Nike Basketball News

The Collection 3.0: Zoom Sharkalaid Deron Williams

jechee — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:33:49 GMT

In his fifth season, Deron Williams is unquestionably one of Utah's leaders, and he hopes the team will make The Leap from playoff team to Western Conference Champion to NBA Champion.

After 12 games, Deron is second in the NBA in assists per game (9.8) and minutes played (39.8).

And during all those minutes, he's been getting an assist from the Zoom Sharkalaid.

Take a look at the wallpaper, and let us know what you think.

Play With Heart Moments: November 18, 2009

jechee — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:04:05 GMT

A near triple-double and a rookie stepping up highlight Wednesday night's Play With Heart Moments.

Rashard Lewis made his on-court season debut for the Orlando Magic, and was one assist away from his first triple-double in the NBA. The Magic beat the Thunder 108-94, as Lewis rang up 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists - without playing the fourth quarter.

Eric Maynor chipped in 11 fourth-quarter points in a 104-91 Utah Jazz victory over the Toronto Raptors. With Ronnie Price inactive due to injury, Maynor logged 23 minutes, often as part of a backcourt with Deron Williams, with Maynor running the point, and Williams sliding to shooting guard. Maynor finished wih 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists. Stepping up when your team needs you? That's Playing With Heart.

Don't just play. Play With Heart. See what Playing With Heart means to LeBron James, and pledge your heart to the game.

Play With Heart Moments: November 5, 2009

jechee — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:04:40 GMT

Two stars in Utah scored 27 points each, as the Jazz beat the Spurs for the first time since April 2008, 113-99.

Along with his 27 points, Carlos Boozer had 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. One of those assists came on a pretty pass to rookie Wes Matthews in the second half. He also made two key hustle plays in the first quarter, causing two jump balls on the defensive end. That's Playing With Heart.

Deron Williams had 9 assists - with only two turnovers - and 7 rebounds to with his 27 points. His steady play running the offense led the Jazz to 53% shooting for the game.

Don't just play. Play With Heart. Check out what Playing With Heart means to LeBron James, and pledge your heart to the game.

The Family: L.A. Silences the Jazz

Hotnix — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:53:11 GMT

No man can do it alone. That’s the lesson the Lakers have learned. And it’s a lesson they continued to put into practice as the entire squad stepped up to shut down the Jazz.

Last night was the night. Los Angeles was determined to end a series that perhaps they should’ve sweeped. And from the moment they hit the floor they smothered Utah on both offense and defense, pushing the lead to as much as 22 point.

The big story is Lamar Odom, who for most of the game led all scorers. His silky smooth 26 points were matched with 15 hard fought rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots.

And despite a reported ankle injury, Trevor Ariza looked 100% as he terrorized Utah with 2 monster blocked shots that translated to easy fast break points, seven rebounds, a steal and 12 solid points.

The L.A. big men dominated throughout the series, overpowering Utah’s undersized front court. Last night Pau Gasol continued his All-star worthy season with a 17 point, 11 rebound performance. And although Andrew Bynum is still finding his way back to health, his size and presence was felt early on.

But what’s the postseason without a little drama? After spending most of the game leading by as much as 22, the Lakers got a little too comfortable. And the Jazz made their move. Led By Deron Williams’ quick feet and the relentless offense and defense of Andrei Kirelinko, Ronnie Brewer and Matt Harpring, they were able to close the gap to 10.

Kobe wasn’t having it. He spent the night picking pockets, defying gravity and breaking tackles on his way to scoring by any means necessary. After a an impossible fadeaway jumper in the last seconds of the first half, and a third quarter fast break a collision with a ref, he racked up 31 points and five steals to close out the Jazz 107-96.

The Family: B-Roy Goes Big

Hotnix — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:16:32 GMT

The NBA has a long history of prolific point guards with ESP, magic hands, and unstoppable pickpocket skills. After his 42 point playoff performance, Portland’s Brandon Roy helping lead the renaissance of the floor general.

As veterans like Steve Nash begin to pass the torch to the next generation of point men, the big story of the past two seasons is worthy of a reality show like America’s Next Top Point Guard.

B-Roy stole the spotlight Tuesday night in Portland's face off against the Rockets. He took over the game from the jump, racking up ten points in the first 12 minutes alone. And after they traded hard earned baskets with Houston all night it was his 42 points that carried them to victory. But Brandon wasn’t alone in his attack.

