Magic JOHNSON. BONGARTS SportsChrome/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: spchromepix011105
Tonight NBA TV will feature a documentary on the 1992 USA men’s Olympic basketball team – the Dream Team. The documentary comes 20 years after the team won gold at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, and features interviews with all twelve of the players on the team – and brings a few new juicy tidbits of gossip to light.
Really MJ? You and Pippen blocked Isiah? That’s just plain low.
Put together in 1992 – after a disappointing third-place finish at the Seoul Olympics (from a team lead by college-age David Robinson) and FIBA allowing professional players from the NBA to participate in the Olympics – the US put together one of the greatest teams that has ever been assembled in basketball – or any other sport really. The Dream Team featured the biggest names in the NBA at the time. With most of the team roster now in the Hall of Fame (and the team itself inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010), it’s pretty easy to see why it was so great.
Members of the class of 2010 being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame pose for a photograph at the enshrinement news conference at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts August 13, 2010. The Hall of Fame inductees are: (back row L-R) Cynthia Cooper, Karl Malone, Scottie Pippen, Jerry West and Charles Barkley; and representing the 1992 USA Olympic Dream Team (front row L-R) Magic Johnson, David Robinson, Larry Bird, John Stockton and Chris Mullin. BRIAN SNYDER/REUTERS/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: rtrlfour133459
On September 21, 1991 the first ten players for the Dream Team were officially announced. The final two spots were filled in May of 1992 by Clyde Drexler who “beat out” Isiah Thomas. Duke University star Christian Laettner edged out Shaquille O’Neal out of LSU for last spot on the team and the only one given to a college player.
The Dream Team debuted on June 28, 1992 at the Tournament of Americas – an Olympic qualifier held in Portland Oregon. They walked through the tournament wining six games by an average of 51.5 points.
The Olympic competition was not much harder for the USA squad as they won all eight of the Olympic games by an average of 43.75 points which allowed coach Chuck Daly the luxury of not having to use any of his timeouts. But there weren’t hard feelings from other teams, a lot of opposing players would ask for pictures and autographs from the USA players.
Check out the all-star roster below (from our good friends at Wikipedia).
| PF | 4 | Laettner, Christian | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) | 235 lb (107 kg) | Duke | |
| C | 5 | Robinson, David | 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) | 235 lb (107 kg) | San Antonio Spurs | |
| C | 6 | Ewing, Patrick | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) | 240 lb (109 kg) | New York Knicks | |
| SF | 7 | Bird, Larry | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | 220 lb (100 kg) | Boston Celtics | |
| SF | 8 | Pippen, Scottie | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | Chicago Bulls | |
| SG | 9 | Jordan, Michael | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | Chicago Bulls | |
| SG | 10 | Drexler, Clyde | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 220 lb (100 kg) | Portland Trail Blazers | |
| PF | 11 | Malone, Karl | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | 255 lb (116 kg) | Utah Jazz | |
| PG | 12 | Stockton, John | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | Utah Jazz | |
| SF | 13 | Mullin, Chris | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | Golden State Warriors | |
| PF | 14 | Barkley, Charles | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 250 lb (113 kg) | Phoenix Suns | |
| PG | 15 | Johnson, Magic | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | 220 lb (100 kg) | Los Angeles Laker |
Personally, I’m somewhat annoyed that so many teams since this one have gotten the “dream team” label. I’d prefer it to remain a somewhat sacred title to be really earned over a career of fabulous players … but I am excited to see this year’s soon-to-be-called dream team.
If you’re fortunate enough to have NBA TV, check out the documentary tonight. Otherwise, you can wax nostalgic for the good old days of basketball with me by checking out the pictures in this post and the more we have back at Newscom.
Charles Barkley of the U.S.A.’s Basketball Team exalts on the victory stand after being presented his gold medal for the Dream Teams domination win at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona,Spain. Daniel Gluskoter/Icon SMI/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: iconphotos507398
1992: John Stockton of Team USA, the Dream Team, dribbles the ball during the men’s basketball competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. John McDonough/Icon SMI/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: iconphotos298815
Aug 1992: Larry Bird of Team USA, the Dream Team, answers questions from the media after practice for the men’s basketball competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. /John McDonough/Icon SMI/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: iconphotos298811
1992: Michael Jordan (L), Magic Johnson (M) and Clyde Drexler (R) of Team USA, the Dream Team, sit on the bench during the men’s basketball competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. John McDonough/Icon SMI/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: iconphotos298810
2 Aug 1992: Center David Robinson of the USA basketball Dream Team during the USA’s victory over Spain during the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. John McDonough/Icon SMI/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: iconphotos155220
8 Aug 1992: The USA Dream Team celebrates during the medal ceremony after winning gold medal in men’s basketball at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. John McDonough/Icon SMI/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: iconphotos001709
USA’s MICHAEL JORDAN plays basketball during the 1992 Olympics Games Barcelona. Phil O”Brien /EMPICS/ZUMA Press/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: zumaphotos637430
You may be interested in some of these other posts from FocalPoint:
Covering the London 2012 Olympic Games
Athletes in Focus: Kevin Durant
NBA Finals: Miami vs. Oklahoma City
Tags: 1992 olympics, barcelona, dream team, nba basketball, Olympics