Beating all the odds, Spain National Team got the Gold Medal in Japan 2006. Based mainly on their excellent team defense, the Spanish team had a great tournament and survived a thrilling semi-final game with one of the top candidates, Argentina. With its top star Pau Gasol out because of a broken bone on his foot with 3 minutes left, Spain defense blocked all Manu Ginobili's paths to the hoop. Argentina needed only two points to win but Manu sent the ball outside and Nocioni missed the potentially game winning three-pointer. It was 75-74.

Despite the absence of Gasol, Spain didn't give Greece a chance in the final game. Spanish defense hold the Greeks to 47 points to win the first medal of their history.

Playing for the Bronze just one day after the semifinals, the United States, who had been demolished by Greece the day before, showed that physically they have no match. Argentina stayed in the game for about 10 minutes but had no response to their tiredness after that. What was supposed to be the final game between the top candidates was just an almost meaningless game between two disappointed opponents that would rather be somewhere else. It was 96-81 for USA.