The Blazer front court always has a way of controlling the paint. LaMarcus Aldridge showed his ever-expanding arsenal, contributing 27 points. Though he only put up four points, Greg Oden’s massive presence and shutdown defense kept the Rockets in check. Meanwhile, Rudy Fernandez continued to prove why he belongs in the league with dynamic dunks, two big steals and 11 crucial points. And with Brandon feeding them the rock, the dimes kept dropping, leading them to a 107-103 victory.

As we all know, people are quick to put Utah’s Deron Williams and New Orleans point man at the top of the point guard list. But based on last Tuesday’s performance and a season average of 22.6 points, 5.1 assists, 2.2 steals and 4.6 rebounds, Roy has led his team to a good postseason start and is keeping himself on the radar as the next big thing.

Brandon Roy and the Portland Trailblazers face the Houston Rockets for game three of their series Friday, April 24th at 7:00pm EST.

The Family: Playoff Preview

Hotnix — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:15:10 GMT

If a team has a true floor general at point guard, it has a chance in any game, any series, any season. Utah's Deron Williams is a straight balla at PG, so any team that takes them lightly in the postseason is headed for disappointment.

Deron Williams is the piston that fires all cylinders. The burly, sweet-shooting point guard is certainly in the conversation for best at his position in the league. Deron is cranking up his game down the stretch, with such gems as 34 points and 11 assists against Minnesota, 21 and 11 against New Orleans and that other point guard, and 18 and 12 against Dallas. His season averages are up to 19.8 points and 10.6 assists, killer numbers in both columns.

The recipients of many of those assists are Andrei Kirilenko slashing to the hoop and Ronnie Brewer popping from deep. AK-47 has been battling injuries, but the Russian swingman posted some of his best performances down the stretch, including 17 points and 6 rebounds against the Clippers and 16 and 7 against New Orleans. If Utah has any shot at some upsets, AK-47 needs to be at his shot-blocking, baseline-jumper-draining best.

Brewer is Utah’s best jump shooter, and when he’s open he’s deadly. His game plays off of Williams—when the D-Will is driving and creating, Brewer is often the beneficiary. If Brewer can make something happen off the dribble, Utah would really be tough to corral.

Utah has had more than its share of bumps and bruises this year, but Williams is capable of leading them into the second round and even beyond, if he is at his best and his mates bring their A games.

The Family: Westbrook's Triple-double

Hotnix — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:33:29 GMT

With all eyes on the #1, #2 and #3 2008-09 draft picks, a player like Russell Westbrook didn't get the attention he deserved as the #4 overall pick. But after last night's triple-double performance he's definitely at the top of the Rookie of the Year list.

There's a lot to be said about Westbrook who, like Canada's Steve Nash, has floated under the radar since high school. As a senior he lit up the L.A. area competition by averaging 25.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.3 assists. In four years he logged 57 three-pointers, 14 double-doubles, a career-high 51 points in a single game and scored 30 or more points eight different times. But like Nash, he still didn't attract a lot of attention from college recruiters. Not until L.A.'s blue and gold made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

In his two years of college he led his team to the national semi-finals twice. For his all-around game he was named the conference Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore, earned Third Team All-conference honors and was named to the conference All-Defensive Team. And then he joined O.J. Mayo and a class of well known one-and-dones to make the leap.

History proves that not all dominant college players are successful when they go pro. But with only half a season under his belt, Westbrook is following in the footsteps of his teammate, mentor and last year's ROY Kevin Durant. After averaging 15.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists a game in the first half of the season he was invited to play against KD in the Rookie/Sophomore game during the 2009 midseason classic in Phoenix. Sadly, he and the rookies lost as KD put up an enormous 46 points.

Last night his leadership skills were put to the test as the young Oklahoma City Thunder faced the veteran Dallas Mavericks without the injured Durant. Westbrook showed off his ability to penetrate and create easy baskets for his teammates with 10 assists. He went head-to-head with the big men to grab 10 rebounds. And in the end, he rounded out the triple-double with 17 points, including a beautiful alley oop jam in the second quarter.

With the recent resurgence of power point guards in the league, he's being mentioned in the company of Nash, Deron Williams and Brandon Roy, players that see the entire game, break down defenses and can get the ball to any one of their teammates at will. And as the OKC Thunder look to get their footing and establish themselves in the Western conference it'll be Westbrook's work as floor general that will take them to the top.

