Dream Team

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The Dream Team, 1992

The Dream Team, the 1992 Men's Olympic team is probably the greatest collection of basketball talent ever assembled on a single team.

In 1989, FIBA, international basketball's governing body allowed professional players to participate in the Olympics for the first time.

The team assembled by USA Basketball for the tournament in Barcelona in 1992, was arguably the most illustrious collection of talent fielded on an actual competitive team in the history of sports. Of the 12 players on the team, 10 would be named in 1996 to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, the NBA's official list of the 50 greatest players of the league's first 50 years. Because of this star line-up, the team's games usually featured opposing teams asking for pregame photos with their U.S. opponents — and idols.

Team USA cruised through its qualifying round with a 6-0 record. The team then took on Angola in the opening game of the Olympic competition. Barkley had 24 points in a team USA 116-48 romp. Next, the Dream Team took on a talented Croatia team and beat them soundly by 33 points, led by Jordan's 21. The United States team then defeated Germany behind Larry Bird's 19 points and Karl Malone's 18. In the next game, seven USA players scored in double digits and Barkley set the new single game Team USA scoring record with 30 points in a 127-83 rout of Brazil. Team USA then closed out pool play with a resounding 122-81 drumming of Spain.

In the quarter-finals, Mullin scored a team high 21 points as the Dream Team scored a 115-77 victory over Puerto Rico. Team USA rolled on in the semis with a 51 point win over Lithuania. Nine US players scored in double figures. Jordan led the way in the gold medal game against Croatia, scoring 22 points. Patrick Ewing had 15. Barkley had 17. The final game was the closest of the entire Olympics, with the Dream Team winning by 32 points in a 117-85 blowout to take the gold. The average win margin by which the United States won throughout the Olympic tournament was 43.8 points a game.

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