The Dream Team turns 30 years today. For the first time, the greatest NBA players on earth got together to lead the United States to the ultimate glory and secure a gold medal in the 1992 Olympics.
Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson, Christian Laettner, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Chris Mullin, Clyde Drexler, and David Robinson made the cut in a star-filled squad.
Needless to say, that kind of overpowered team was going to have a cakewalk to the podium but still, somehow, they managed to top all expectations. Here, we'll show you 15 things you didn't know about them.
15 Things You Didn't Know About The Dream Team
They Left Shaquille O'Neal Off The Team
Yes, they were the most dominant basketball team of all time and didn't even need an up-and-coming Shaquille O'Neal, who was left off the team for Duke standout Christian Laettner. Alonzo Mourning, Jimmy Jackson, Harold Milner were the other options.
They Beat Their Opponents By An Average Of 43.8 Points
The Dream Team is by far the most unstoppable team in basketball history. Moreover, they faced a lesser competition - except for Croatia, as international basketball was far behind the NBA in terms of competition.
Christian Laettner Was The Last College Player To Make The Dream Team
Christian Laettner promised to be one of the most dominant big men in the history of the NBA after winning the 1992 College Player of the Year award and a couple of NCAA championships with Duke, so he earned his spot. Sadly, he didn't live up to that hype in the NBA.
A College Team Beat Them
Coach Chuck Daly put together a team featuring the most promising college players in the nation for a scrimmage. Chris Webber, who was a part of that team, revealed that they even beat the Dream Team.
They Didn't Allow That College Team To Score A Single Point In The Rematch
Well, when you go at some of the greatest competitors of all time, you know you're likely in for a beating, especially if you poke them by winning the first game. According to Webber, they didn't allow them to score a single bucket in the rematch. Wow.
They Received Multiple Death Threats
The Dream Team was the biggest sensation in the world since the Beatles. However, they received multiple death threats in Barcelona and even journalists had to go through multiple ID checks before meeting them. Charles Barkley, however, was unfazed, as he claimed the only bodyguards he needed were his fists.
The Were Criticized For Demolishing Other Teams
Team USA was merciless. As you can tell by now, they had fun by not only beating other teams but completely embarrassing them, with Charles Barkley even going at it vs. Angola player Coimbra. Some of their rivals were mad after those blowouts but they just didn't seem to care at all.
Michael Jordan Was The Only Player Who Studied Tape
Michael Jordan was always obsessed with his craft. He knew that the world was watching as he was the greatest player on earth and wanted to leave nothing to chance. The rest of the Dream Team didn't even watch tape.
They Barely Slept Or Rested
There are countless stories about the Dream Team's habits during their Olympic run. Michael Jordan allegedly played cards until early in the morning and even coach Chuck Daly was spotted golfing right before games.
They Had 15 Combined MVPs
They didn't call it the Dream Team just for fun. They were - by far - the best basketball players on earth. In fact, they had 15 combined MVPs on their roster with Michael Jordan (5), Karl Malone (2), Magic Johnson (3), Larry Bird (3), David Robinson (1), and Charles Barkley (1)
They Didn't Stay In The Olympic Village
All teams stay in the Olympic Village but then again, the Dream Team isn't like all teams. They decided to stay at the five-star Hotel Ambassador and Barcelona and drew a lot of criticism from the media.
They Had The Greatest Scrimmage But No One Saw It
Michael Jordan was already the best player in the world but he still wanted his peers to admit it. Jordan and his team went at it vs Magic Johnson's team and, according to those who were there, it was more competitive than an NBA Finals' Game 7.
They're All Inducted Into The Hall Of Fame
Every single one of the 12 players, including Christian Laettner, were eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame. They were also inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame as a team in 2010 and in the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017.
They Didn't Want To Include Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas is the only player to ever beat Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan all in their primes and he made sure to get into their faces throughout their careers. He was one of the best point guards in the league at the time but reportedly, Jordan, Barkley, and most of his teammates didn't want him there.
They Had 8 Of The 50 Leading Scorers In NBA History
The Dream Team had nothing but top-tier scorers in the league, including 8 of the top 50 leading scorers in NBA history: Karl Malone (36,928), Michael Jordan (32,292), Patrick Ewing (24,815), Charles Barkley (23,757), Clyde Drexler (22,195), Larry Bird (21,791), David Robinson (20,790) and John Stockton (19,711).