The Collection: Blue Chip

Hotnix — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:25:58 GMT

Every season, a new crop of young athletes hit the league with big dreams and monster skills. But few recent graduates to the pros have made a greater impact on the game than Deron Williams, Kevin Durant, Brandon Roy and Rudy Gay.

Like many young ballers, these four young guns had a dream that was greater than the league. They wanted to be the best. They all share a passion for basketball that inspires them to dedicate every waking moment to getting better.

For the holiday season, Nike and Foot Locker are releasing special edition versions of the Blue Chip sneaker, as worn by the hottest young players in the league. And to show the passion that went into making these athletes great, Foot Locker has created commercials for the shoe featuring KD, D-Will, B-Roy and Rudy. In each spot, the players share their stories about how nothing, not even their families, deep snow, swamp snakes or broken drawstrings could keep them from playing.

Keep a look out for the new commercials and stop by your nearest House of Hoops to get your hands on the all new Blue Chip special edition sneakers.

House of Hoops by Foot Locker
New York
268 West 125th Street
NY, NY 10027

House of Hoops by Foot Locker
Los Angleles
Beverly Center Mall - 6th Floor
8500 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048

House of Hoops by Foot Locker
Chicago
North Riverside Park Mall
7501 W Cermak Rd
Riverside, IL 60546

Go behind the scenes with D-Will, B-Roy, KD and Rudy »

Blogging the Journey: Deron Williams

sanampetri — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 19:27:50 GMT

Igniting the Blaze: From Jason Kidd to Grandpa Williams, D-Will writes about how his childhood heroes have inspired his game.

Some people are born leaders, and I think I was one of them. I was always a point guard growing up and I just always wanted to take that responsibility. And there were a lot of people in my life who helped show me what that means.

When I was younger I watched the guys on Dream Team a lot. So when I went out and played, I would try to emulate them, you know. But as I got a little older, I started to really like bigger guards like myself, but fast guys who can also score and play great defense.

At home, my mom was always my hardest critic. After a game, when I was growing up, she would just let me have it. If I missed free-throws, if I didn't defend well, whatever it was. But it's to the point now where I like going and talking to my mom after a game. She's still just going to point out the bad, but at the same time it's helping me. She definitely always helped me and definitely made me a better player. She’ll be there in Beijing next month too, probably telling me everything I did wrong.

As for other motivators, I'm representing our country. That's the most important thing. It's not the name on your back – it's for the country. It's for the troops fighting for us overseas in Iraq. You know, they fight for us so we can be independent and survive, and this is our way of fighting and giving back to them. You know, doing our battle on the basketball court.

I’m very close to my grandfather, who served in World War II, and my uncle served in the Gulf War. So I know what it's like to have family over there and be worried about them, day in and day out. I know how people's families feel, just to want their loved ones back home safe. So we just appreciate everything they do for us and, like I said, that's our way to give back to them is by winning a gold medal. Because I know they're going to be watching, wherever they're at.

More on Deron
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This Is Our Game: Commitment

Hotnix — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:50:05 GMT

This is our story. The story of us as a country, played on a court and erected on a podium. The journey of us told on the hallowed courts of the 1920’s New York and Boston, the 1930’s Chicago and Detroit. The tale of our pride echoed from the past, lifted off concrete, written on hardwood, and inscribed on the floors around the world. The travels of our dreams follow us: from Barcelona to London, Atlanta to Sydney. The journey of Team USA means more to us, because it’s the game America created, and it’s America’s job to show the world how we play it.

This is our game.

Their sweat is our sweat, their dreams are our dreams. Their pain is felt in the hearts of fans across this nation, the millions who support the passion, the pride, and the ferocity with which we will stake our claim.

This is our legacy.

We give remembrance to the teams of our past. We honor those who paved the way before us. Their stories lie at our feet. Because in the hearts of those players, our desires were born. Our dreams came from those who wore the uniform first. This is the legacy that will never end, given to us so that we can take it to a new level: a level unseen.

Together, we triumph.

This is all a part of the journey we take together. We recognize the difficulty of the road behind us and the opportunity of the journey in front of us. We will go higher. Above the rest. Beyond what anyone says is possible. Because the greatest moments in history still lie in our future.

As a planet, we offer the game as a gift for the world to enjoy.

But together, we will make sure the world knows this one vital, important fact about the United States of America: No one balls like we do.

More on Team USA
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This Is Our Game: Undefeated

GHarty — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:49:21 GMT

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 One of the series, as the game spreads to the world, the first and greatest American basketball dynasty is born.

