Recalling the most iconic basketball moments in US history

The NBA holds a formidable place in US sporting culture, and while it might not be attracting the sort of viewership the NFL is, there’s no denying that some of the greatest US sporting moments have happened in the highest-pressure NBA games. 

There’s a reason the likes of Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and LeBron James are household names in the US, as great players are often measured by their performance when it truly matters. This is the same in any sport – look at Lionel Messi winning the FIFA World Cup in 2022, Maradona winning it in 1986, and Muhammad Ali beating George Foreman when nobody gave him a chance. 

An iconic sportsperson is defined by the iconic moments at the peak of their powers, which is why, on today’s list, we’ll be diving into some of the greatest moments of the finest NBA players to ever step out on the court.

Steph Curry – 2024 Olympics

It feels like going into the Olympics, the US basketball team is the one guaranteed to take a medal. It’s often a star-studded selection of the greatest basketball players of their era. As far back as 1992, the US Olympic team’s dominance in basketball has been clearly apparent. They’ve gone into the competition as such significant favorites that some sportsbooks wouldn’t even take bets on them winning the competition. 

However, as the markets have shifted since the emergence of mobile apps, basketball betting has adapted alongside it. You could find outright markets for the US men’s basketball team to win gold, but the odds were so nailed on that it didn’t seem worth putting a bet on them. 

With more in-play markets emerging, and payment methods like PayPal proving to be a unique way to place bets on basketball, it has meant there has been more betting activity in recent Olympics. PayPal betting continues to highlight the developments taking place in the betting world. 

It might seem a little misplaced to include Steph Curry’s performance in the final as one of the most iconic basketball moments in US history, given they went into the competition as a -700 moneyline betting favorite. However, it was a US accomplishment on a global stage, and many believe Steph Curry’s performance is among the greatest individual basketball performance ever witnessed at an Olympic final. So, we’re putting it on our list. 

“Who’s coming in second?” – 1986

We may as well segue from Steph Curry into another undoubted three-point shooting legend – Larry Bird. During the inaugural three-point contest at the NBA All-Star Weekend in 1986, Larry, famed for his trash-talking, walked into the dressing room where the others were preparing to face him in the three-point contest and said: “Who’s coming in second?” 

Of course, Larry won the contest in first gear. He didn’t even take off his warm-up jersey, and walked off with a celebratory finger in the air before his final shot had even reached the rim. 

While it might not have happened during an NBA game, it’s an iconic line and image that remains synonymous with the three-point contest at the All-Star Weekend – with an honorable mention also for the naturally right-handed power forward’s left-handed triple-double. 

40,000 points and counting – 2023

LeBron James is considered, alongside Steph Curry, the greatest American player of his generation. Not only did the Akron, Ohio power forward surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record of 38,387 points, but in 2023, he continued to set new records and hit the phenomenal milestone of 40,000 points. 

LeBron’s career is full of great moments, from his defensive masterclass, that iconic block in the 2016 finals to stop Andre Iguodala at the death of the game, to his 2012 finals Game 6 performance. However, the 40,000-point milestone is such an iconic moment because no player has ever reached it before, and it will likely be an extremely long time before anybody else gets near to it. 

Kobe’s 81-point game – 2006

Every decade, a player comes along who is quickly able to rise to the top of the sport. They become so dominant in such quick fashion that their name becomes attached to the sport, and casual fans know who they are and know of their magical ability. 

Kobe Bryant is the epitome of this – he transcended the 21st-century NBA. His 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006 remains one of the greatest NBA moments ever, and it’s the second-highest tally, only behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game. Nobody else has come close to this in 20 years, and it’ll be a long time before anyone else gets near to it. 

One element of this iconic moment that is often overlooked is that Bryant scored 55 points in one half. He was a truly mercurial talent, sorely missed by the NBA community. Upon the news of his devastating passing, the whole American sporting world mourned. It dominated the global news, and for those of us who grew up watching Kobe, this was the standout moment in the career of a bona fide NBA legend.

Michael Jordan’s “The Shot” – 1989

A whole new generation of sports fans was introduced to Michael Jordan when Netflix released The Last Dance in 2020. While the concept of nobody knowing who Michael Jordan is might seem bizarre to American sports fans, given that sports like soccer and cricket dominate the airwaves in other countries, there’s only a glancing interest in American sports for 23 million people outside of the US to watch The Last Dance, so a brand new audience was introduced to the magic of MJ.

Some criticized the documentary for being too Jordan-centric. However, if you grew up watching the Bulls back then, you’d know that he was the team. He exemplified the mentality that turned them into one of the greatest teams in the history of US basketball. 

The poster and trailer both featured The Shot, and the still image of the subsequent celebrations remains the most iconic image in the history of the NBA – period. His buzzer-shot against the Cavs in the NBA finals in 1989 silenced the home ground crowd and gave the Bulls a 101-100 victory. Jordan is considered by many experts, analysts and fans as the greatest basketball player of all time, and The Shot is his defining moment. It doesn’t get more iconic than this. 

Final thoughts

We’ve left off a few iconic moments today, including T-Spoon’s half-court winning shot in the WNBA 1999 finals. There’s also Jerry West’s half-court shot – and we’re sure your team has a moment that could claim a spot on our list. 

One thing that we have highlighted today is just how impactful some of these moments have been in the US’s wider sporting and popular culture. Michael Jordan wasn’t just the biggest name in American sports – in the 1990s, you could argue he was the most famous athlete on the planet, alongside Tiger Woods and Mike Tyson.

As long as the NBA and WNBA keep producing high-quality moments and nail-biting finishes, expect this list to change and adapt over the next decade.