La SQUADRA che cambiò la storia dello SPORT ||| Dream Team 1992

If we were in a police story, one of those especially dense ones set in a closed place where from time to time we need to stop to understand the layout of the rooms and the profiles of the characters, we would have to start with a small profile of all the protagonists to try orient ourselves in the midst of such different personalities, we are lucky to help ourselves with images. And if it weren't for the videos, for the testimonies, for the story that the 12 tell you. The men that I am going to tell you have been able to rewrite, you would almost not believe it and instead it is all true but the story that leads to the formation of the Dream Team of the national

team

that changed the course of world basketball.

It is not just a list of names, numbers and results, it is the fruit of the meeting of different rivers that have come to compose something unrepeatable and to explain it in the best way it is necessary to review this story, perhaps you already know that it begins a little Before Barcelona

1992

it could be the last action of his career Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan basketball appears in the Olympic Games in the 1936 edition in Berlin in a version of the most talked about games in history there were also problems in basketball but not For political reasons as well as for the decision to play the matches outdoors on adapted tennis courts, the final between the United States and Canada was played in the rain and, as is easy to imagine, on a court reduced to mud, it ended with the unforgettable result of 19. -8 after seven Olympic tournaments won by the Americans we reached the first turning point Munich 1972 again Germany repercussions that have very little to do with

sport

and also the first historic defeat of the United States in the final in the match played in Bavaria on September 9, books have been written and documentaries filmed for Americans;

It is the most controversial pair in basketball history for fans of the Soviet Union; On the other hand, it is the first men's Olympic gold in basketball after four silver and one bronze won between 1952 and 1958, a gold achieved by repeating the last possession of the game three times with 3 seconds to play a movie story after winning in Montreal in 1976 and in Los Angeles in 198 with the boycott in Moscow in the mid-1980s, the true watershed in the history of American basketball and not only did it arrive in Seoul in 1988 in an Olympics in which the amount of talent was exorbitant, the United States did not go beyond third place slapped in the semi-final by the Soviet Union, who in the final also managed to sweep away the wonderful Yugoslavia of Drazen Petrovic and Ivaz on the bench for the United States coach Thomson the coach of George Town the man who shaped the careers of Morning Mutombo and Iverson on the hardwood five future stars Hercy Hawkins D Magel Danny Manning Mitch Richmond David Robinson only two of them will participate in a new Team USA Olympic expedition and only one will be an integral part of Admiral David Robinson's Dream Team in 1989 Fiba marks a turning point after decades in which the Olympic Games had been open only to non-professional athletes.

It was decided to change everything and give the green light to professionals as well. The players of the main European championships of those years had regularly participated in the games, since they were not professionals. Our series. To give you an idea, it would have been like this. It was not established as a professional championship until 1994. The great architect of the revolution is Borislav Stankovic, former Red Star and Partizan player and former coach, among others, of Cantù basketball, who already in the mid-80s began to establish himself as general secretary. of Fiba. his ambitious plan to increase the frequency of meetings with David Stern, the then commissioner of the NBA, NK, however, was not the Fiba we know today and not only because at that time the a in the acronym stood for amateur, but it was an association virtually unknown in the United States.

United States However, thanks to painstaking work and unity of purpose with Stern and his deputy Stankovic, he first obtained the organization of what would become the McDonald's Open in 1987, the first tournament with an NBA

team

and Fiba area teams and therefore, 2 years later, the Olympic revolution. with 56 votes in favor 13 votes against including incredible say United States Soviet Union and one abstention Greece on April 7, 1989 after 4 hours of meeting the Council approves that NBA players can put Barcelona in their sights a belief Not so underlying in the months following this news is that no NBA owner is willing to let their players go to the national team for major international tournaments.

