One of the greatest USA Men’s basketball team’s ever assembled took
the world by storm enroute to Gold in 1992. Future Hall of Famers,
rising stars and the quest to remove the stench of losing in 1988. This is
the story of how “The Dream Team” dominated pool play and regarded
as one of the greatest in Olympic history.
Upon the selection process, USA was trying to stay ahead of everyone
else. It’s one of those things where great players are needed to combat
international talent and show why the US is the premiere talent. It
wasn’t without controversy in picking great players. In 1991, Chicago
Bulls teammates Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were selected.
Followed by Karl Malone, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing,
Chris Mullin, David Robinson, and Charles Barkley.
May 1992, Clyde Drexler was selected over Detroit Pistons point guard
Isiah Thomas. Christian Laettner coming off the biggest game winner of
his basketball career at Duke was selected over Shaquille O’Neal. Most
of the players selected were at or near the peaks of their NBA careers.
Bird had back problems but was selected due to the team’s historical
nature. Johnson had retired in 1991 after testing positive for HIV, which his teammates didn’t know the circumstances surrounding the deadly
disease. The support of everyone selected was motivation for Johnson
to join this historical great roster. It came with controversy in part of his
HIV diagnosis in fear of him infecting other players. Talk about a tip of
the iceberg for adversity.
During the captain selections, Jordan declined the suggestion to be a
captain; deferring it to Bird and Johnson due to their pedigree and
farewell tour for two guys who competed in every NBA Finals in the
1980s. A well-received gesture by Jordan and there was a census as to
one player being left off the roster. Here’s where it gets complicated
and the many stories which followed.
Detroit Pistons point guard Isiah Thomas wasn’t selected in part of his
role of being the ringleader of Detroit’s “Bad Boys” style of play during
the 1980s. If you’re familiar with the Pistons during that time, you can
see why Thomas was left off the roster. You can say Jordan had an
input keeping Thomas off the team; but it was more of a collective from
everyone who didn’t want him nowhere near the team. In that, Thomas
hurt his chances of being a part of the Olympics. Despite meeting the
criteria, it became the sticking point of “he’s there, nobody else wanted
no part.” Case closed; you can take it how you feel.
It was during the scrimmage against college basketball players in Bobby
Hurley, Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway, Allan Houston, Chris Webber, and
Eric Montross which made a statement versus the American players to
prepare them for European players. It didn’t bode well as Team USA
lost 62-54 after taking the opposition lightly. Head coach Chuck Daly
had to prepare his team and send a message: “you can lose at any given
moment.” Daly was an old-school, hard-nosed coach who didn’t give
two flips.
Those practices prepared guys, in which they learned how to value one
another. They bonded and grew as brothers in quest for Gold. Due to
security concerns, the team didn’t stay at the Olympic Village. The
rockstar persona was felt and only a few guards at the gates couldn’t
stop a mob of fans trying to glimpse of America’s superstars.
They were dominating headlines and winning games in reasonable
fashion. Average margin of victory during their run: 44 points! A team
with future hall of famers manhandling international teams with no
hesitation. Other countries couldn’t combat Team USA and its prowess.
You’d be surprised who the leading scorer was Charles Barkley
averaged 18 points per game.
One can say it was the greatest basketball team of all-time for
international play. No future roster could’ve competed against elite players in that era. Basketball fans would go back and forth of who’s
better: 1992 vs 2008 and create an overwhelming point with arguing
between MJ versus Kobe Bryant. Regardless, we witnessed a great
roster to win a gold medal in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. All-time
great players, coaches and chemistry which set the tone in those
heated practices. It prepared them for challenges ahead while
capturing many new fans with their rockstar persona. The “Dream
Team” will always hold a sentimental spot in basketball galore.
