In 1988, the U.S. Men's basketball team finished with a disappointing bronze medal, after having won the gold in almost every other previous Olympiad.  For that reason or because some teams had professional players, the Olympics opened the games to professionals.  The United States loaded up their squad with 11 of the NBA's best, plus Christian Laettner.  The first game was against Angola which, to put it kindly, was slaughtered by the Americans.