The Argentina men's national basketball team () represents Argentina in men's international basketball officially nicknamed The Argentine Soul"El Alma Argentina" on CABB website. Retrieved 9 July 2016 (), and it is controlled by the Argentine Basketball Confederation (CAB).
Argentina's national basketball team remains among the most successful in the Americas and one of the most successful in the world. It is the only national team in the FIBA Americas zone that has won the quintuplet crown: FIBA World Cup (they won the first edition, in 1950), Olympic Gold Medal (2004, considered the highest honor and most important title in the history of the Argentine men's team), FIBA Diamond Ball (2008), FIBA AmeriCup (2001, 2011 and 2022) and Pan American Gold Medal (1995, 2019 and 2023). They are also one of only four countries to have won the Olympic gold medal and FIBA World Cup joining the Soviet Union, the United States of America, and Yugoslavia. They have also won 13 South American Basketball Championships, as well as many youth championships.
The Argentine representative were also the first country to defeat a United States national team with a full squad of NBA players. They did so by 87–80 in the 2002 FIBA World Championship held in Indianapolis. In that tournament, Argentina came second behind FR Yugoslavia, losing the final in overtime.
Due to the series of good results since the beginning of the 2000s, Argentina reached the first position in the FIBA Men's Ranking at the end of the 2008 Olympic Games. Argentina is a founding member of the International Federation of Basketball (FIBA) and has South America's longest basketball tradition.
History
The practice of basketball in Argentina was started by (Young Men's Christian Association – YMCA) in 1912,Historia en la Argentina on Asociación Cristiana de Jóvenes en la Argentina website (Archive – 11 March 2012) with the first Federation () established to organise competitions not only in Buenos Aires but in several cities around Argentina.
Argentina played its first international game against Uruguay in 1921.
In 1950 Argentina won its first and only World Championship to date, with a squad formed entirely of amateur players, after defeating France (twice), Brazil, Chile, Egypt and the United States in the decisive match.
With the creation of the Liga Nacional de Básquet in the mid-1980s, a new generation of players led Argentina to a moderate success in the 1986 World Championship where the squad defeated United States for the first time.
2001 was the year when the Golden Generation, winning Argentina's first FIBA Americas Championship – held in Neuquen – where they defeated all of their rivals in the competition.http://www.mdzol.com/nota/320318-en-neuquen-2001-la-generacion-dorada-del-basquet-argentino-sentaba-las-bases/ En Neuquén 2001, la Generación Dorada del básquet argentino, sentaba las bases. mdzol.com The progress of Argentine basketball would be shown in the 2002 FIBA World Championship, where they became the first team to defeat a United States roster composed entirely of NBA players and also reached the final, finally losing to Yugoslavia.Argentina hands NBA players first international loss, Sports Illustrated, 5 September 2002. Retrieved 2 March 2012. Argentina would reach the finals for the first time since the first World Championship in 1950,Argentina book final spot, BBC Sport, 7 September 2002. Retrieved 2 March 2012. but the most important achievement for the squad came in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens when Argentina won their first gold medal, including another victory over the United States at the semi-finals. The Olympics title in 2004 was the highest honor and most important title won in Argentine basketball history.A 10 años del oro en los Juego Olímpicos Atenas 2004, los tres momentos que Manu Ginóbili jamás olvidará, La Nación, 26 August 2014
Uniforms and suppliers PeriodKit manufacturer 1970s–1997 Topper 1998–2001 Adidas 2002–2007 Topper2007–2013 Li-Ning 2014–2017 Kappa 2017–2020 Jordan 2022–2025 Kelme 2025–present Peak
Since its establishment, the Argentina national team had worn white kits. The team had a long tenure wearing Topper, which was the official supplier since the 1970s to 2007. In 2002, two light blue horizontal stripes (similar to the National flag) were added to the jerseys. When the contract with Topper expired in 2007, the CABB signed an agreement with Chinese firm Li-Ning,Li ning comienza con el desembarco en el basquet argentino on CABB, 9 Feb 2007 which kept the design established by Topper.Li Ning, el patrocinador de Argentina que quiere desplazar a Adidas y Nike – Perfil.com, 7 Aug 2008
Italian company Kappa was the uniforms supplier since 2013.Kappa, la indumentaria de Argentina por cuatro años on CABB, 14 May 2013 In 2014 the company designed a vertical striped model in the style of football and field hockey representatives. The jersey debuted in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup."La Selección argentina de básquet presentó su camiseta Kappa para España 2014" Marketing Registrado, 5 August 2014"Argentina Presentó La Camiseta Para El Mundial" , Córdoba Times, 4 August 2014
When Nike became official sponsor through its brand Air Jordan, the Argentina jersey returned to a simple white color scheme. The deal extended to 2020, when the American company ceased operations in Argentina.Argentina se queda sin Nike, ¿quién la reemplazará?. Basqietplus, 9 Jul 2020
