Unlike what the fans expected, the Showcase games ahead of the Olympics put Team USA to the test. While everyone predicted the star-studded squad to cruise through all five oppositions, the last few encounters turned out to be too close for comfort. Sure enough, the same people who were comparing this year’s squad to the legendary 1992 Dream Team began doubting that claim. However, media veterans believe that the Hoopers have nothing to worry about in Paris, but can the same be said after the LeBron James era?
Yes, this year’s Team USA might be one of the greatest squads ever put together by USA Basketball. But so are most of their competitors in Paris. Gone are the days when Dream Team blew out their competition by an average of 44 points to win gold in Barcelona! Discussing the same on The Rich Eisen Show, the media expert claimed, “Listen, the days of us blowing out Team Angola are done. It’s over. The days of the Dream Team are never coming back. You could make the case that this Men’s National Team is more decorated than that Dream Team. You can make an argument and not get kicked out of your barber shop.”
As hard as that pill might be to swallow, Eisen had solid reasoning behind his bold claim, “The difference is everybody else has gotten better.” When the Dream Team took center stage in Barcelona, Michael Jordan and the crew were viewed by their opponents as mythical creatures, even God-like, because the world had never seen so many superstars on the same team before.
But because of the globalization of the sport, other nations have also grown significantly in the last three decades, which you can also see with the last six NBA MVP awards, being won by players born on foreign soil. While Team USA might end up with Gold in Paris despite their showcase struggles, Rich Eisen and crew are worried about their aura fading away, “I kind of believe that LeBron is gonna be that last person who I think other countries really look at as like ‘wow type’ figure… I feel like once LeBron is gone, I feel like these other countries, they’re gonna look at us like ‘we can beat these guys.’”
Proof of Team USA’s competition getting tougher from 1992 to 2024
What makes the media expert’s claims even stronger is that there are numbers to back them up. With a team stacked with future Hall of Famers, Dream Team was basically promised Gold from the moment they hopped on a flight to Barcelona. That’s because they only had to face 9 NBA players to get to the top. But this year’s team has a much tougher road ahead as the number of NBA players in other nations has grown to 61!
via Reuters
More importantly, they are no random benchwarmers. They are the crème de la crème of the league with superstars like Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, SGA, and more. And with them facing superstars like LeBron James and KD on the daily, even dominating them at times, Team USA might no longer be those immortal beasts in their eyes
Even head coach Steve Kerr knows it, “It’s remarkable to see the talent in front of me as I’m addressing the team. But a big part of the message is, this is not 1992. Steph and I are not going to be like [1992 U.S. coach] Chuck Daly and Mike [Jordan]. We’re not playing golf every day in France. I know Chuck and Michael had a great time together on game days playing 36 [holes].”
“Those days are long gone. We have our hands full. Despite the amazing roster we have, FIBA is tough,” Kerr admitted. With the victories against South Sudan and Germany coming at the very last second, Team USA knows exactly how tough the competition will be in Paris and even beyond that trip as international talent continues to excel in the basketball world.
