Only once has the U.S. men’s basketball team not won a gold medal since professionals entered the Olympics. Here’s your chance to own a piece of that history.
An auction company is listing a 2004 Olympic bronze medal won by Carmelo Anthony. The auction, which began at $4,500, is scheduled to run to June 9.
Anthony, coming off his rookie NBA season, was one of the youngest members of the 2004 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team that lost to Puerto Rico (by 19 points) and Lithuania in the group stage and then eventual gold medalist Argentina in the semifinals.
Though the U.S. recovered for bronze, beating Lithuania 104-96, the 2004 team is largely seen as the impetus for the “Redeem Team” of 2008, where the NBA’s best players made it a mission to win the gold back for the U.S.
Anthony won gold on the 2008 and 2012 U.S. teams after receiving little playing time in 2004. He averaged 2.4 points per game in Athens, according to sports-reference.com.
Anthony was disappointed with the bronze medal and gave it to a family member as a gift, according to Julien’s Auctions, which says it has documentation from the family member that it will give to the winning bidder.
