The first national deaf basketball tournament was held in 1945. Today, USA Deaf Basketball (USADB) continues to coordinate annual national tournaments while sponsoring eight regional units, and hosts summer basketball camps for deaf youth. USADB is also responsible for the selection of national basketball teams to represent USADSF in the PanAm Games, World Championships, and the Deaflympics.

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The USA's national basketball teams have always been dominant players on the international Deaf court. It started with a bronze medal win in the 1953 Summer Deaflympics, and turned into a 82-game Deaflympic winning streak where the US men won 14 straight gold medals. Since 1981, the US women have never come home without a medal.