This Is Our Game: The Dream Team

This is Our Game explores the rich tradition of the U.S. National Teams, uncovering the victories, defeats, and rivalries of the last seven decades. In Part Three of the series, discover how a defeat in Seoul gave rise to the Dream Team, an extraordinary group of men who forever changed the game.

1988-1996.

Four years after losing the gold in 1988, the United States vowed to never let it happen again. To guarantee victory the US changed the rules and forever changed the game.

With the U.S.S.R. and the U.S. boycotting each other’s Olympics, 16 years since had passed since the two rival teams last met at the Summer Games in 1972. In 1988, the U.S. squad, as usual, was a group of talented college players, but in the years leading up to this, the world had begun to catch up to Team USA, and in Seoul, Korea the talent gap was closed for good.

Although the Cold War was still on, this time there was no controversy. The battle between the world superpowers raged only on the hardwood. When the dust settled, Team USA was beaten fair and square by the Russians 86-72 in the semis and had to settle for the bronze medal. For decades the U.S. had been able to dominate with college athletes, but the loss in 1988 proved that era was over.

In 1989, USA Basketball approached the governing body of basketball, FIBA, and asked that a lopsided rule be overturned to allow US professionals to play in international competition. Previously, only pros from South America and Europe could compete in the Games. FIBA agreed. Now allowed to select anyone they wished, the USAB made a bold decision to create what would be known as the Dream Team – the best team ever to take the court.

The USAB selected a group of Hall of Fame talents in their prime. Legends like Michael Jordon, David Robinson, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley and others made up a team that struck fear in their opponents before the game started.

The excitement around the Dream Team started to build well before the Olympics even began. Basketball fans, not just of the U.S., but from all over the world knew they would be witness to the greatest collection of basketball players on one team. Even before the whistles were blown in Barcelona, opposing teams took time out to take photos with their idols. The Americans had truly arrived.

On the court, their dominance was unparalleled. Against Angola, they won 116-48. In the semis against Lithuania - a team with professional players - they won by 51 points. The squad bulled their way through 7 of the world's top teams, running explosive fast breaks and making showtime plays fit for an exhibition game without calling a single timeout. The Dream Team left no doubt that this was their game, and the gold came back to its rightful owners.

It was always going to be a hard act to follow, but Dream Team II was almost as impressive at the 2004 Games in Atlanta. Like the original Dream Team, they crushed their opponents, winning by an average of over 32 points a game. Stars like Charles Barkley and David Robinson, who had played on the original Dream Team, led a team of new players who continued the U.S. reign of dominance.

Dream Team I and II represented the golden age of modern international basketball for the United States. As the international competition raised its standards, Team USA answered the challenge with two of the greatest teams every assembled. These were huge shoes for future US national teams to fill, a task that proved too much for some.

NEXT: The world catches up, and Team USA takes a fall >>

More on Team USA
Meet the men on this year's Team USA »
Meet the women on this year's Team USA »

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