1936-1968.

It all started with a peach basket nailed to a wall, back in 1891, by a high school PE teacher named James Naismith. He’d invented the game as a way to keep his students warm in winter, but it wasn’t long before it’s popularity spread, eventually growing into an American pastime and a global phenomenon.

Basket Ball, a name chosen by one of his students, was soon being played in schoolyards and colleges across the country. By the early 1900’s, official rules were established, the NCAA was formed, and the game became a regular part of life for many Americans. But it wasn’t until World War I, when young soldiers were sent abroad, that basketball was spread to the world.

Before long, the game that started in a high school gym was a major global sport. And so it was decided, almost forty years after that gym class in Springfield, MA, that basketball was to become an official event at the 1936 Games.

From the tip-off, the United States was unstoppable. The team, though made up of young amateurs, won its first five games without much effort. And it was there in Berlin, as Naismith looked on, that one of the world’s longest-running dynasties was born.

From that point on, the U.S men’s team became known for fostering some of the great amateur players in history. The roster for the 1960 games in Rome, for instance, listed future greats like Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and Jerry Lucas. Lucas, only 20 years old at the time, served as the team’s anchor, making an amazing 84% of his shots over nine historic games.

From the years 1936 to 1968, The American team was unmatched in speed, skill, and strategy. From London to Helsinki to Tokyo, the Men’s Basketball Team dominated the court time and again. And with a tally of 63-0, it would take the onset of the Cold War – and the U.S.’s biggest political enemy – to bring the team’s streak to an end.

NEXT: The epic rivalry that brought an end to U.S. dominance >>

More on Team USA
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This Is Our Team: Deron Williams

GHarty — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:45:21 GMT

As Jason Kidd makes his heroic return as floor general, the future of Team USA’s point guard position belongs to Deron Williams.

Jason Kidd has long been the standard for leadership on the court, considered one of the greatest point guards in history. And under his leadership Team USA has never failed. From his first appearance as a pro in 2000 to his amazing display at the FIBA Americas tournament in 2007, he has racked up an undefeated record. But last summer he found great support in a young point guard from Utah, who is, perhaps the only player that could ever fill his shoes and carry the torch.

Deron Williams is widely considered to be one of the most promising point guards to hit the league in years. In his three years in college he led his team in scoring, led them to a near undefeated season his junior year, and took them to the national championships in 2005. In his first three years in the pros he has helped return Utah to the top of the Western Conference. And it was his physical presence and maturity that turned heads in the Team USA training camp last summer in Vegas. People were amazed that such a young player could play with such poise and power.

"Deron just came along so fast," Chris Bosh said about Williams' development. "He can shoot the ball well, he's big, he's physical, he's quick, he can run an offense and he's unselfish."

Praise like that from a legend like Kidd and from the fans and critics across the country could have easily gone to hiss head, but his determination to be the best in the game has kept him humble, focused and hard working. Playing behind Kidd, Williams got to study and learn from one of the best point guards of all time.

“Jason's a guy that I grew up trying to emulate, trying to be like as a kid," said Williams. "Anything he sees that I'm doing wrong or I could do differently. Whether it's something simple as, you know, I made a chest pass today when I should have made a bounce pass. He came over and told me 'Drop it down low. There's not as many hands to get through.' He's just helping me out."

Deron took the Team USA experience in 2007 and used it to make his game even stronger on the professional level. In the 2007-2008 season, Williams set career highs in both scoring (18.8 ppg) and assists (10.5 apg), while leading Utah to a 54–28 record in the regular season and finishing third in the league in assists. His superb individual play and his ability to make his teammates better helped take Utah deep into the playoffs for the second year in a row, but he still sees room for improvement.

"You can always learn," Williams said. "You can always improve. You can always get better. You just gotta stay hungry to do that. I think there's a lot of maturing I can do as far as being a leader on my team."

After this season's performance and the upcoming USAB training camp the world will be waiting to see what Deron has in store.

"He has all the tools to be one of the top point guards," Kidd said, "if not the top point guard, when it's all said and done."

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Blogging the Journey: Deron Williams

Hotnix — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:44:00 GMT

What’s at Stake: This week, Deron writes about the goals, sacrifices, and ultimate challenges of the 2008 National Men’s Team.

The Dream Team was probably the best team ever assembled on one court. Those guys were legends. Growing up, they were who you looked up to and tried to emulate. Just watching that was special, and it made Americans proud to be Americans.

