Dream Team was the name given to the 1992 American men’s Olympic basketball team. The team was the first to include professional players from the National Basketball Association (NBA). Previously, only amateur players were allowed to compete in the Olympic Games. The American team won the gold medal in Barcelona, Spain, defeating their eight opponents by an average margin of nearly 44 points per game.
The Dream Team created a sensation in Barcelona. They were treated like rock stars and drew huge and enthusiastic crowds whenever they made a public appearance. They stayed in a luxury hotel rather than in the Olympic village with the rest of the athletes because of fears for their safety. Players from opposing teams begged to have their pictures taken with the Americans or at least get their autographs. The other teams considered it an honor to be overwhelmed by such a celebrated group of players.
The American squad was first called the Dream Team in a cover story in Sports Illustrated magazine on Feb. 18, 1991. The 12-member roster consisted of 11 NBA stars and one college player. The NBA players were Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Chris Mullin, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, and John Stockton. The college player was Christian Laettner. Three of the coaches were from the NBA, head coach Chuck Daly and assistant coaches Lenny Wilkens and P. J. Carlisimo. The third assistant coach was Mike Krzyzewski of Duke University.
The excitement created by the Dream Team left a lasting legacy on basketball. The team’s skill and flair captured the imagination of fans throughout the world and promoted basketball into an international sport approaching the popularity of soccer. Some sportswriters called the Dream Team the greatest sports team ever assembled. In 2009, the Dream Team as a unit was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame, and all 11 NBA players have been elected individually to the Hall of Fame.