Besides, stars would never, at least that was the common feeling, do it. They have given up the sacred holidays just to wear the stars and stripes but before thinking about the players you have to think about the coach, defying a tradition that would have assigned the team to a collegiate coach, Charles Jerome Daily is the chosen one for all Chuck It is not an easy selection given the presence of a voluntary candidate or Don Nelson and two that we could define as physiological: Pat Riley at that time coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and Larry Brown at the head of the San Antonio Spurs but fresh from a fantastic collegiate.

In Kansas, Daale's candidacy is consolidated between the two titles won by Chak as head of the Bad Boys' Detroit Pistons in that locker room of turbulent personalities that Daily had learned, refined and ingeniously deepened in the ability to manage profoundly different human beings to Isa. From Thomas to Bill Lamb Beer to Dennis Rodman to Vinnie Johnson to James Edwards Jo Mars was appointed in February 1991 with Lenny Wilkin as first assistant. Once we got over the hurdle of choosing the coach, we moved on to the players. formation of the roster how many NBA players and how many college players 6 and 6 8 and from there begins the division of players by position and while writing together with his staff he realizes the overflowing amount of Talent that a scenario can have at his disposal . which makes the massive participation of university players in the team unthinkable, there is and never will be a confirmation on the list of elements considered indispensable by dai but Jack mccallum, the legendary American journalist and writer, includes them in Sports Illustrated Michael Jordan Magic Johnson Scotty pippen David Robinson Chris mullin Car Malone Patrick ewing there are seven and five missing in those weeks Everyone is convinced that in the end daale will find a place for the man who gave him two NBA titles Isa Thomas point guard top class cumbersome personality after more than 30 years The argument for Thomas' exclusion from the Dream Team to appear in the United States courts would be based on a phone call from Michael Jordan to Rod Thorn, the man who was entrusted with recruiting Mj for the national team.

I don't want to play on a team with Isa a phone call confirmed by Jordan himself in 2011 and then sensationally retracted during the last dance but it is not the only episode that will lead the committee to exclude Thomas, some reckless statements as a result of Magic's HIV status and less of The flattering statements towards Larry Burn dating back a few years do the rest, the work of convincing is completed by Magic, who shouldered Jordan's equally complex persuasion for profoundly different reasons. He turns out to convince Larry Burden, seduced by Dave Gavit, who in the early 90s is vice president of the Boston Celtics.

Back problems plague Birdan. But in the end Larry says yes. The selection committee decides to make the formation of the Dream Team a television program that will air on NBC on September 21, 1991. Only 10 of the players. Those destined to take the Olympic step from the eight already mentioned are announced, two are added: John Stockton, one of the best point guards in history, and Charles Barkley, a complex man with whom Patti will go, but a formidable player, a TNT stick capable of exploding under the basket action after action the exclusion of Thomas from the 10 causes an uproar Jack movy Pistons GM resigns from the Magic committee communication teacher publicly declares his surprise at Isa's absence years later he will tell the truth Isa wasted the opportunity to join the team no one wanted to play with him he didn't want to know Michael didn't want to know Scott Car didn't want it either Lerry was far from enthusiastic They stay in two places Therefore, according to many, reserved only for college students in the end one of those two will actually be assigned to an athlete who abandons the NCA race two between Shaquille O'neil, the Louisiana State prodigy, and Christian Inner, Duke's favorite son, won by the latter also thanks to a basket that remains in college basketball history on winning shot scored against Kentucky in the decisive game for access to the Final F the only jersey counting the one reserved for etner in 12th place if judged by Clyde Drexler the man who induced Portland in 1984 to give up Michael Jordan too similar Mj to the star of those Blazers better go with a center like sowe in one of the most incredible crossovers in the history of the NBA now we have the 12 protagonists of this trip to Barcelona to guide them Chuck Dayy with Lenny Wilkens assistant head coaches K and PJ Carlesimo to complete the squad now we can begin the preparation for Barcelona ranging from the qualifying tournament scheduled in the United States from June 27 to July 5 that the Dream Team cannot snatch the Olympic step is not even in doubt, there are four places at stake for the American continent and the average difference between the rivals at the end of the tournament will be 51 and a half points.