I think it is time to get USA Basketball back to the top where it belongs. You know, I think we have the best team out of anybody by far. It is just a matter of us going out there and competing together and playing together and getting it done.

Guys on the team are super competitive, but we did a good job last year on the team that won the FIBA Championships in Vegas. I thought we did a great job of gelling early, guys were focused, guys were unselfish. And I think that was a big key for us is how unselfish guys were, because we have a lot of scorers on the team. Some people had to sacrifice their scoring for the greater good, and I think guys did a good job of that.

Everybody helped. Everybody played defense, which was one of our stronger points. That is what we are going to need if we want to win over there, to compete against teams that have been playing together for ten or twelve years.

For me, I am definitely honored and I feel privileged to have a chance to compete for a gold medal and represent my country. I feel I can help this team. But at the same time, I have been told that I am the future, part of the future of USA basketball. So I am patient and I am taking my time, just trying to go in there and win. I know I am still young and whether I get to play five minutes or 30 minutes, I am going to be there.

This year, anything less than gold will be disappointing. Everybody involved with USA feels that way. All the players on the team feel that way, and I am sure the fans feel that way. But every day, guys are bringing it. Everybody’s mind is on that gold medal. And I just really, really look forward to it.

This Is Our Game: Controversy & Defeat

GHarty — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:41:14 GMT

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 Two of the series, a legendary streak comes to an abrupt end as Russia emerges on the world stage.

1972-1984.

As the threat of a Third World War looms over the country, Team USA suffers its first ever defeat to its Cold War rivals.

Between the 1940’s and the early 1990’s, the Cold War weighed heavily on the minds of Americans. And in the 1970’s, the controversy, terror and politics finally began to overshadow the goodwill of the games.

The 1972 summer games started off like any other, with Team USA marching through its opponents with ease. Teams like Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Brazil, Spain, Australia, Japan and Egypt posed little threat to U.S. dominance. But the USSR proved to be a different sort of challenge; as they faced their Cold War rivals in the finals game, they battled from the tip-off, exchanging leads throughout. The Americans knew they had it covered, scoring two clutch free throws with three seconds left on the clock – enough to ensure a 50-49 victory.

Then tragedy struck.

After Russia’s inbound pass, with just one second left on the clock, the referee unexpectedly blew the whistle. After a few moments of confusion, he emerged from a conference with the other refs and announced that the Russian head coach had called a timeout. As a result, the clock would be turned back to three seconds.

When the Russians missed their opportunity to score, Team USA began to celebrate their victory. But the Russian head coach, after flagging down the refs, argued that the clock was improperly reset. The U.S. could do nothing but stand by and wait – and finally, after a long period of deliberation, they saw that the clock was again being set to three seconds. The Russians took to the court again, and were given another chance to score. This time, they sank their shot before the buzzer, and were awarded the gold.

Team USA, believing they were robbed, refused to accept silver medals.

After all of the controversy, tragedy and defeat of the Munich Summer Games, the U.S., still holding a grudge from their previous loss, went to Montreal four years later in search of revenge. After stomping their way through Italy and Yugoslavia, Team USA battled until the final minutes for a 95-94 victory over Puerto Rico. They followed up with easy wins over the remaining competition, including a 2-0 win over Egypt, who had to forfeit for political reasons. The U.S. won the top prize that year, the Russians trailing at third.

In Moscow, eight years after the upset with Russia, yet another political issue overshadowed the games. This time, it was the Soviet-Afghan conflict; Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan was opposed by U.S. allies around the world, and to send a message, Americans and supporting countries staged an official boycott of the games. Without the Americans in the tournament that year, Yugoslavia swept the gold, and the Russians took the bronze.

In '84, Russia and many of its Communist allies returned the favor, protesting the games in Los Angeles. Future legends like Michael Jordan, Chris Mullin and David Robinson were given their first taste of the international spotlight. Unsurprisingly, without their strongest competitor in the tournament, Team USA walked away with the gold.

Until the Cold War ended in the mid '90’s, political rivalries were played out on the hardwood, the defeats as devastating as losses on the battlefield. The next time Team USA faced their Russian rivals in 1988, they suffered a loss that rallied them to assemble the greatest collection of athletes in history, forever changing the game of basketball.

NEXT: Defeat in Seoul gives birth to the American Dream >>

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This Is Our Game: The Dream Team

GHarty — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:38:43 GMT

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 >>

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