The men's national basketball team of the USSR is one of thethe most powerful teams of their time. Officially the team appeared in 1947, and ended its existence in 1991. It was played by famous basketball players, who continued their work in this sport after the end of their careers.
The Soviet team took part in 9Olympics, not counting OI-1992 as part of the CIS team. At the OI team won 2 gold medals, 4 silver and 3 bronze. Silver medals were received in 1952, 1956, 1960 and 194. All four times Soviet athletes lost to the United States. In 1968, the Soviet Union took the third place. This same achievement he repeated in 1976 and 1980. In 1972 and 1988 the team became a gold medalist.
At the World Championships, the USSR national basketball teamparticipated also 9 times. The team was able to win 3 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze. Another 14 times Soviet basketball players became champions of Europe, three times they lost in the finals and four times they became the third.
Litovets is a famous basketball playerSoviet Union. Career Arvydas began in "Zalgiris" in 1981. In 1986, under the 24th peak of the first round, Sabonis was drafted by the NBA club "Portland Trail Blazers", but the debut in the strongest basketball league of the world took place only after 9 years.
In 1985, the Lithuanian was recognized as the most valuableplayer of the European Championship. In 1988, Sabonis became the Olympic champion. In 2010, he entered the FIBA Hall of Fame. From 1985 to 1987, Sabonis became the champion of the USSR in the "Zalgiris".
At the 1982 World Cup in Colombia in the USSR national teamArvydas won gold awards, and after 4 years - silver. At European championships, Sabonis won 4 medals: 1 gold, 2 bronze and 1 silver. In addition to the gold of Seoul, there are 2 bronze medals of the Olympic Games in the Lithuanian piggy bank.
Center was recognized second after Sabonisthe best player in the history of the Soviet Union in his position. He started his professional career in 1974. His first club was the "Builder" from Kiev.
In 1976 and 1980, as part of the USSR national basketball team, he took part 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 it again took the 2nd place. Also Vladimir Tkachenko is a three-time European champion and a two-time winner.
The Latvian was a unique basketball player, becauseProfessional career began in 23 years. In 2006 he was recognized as the third best center of Soviet basketball in history. Янис has conceded only to Сабонису and Ткаченко which have occupied 1 and 2 places accordingly.
Krumins - triple European champion.He won the first gold in 1959. Two years later, repeated achievement. In 1963, Janis, in the USSR national basketball team, won the third OI gold medal in his career. Also, the Latvian three times became the silver medalist of the Olympic Games - in 1956, 1960 and 1964.
He is one of the first USSR basketball players inNational Basketball Association. Volkov began his career as a player in 1981 at the Kiev-based Stroitel basketball club. In 1986, he was drafted by Atlanta Hawks in the 6th round under a 134-mile peak. In 1991, Alexander was included in the list of the 50 greatest players in FIBA history.
In 1985 at the European Championship in GermanyVolkov and his team managed to win gold. This was his first international award. A year later, the Soviet Union became the second in the World Championships in Spain. In 1987, at the European Championship, held in Greece, Alexander Anatolyevich Volkov won silver. In 1988, he surrendered to one of the most important peaks in the basketball world - as part of the USSR national team, Volkov became an Olympic champion. A year later, the Soviet team took 3rd place at the Euro 1989 in Yugoslavia, and in 1990 - 2nd place in the Argentine World Cup. Silver World Cup 1990 is the last Volkov medal in the USSR team.
Alexander Yakovlevich is inscribed in gold letters in the history of the USSR national basketball team. "Dad" gained his fame as a coach. It was he who revealed the talent of Janis Krumins.
He managed to bring his players to twovictories 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.
Like Gomel, Garastas is not considered one of the best players in the history of the USSR. However, he was an outstanding coach. The Lithuanian player began his career as a player in 1952 when he signed an agreement with BC Zalgiris.
In the club from Kaunas, Vladas played until 1960of the year. When the end of his contract remained 4 years, 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 took "Zalgiris".Vladas coached his own club for 10 years and was able to make him the triple champion of the Soviet Union and the winner of the Intercontinental Cup. He was the coach of the USSR national team from 1989 to 1991.
