In 1992, the entire world was captivated when it witnessed the formation of the greatest team ever assembled in the history of sports: the United States’ Dream Team. Glittered by the collection of superstar talents coming from the NBA, the U.S. squad drew worldwide coverage as they were slated to conquer basketball.
Headlined by Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan, the Dream Team was an invincible and immovable force to deal with. And before they even took the international stage, MJ was already convinced that they would be taking the entire competition by storm.
Unstoppable
Considering the talent level and the star power they boasted as a group, MJ didn’t even think twice that they’d own the entire Olympic basketball contest in Barcelona.
“When you look at the talent and the teams we’re supposed to play against, it’s a massacre,” Jordan claimed. “It should never be close. We taught them the game of basketball. We’ve got people who have the ability and the height. We’re talking about the greatest players that play the game now and the team is the best team that’s ever been put together.”
“Who’s going to beat us? The Japanese? The Chinese? They can’t match up to the athleticism we’re going to have on this team.”
Best team ever
With 10 of his 11 teammates being eventual Hall of Famers — bannered by Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, and Scottie Pippen — MJ truly had a reason to be confident about their capabilities. Noting as well that they were mentored by a stacked coaching staff led by Chuck Daly, all of the opponents they encountered were left devastated.
In the end, the prediction of MJ came true as the Dream Team shattered their competition throughout the Olympic festivities by registering a dominant 43.8-point average in their tournament margin. It was a walk in the park as they easily coasted past their competitors en route to the gold medal finish.
From the basketball excellence they demonstrated, MJ and the bunch became the sole standard of the game’s highest form. And no matter how the succeeding U.S. teams have tried to replicate their brilliance, the 1992 squad will always stand as the most genuine and untouchable one.