However, what consolidated that group is a defeat that occurred during training against eight of the best university students. students in the country organized by Chuck Daily to test their champions the 20-minute scream becomes national news Michael Jordan admits the debacle in front of the journalists they killed us they played very well if they participated in the Olympics they would win silver years later Grand Hill whose NBA career, although successful, remains a gigantic failure due to ongoing physical problems, I declared with due respect the birth of my children and my marriage, which was the best week of my life, the tournament, the Olympic qualification in The original plans should not have been held.

In the United States, in Portland, at the end of June. On the other hand, in Brazil in March

1992

, this would have left out not only NBA players, but also the best talents in the NCA. In the midst of Marsh Madness, schedule upheaval had become inevitable to preserve the championship. competition competition that in fact in those times in Portland does not exist in the debut ST United Cuba finishes 136 to 57 while the second match is Strava against Canada before Catalonia however there is another intermediate stage Monte Carlo the venue chosen for the pre-Olympic preparation of the Champions a decidedly gentle training program, lots of golf, some trips to the beach and inevitable bets at the casino and it is in Monte Carlo where the most incredible match takes place among those that have never been seen by anyone from a blue side captained by Michael Jordan On the other hand the whites led by Magic Johnson the quintet also sees Robinson Inner Barkley and Mullen on the field while on the other side with Mj are Pippen Bird Malone and Ewing Daley helped by the absences of Stockton and Drexler due to their injury, He decides to give life to this five against five to test the level of his team.

It is a game that was born in a climate inflamed by Magic Johnson, who had angrily sent the ball into the stands during the warm-up, complaining. about the poor level of training until that moment the game was played in a Carbonaro climate very few prying eyes some privileged journalists a recording that has immeasurable value begins with a 7-0 of the blues that only fuels Jordan's anger stimulated by This face to face challenge with Magic they are the two who always have the ball in their hands the same ones who try to influence any whistle from the referee and teammates Magic has been out of action for months on November 7, 1991, he announced to the world his HIV positive and at the same time his retirement But the votes of the 1992 Star Game had returned him to the fields with an MVP show that had suddenly restored hopes of seeing him in the Dream Team now that he is part of an unrepeatable group. of which he is also captain breathes a competitiveness that has been missing for months.

Mj's team begins to fix the rift until it puts its head ahead at 21-20 because in the meantime the verbal provocations have ignited the challenge and the soul of the greatest competitor of all time when the timer set by Daily reaches zero in 4036 Magic screams While the other begins to sing the famous chorus from the Gatorade commercial Be Like Mike it would have been worse for everyone if he had lost Jordan. I got over it later. a while but Michael never let go The most tense match in the history of the 1992 Dream Team so a short-lived shouted game took the stage in an empty gym full of big plays and trash Talking about a match that shouldn't have existed full of passion and desirewin even if there was nothing material on the table best scorer Jordan obviously 17 points 8 assists out of the 40 points scored when the Dream Team arrives in Barcelona for the Olympics you immediately understand that you are dealing with something bigger than the games themselves, the stage most coveted

sport

s car in the world still seems tiny in front of these world-famous athletes who paralyze the Barcelona airport upon arrival, so it is not an Olympic Village but a new hotel. almost full By the American basketball expedition outside the hotel to Every day of the Olympic Games, hordes of fans lurk in the hope of getting a photo or autograph from NBA stars.

