Following their impressive triumph in the Tournament of the Americas with an average winning margin of 51 points, the Dream Team was brimming with confidence as they prepared for the 1992 Olympics. However, just before their journey to Barcelona, an intense scrimmage unfolded in Monte Carlo, marked by a heated exchange of trash talk between Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan.
“Michael and Magic were in opposite teams and they would go at each other, hype up whoever they were playing with,” Chris Mullin recalled, via ‘The Icons Club.’ “Especially Monte Carlo, that scrimmage was a huge trash-talking event with Michael and Magic.”
Magic went from being the instigator to regretting trash-talking Jordan
As Magic’s team surged to an early 11-2 lead, the spotlight zeroed in on the intense competitive fire that burned between both captains. After being diagnosed with HIV, the Lakers’ PG was determined to prove his worth, while MJ was relentless in his pursuit of establishing himself as the league’s best player.
Midway through the game, when a foul went uncalled for Mike’s teammate, Karl Malone, Magic fueled Jordan’s ire by clapping his hands and shouting, “We’re not in Chicago Stadium anymore.” However, that was just the beginning; the three-time MVP continued to pester the 10-time scoring champ with a barrage of insults and taunts.
‘His Airness’ only needed a slight nudge to his ego as he went on to capitalize on his exceptional conditioning to seize control of the game in the closing minutes. During this pivotal stretch, he logged 17 of his team’s 40 points to secure a 4-point victory.
More noticeably, the most exciting moment came when the scores were tied, and MJ drove toward the basket to secure a foul call. This development visibly frustrated Magic, prompting him to kick the ball in irritation, voicing his frustration with the frequency of calls, akin to the NBA. The six-time Finals MVP couldn’t resist playfully taunting Magic in response.
Following the game’s conclusion, all players were noticeably quiet. It was then Magic told Barkley, “I guess we shouldn’t have pissed the man off.”
These scrimmages helped The Dream Team bond quickly
During these intense scrimmage sessions, Jordan humorously took aim at Christian Laettner, suggesting that he not be as tough as others. However, he also acknowledged that every player’s unmatched determination to excel is what harbored a close bond between every member of the 1992 Dream Team.
“It was like 12 gladiators… going in and battling, battling, battling, and earning that respect. We had so much fun,” Jordan said. “It wasn’t one guy, not one guy that didn’t get along with everybody on the team.”