HOW USA LIVED THE DREAM...
THE team that won basketball gold at the 1992 Olympics may be the greatest any sport has ever seen.
They were known as ‘The Dream Team’, for good reason. Until 1992, FIBA, basketball’s governing body, banned players from America’s NBA competing in the Olympics.
Other countries were allowed to pick professionals, but still, American teams made up of college players usually came home with gold.
But their bronze in Seoul in 1988 was the United States’ worst performance in Olympic history and worse still, it was the Soviet Union who beat them in the semi-finals.
So FIBA had a rethink and asked its members to vote on whether NBA players should be allowed to play at the Olympics. They voted for change and legends Michael Jordan, Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson and Larry Bird – stars recognisable to even those with only a passing interest in basketball – headed to Barcelona.
The danger was, ‘The Dream Team’ would defeat themselves. “There was a lot of egos on one team,” said Jordan. “Everybody wanted to shine.”
On the practice courts, Jordan and Johnson were forever trying to outdo each other.
Jordan told veterans Johnson and Bird after a practice “there’s a new sheriff in town” – and they shared the joke. ‘The Dream Team’ were a team.
Johnson hadn’t played competitively for a year after being found to be HIV positive, but was given the all-clear to play in Barcelona where his autograph was one of the most sought-after by spectators, and even awestruck opposition players.
Coach Chuck Daly said the reaction to his players was “like Elvis and The Beatles put together”.
Opponents struggled to get close to ‘The Dream Team’ to touch them. They were left wrong-footed and bamboozled by their jaw-dropping athleticism and showmanship.
This was basketball for those who didn’t watch basketball.
‘The Dream Team’ were ruthless, winning by margins of 68, 33, 43, 44, 41, 38 and 51 points to reach the final, where they met Croatia.
The Americans thumped them in the group stages and outplayed them again, by 32 points, 117-85, to win gold.
“We made the game a worldwide game,” said Charles Barkley. “People say they fell in love with basketball because of ‘The Dream Team’.”