Helicopter agents patrol the area to avoid accidents and possible attacks. And the same thing happens when the caravan of stars moves to the different scenarios to follow other Olympic events, on July 26, 1992 at the Fabón Olympic in Badalona, ​​about twenty minutes by car from the heart of Barcelona, ​​the time comes for the first dance two for the Dream Team of the On the other hand, Angola, is the match that has gone down in history thanks to the pre-match press conference of Charles Barkley, a deep lover of Barcelona nightlife who thus presents a match that is not really a match, he will be he. best scorer of 116 a48 with which the United States settled the practice score in an even less impressive way than the middle game, an eloquent 64-16, placing a partial score of 46-1 during the game, an episode with the elbow that even makes you think to the American team committee about Cak's possible return home the second group match expected as the only possible test capable of causing difficulties The American champions go to the archive without great emotions the newborn Croatia appeared in Barcelona on the ashes of the former Yugoslavia led by a sublime player like Drazen Petrovic lets himself be carried away by the Fury of the Bulls duo to light the flame of Jordan and the blowjobs in the contract that the Croatian Tony Kukoc Stella must sign to land in Chicago 3.7 million dollars per season, a figure considered immoral by the two stars, especially in light of the conflictive relationship between the Bulls board and Pippen, also for this reason Jordan calls Chuck Daale aside to openly ask him to have more minutes than usual. usual not only for him but also for Pippen, for whom the game against Croatia is a personal matter for Jordan and Pippen in a quintet with Magic Barkley and Ewing Mj and Scotti exaggerate the level of his defense against Kukoc totally excluded from the game after a couple of moves by scete Petrovic tries to keep Croatia afloat but there is no way towards the final 10370 to eliminate even the most optimistic expectations of the Croatians who aspired to keep the GAP at 25 points Germany is the next rival 111 and 68 in a context bordering on the non-competitive, is not very different against Brazil defeated 127 to 83 despite the presence of the immortal Oscar Schmidt, one of the most sensational scorers of all time, perhaps the deadliest among those who have never set foot in the NBA , author among many performances of a legendary challenge to the last basket with Petrovic. in the final of the Cup Winners' Cup between Caserta and Real Madrid 44 for the Oscar 62 for Drazen there is no mercy even for Spain as host a 12281 with the usual star of Barkley the quarterfinals against Puerto Rico is another walk in the park the gap remains decent only for a while then the United States overwhelms 115 to 77 no one can even remotely hypothesize a collapse of the Dream Team in the two decisive games not even in the presence of a solid and respected team like Lithuania for Chuck Daily Lithuania represents the country more On the way to them was a delicate opponent, in the quintet there were four starters who had led the Soviet Union to success in 1988, also for this reason the United States started at full speed, immediately escaping to 31-8 and immediately instilling to his opponents. the seed of surrender, legend has it that at a certain point in the first half Carnis Ofas asked the team manager to take a photo of him while marking Barkley Another walk So 127 a76 with the usual not too subtle mind games imposed by Jordan Lithuania would then win a splendid bronze in the final for third place to the unified team, also known as the Commonwealth of Independent States, a team generated by the former Soviet Union, with the exception of players from the Baltic countries and Georgia.

With enormous political significance for Lithuania, independent since March 1990, in the final for the second time in the tournament the United States faces Croatia, which is already celebrating the idea of ​​having at least one silver in its pocket, as was our final . against the unified team D Chiara hot the CT avoids but the Dream Team cannot think about the statements and for a few minutes the match was even, encouraged by Petrovic's desire to win, it was a very high level of a fantastic quintet but the Dream Team was something else and the match passed quickly with the Americans leading by 14 at halftime and able to not look back until the final 85-17, at which time the excitement is all about the podium and the choice of players who represent brands different from the one worn by the American team, a battle marked by the simple and brilliant idea of ​​Jordan who, so as not to bother anyone, stands on the podium adorned with the Stars and Stripes flag. of the first Dream Team According to some, the only one worthy of the name does not foresee moments of true uncertainty.

It is a path without obstacles, at least not with obstacles at the level of a group with unrepeatable talent, it is just the story. of champions, each one willing to give up a little piece of himself and his gigantic ego to achieve a common goal: restore pride and dignity to a flag that they had seen mocked 4 years before and if it were a detective story even without the list of protagonists at the beginning it would be Murder on the Orient Express a train that stops due to a snowstorm a victim Struck by 12 stab wounds 12 like the members of the Dream Team squad all those responsible all the protagonists of one of the most wonderful passes in the history of Sports And