In the summer of 1992, the anticipation for the Olympics was at an all-time high. The Dream Team, composed of the greatest NBA players, was gearing up to represent the United States.
However, before heading to Barcelona, they faced a selected college team in an exhibition game—a matchup that would be etched in the memories of those who witnessed it. Here is Jamal Mashburn’s recount of that unforgettable experience:
The Story
“So we got an invitation to play against the Dream Team in 1992. It was eight of us: myself, Bobby Hurley, Allan Houston, Chris Webber, Rodney Rogers, Eric Montross, Penny Hardaway, and Grant Hill.
We arrived in San Diego, checked into the hotel, and as we walked down the corridor, we saw this very tall white guy. I said, ‘Wow, that looks like Larry Bird.’
Sure enough, there he was, the man himself. You don’t realize how big that man is until you stand next to him. He walked by and said, ‘Y’all those college guys?’ We were like, ‘Yeah, yeah.’ He just looked at us and said, ‘Get some f**** rest; it’s going to be a long week,’ and walked off.
We thought, ‘What the…? Okay, alright, what’s going on here?’ The very next morning, we went to practice. They bused us to another location where the Dream Team was practicing. Suddenly, they told us, ‘Get loose and stretch out.’ We were like, ‘Okay, who are we playing against?’
The game started, and 15 minutes in, we were kicking their ***, Bobby Hurley was killing John Stockton, we were running all around. So they stopped the game and turned off the score. I think we were up 6 or 8, and they just stopped the game.
They stopped the game because the press came, but then something interesting happened. Back at the hotel, we saw a group of them, Larry and Magic were there, and Rodney Rogers said, ‘Hey Larry, you ain’t hit a jumper since 1984.’
Magic heard that s***, but we didn’t think much of it. The next day, we came in. And then, as the game started, I realized this was a different animal. Magic Johnson was feeding Larry Bird the ball, probably about eight times in a row.
Larry Bird got the ball on Rodney Rogers, and every time he was about to make a move, he told him what he was going to do. ‘One dribble, pull up, going left off glass. BUCKET. One dribble going right, spin, shot. BUCKET.’
The man scored eight or nine times in a row, then left the court to go lay because of his back, turned to Rodney, and said, ‘Young fella, looks like ‘84 now, huh?’ I just stood there and I was like, ‘Wow.’ So they kicked our ** for the rest of the week.”
The Dream Team’s Legacy
The Dream Team went on to dominate the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, winning the gold medal with ease. They defeated their opponents by an average of 44 points per game, showcasing the immense talent and teamwork of some of the greatest players in NBA history.
The team, featuring legends like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, David Robinson not only captivated the world but also elevated the global popularity of basketball.
