nets in the 2019 offseason and has stayed with the team ever since.

Kobe Bryant (Passed Away)

As the team’s starting shooting guard, Bryant was not his typical self during this run. He averaged 12.1 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. His points per game were fourth-best on the team. With that said, he had plenty of wear and tear on his body, so others could step up. He shot 43.6% from three-point range and 90.9% from the free-throw line, though.

At the time, the Lakers were entering the next season with the addition of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, but it blew up in their face. After that, Bryant suffered an injury, and then the Lakers had some of their worst seasons in franchise history. Bryant finished out his basketball career in 2016 with the Lakers. He enjoyed success away from the court after his retirement. That included becoming the first African-American to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. He launched a television series and was focused on his family, including the development of girls’ basketball teams. Bryant was taken from the world too early when he was among nine people that died in a helicopter crash in January 2020.

LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers Forward)

As the team’s starting small forward, James had the third-best scoring average on the team at 13.3 points. He also contributed 5.6 rebounds and a team-high 5.6 assists per game. James made 44 of his 73 shots to shoot 60.3% from the field, as well as 75.0% from the free throw line. James was coming off his first championship with the Miami Heat, where he was also the league MVP and Finals MVP winner.

James played for the Heat for two more years and then joined the Cavaliers. He won two titles with the Heat in 2012 and 2013. He went back home to Cleveland and delivered a championship in 2016. After four more trips to the Finals, he led the Lakers to a championship in 2020. He is coming off a season where he averaged more than 30.0 points per game. Outside of basketball, LeBron is focused on his son and NBA prospect Bronny James. He also has many foundations. He will turn 38 years old this December. 

Next

1992 USA Dream Team: Where Are They Now?

1996 USA Dream Team: Where Are They Now?

2000 USA Dream Team: Where Are They Now?

2004 USA Dream Team: Where Are They Now?

2008 Redeem Team: Where Are They Now?