From 2022 to 2025, Spanish brand Kelme was the kit provider for all Argentinian basketball teams.Se presentó la nueva indumentaria de la Selección Argentina on CABB, 31 Jul 2022
In August 2025, the Association announced a new deal signed with Chinese company Peak to provide all the uniforms for the national team. The agreement will be into force until 2032, and includes supplying for all the basketball team, including women's and youth teams. Uniforms manufactured by Peak debuted at the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup.PEAK será el nuevo sponsor oficial de la Confederación Argentina de Básquet hasta 2032 at CABB. 4 Aug 2025
Honours Olympic Games Gold (1): 2004 Bronze (1): 2008 FIBA World Cup Gold (1): 1950 Silver (2): 2002, 2019 FIBA Diamond Ball Gold (1): 2008 Bronze (1): 2004 FIBA Stanković Continental Champions' Cup Gold (1): 2013 (2) Silver (3): 2005, 2013 (1), 2016 FIBA AmeriCup Gold (3): 2001, 2011, 2022 Silver (7): 1995, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2015, 2017, 2025 Bronze (5): 1980, 1993, 1999, 2009, 2013 Pan American Games Gold (3): 1995, 2019, 2023 Silver (2): 1951, 1955 South American Championship Gold (13): 1934, 1935, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1966, 1976, 1979, 1987, 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012 Silver (12): 1930, 1938, 1940, 1973, 1983, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2010, 2014 Bronze (13): 1932, 1939, 1945, 1960, 1961, 1969, 1971, 1977, 1981, 1985, 1991, 1997, 2006
Competition results
Olympic Games Summer Olympic Games RecordYearPositionPldWL 1936Did Not Qualify 194815th place844 19524th place853 1956Did Not Qualify 1960Did Not Qualify 1964Did Not Qualify 1968Did Not Qualify 1972Did Not Qualify 1976Did Not Qualify 1980Originally qualified, but later withdrew 1984Did Not Qualify 1988Did Not Qualify 1992Did Not Qualify 19969th place743 2000Did Not Qualify 2004Gold Medal862 2008Bronze Medal862 20124th place844 20168th place633 20207th place413 2024Did Not QualifyTotal573324
FIBA World Cup FIBA World Cup RecordYearPositionPldWL 1950Champions660 1954Did Not Qualify 195910th633 19638th844 19676th936 1970Did Not Qualify 197411th725 1978Did Not Qualify 1982Did Not Qualify 198612th1055 19908th826 19949th853 19988th936 2002Runner-up981 20064th972 20105th972 201411th633 2019Runner-up871 2023Did Not Qualify 2027To be determined 2031Total1126547
FIBA Diamond Ball FIBA Diamond Ball RecordYearPositionPldWL 2000Did Not Qualify 2004Bronze Medal321 2008Champions330Total651
FIBA AmeriCup FIBA AmeriCup RecordYearPositionPldWL 1980Third place642 19847th826 19885th633 19898th826 19926th523 1993Third place752 1995Runner-up1082 19974th945 1999Third place1073 2001Champions10100 2003Runner-up1064 2005Runner-up1073 2007Runner-up1082 2009Third place1073 2011Champions1091 2013Third place1064 2015Runner-up1082 2017Runner-up541 2022 Champions660 2025 Runner-up642Total16611254
South American Championship South American Championship RecordYearPositionPldWL 1930Runner-up642 1932Third place404 1934Champions660 1935Champions431 19375th826 1938Runner-up431 1939Third place422 1940Runner-up541 1941Champions550 1942Champions541 1943Champions853 1945Third place532 19475th523 19495th523 1953Did Not Participate 19554th532 19584th743 1960Third place642 1961Third place752 19634th853 1966Champions761 19685th743 1969Third place642 1971Third place752 1973Runner-up761 1976Champions660 1977Third place862 1979Champions660 1981Third place532 1983Runner-up532 1985Third place752 1987Champions651 1989Runner-up972 1991Third place761 1993Runner-up752 1995Runner-up734 1997Third place743 1999Runner-up651 2001Champions990 2003Runner-up642 2004Champions651 2006Third place431 2008Champions651 2010Runner-up532 2012Champions550 2014Runner-up541 20164th642Total27019080
Pan American Games Pan American Games RecordYearPositionPldWL 1951Silver Medal651 1955Silver Medal541 1959Did Not Participate 1963Did Not Participate 19676th514 19715th954 19757th936 19796th936 19835th945 19879th514 19916th734 1995Gold Medal770 19994th523 20036th523 20074th523 20117th422 20155th422 2019Gold medal541 2023Gold medal550 2027To be determined 2031Total1045549
Players Current roster Roster for the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup.
Retired numbers In July 2017, the Argentine Basketball Confederation announced that numbers 5 and 13 would be retired since the 2017 edition of FIBA AmeriCup and for the rest of championships played by the senior team from then on.CABB anuncia el retiro de las camisetas de Ginóbili y Nocioni by Germán Beder on CABB website, 29 July 2017
Argentina retired numbersNo.PlayerPos.TenureGamesPointsRef. 5 Emanuel Ginóbili SG 1998–2016 104 1,588 El homenaje de la selección de básquet a Ginóbili y Nocioni: retirarán sus números on Infobae, 29 July 2017 13 Andrés Nocioni SF 1999–2016 121 1,364
Head coaches
León Najnudel: (1985) Flor Meléndez: (1986–1987) Alberto Finger: (1987–1989) Carlos Boismené: (1989–1992) Walter Garrone: (1992) Guillermo Vecchio: (1993–1996) Julio Lamas: (1997–1999) Rubén Magnano: (2000–2004) Sergio Hernández: (2005–2010) Julio Lamas: (2011–2014) Sergio Hernández: (2015–2020) Gabriel Picatto: (2020–2021) Sergio Hernández: (2021) Néstor García: (2021–2022) Pablo Prigioni: (2022–present)
Notes
References
External links
FIBA profile Latinbasket – Argentina Men National Team Argentina Basketball Records at FIBA Archive Argentina – Tournament Highlights – 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup on YouTube