16 Years After Winning Olympic Gold for USA, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird Made a Huge Decision for the Country Involving LeBron James and Kobe Bryant

Published 09/25/2022, 8:45 PM EDT

Today, USA basketball stands as the most dominant on the global stage. However, that wasn’t always the case. Up until 1988, no NBA professionals could step onto the Olympics court. But in 1992, the rule changed. Likewise, it also gave rise to one of the greatest sports teams ever assembled. Comprising Hall of Famers such as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson, the ‘Dream Team’ was in motion. Winning all eight games convincingly, they were the first to start the USA’s arguably unstoppable run in international tournaments. That was until a disaster in the first Olympic Games that LeBron James could be a part of.

The 2004 Olympics in Athens became witness to the downfall of USA basketball, which only went away with a bronze medal after three consecutive gold medal conquests. Ranking as the youngest ever team to represent a nation, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade were just young pups. Likewise, the loss needed to be met with a vengeance. And this gave rise to the iconic ‘Redeem Team’.

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Led by Kobe Bryant, the 2008 squad made headlines by bringing back basketball glory in the USA. However, many might not know how a few heroes of the Dream Team worked their brains to put the roster together.

Michael Jordan helped recruit Kobe Bryant and LeBron James?

As the Los Angeles Lakers legend and his entourage prepared themselves for revenge against Argentina, the national director of U.S. basketball Jerry Colangelo sat down with the Wall Street Journal. Going over the ecstatic show the Redeem Team was putting in Beijing, Colangelo looked to have all the right decisions. Surprisingly, he had the help of certain icons. Around 30 basketball legends including Michael Jordan and Larry Bird sat together to devise the best group to avenge the 2004 shock.

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Colangelo said: “Before I did anything else, I brought together in Chicago about 30 of the great basketball minds in the country, people like John Thompson, Dean Smith, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Jerry West. The purpose was to use them as a sounding board. I also had each of them talk about their Olympic experience, their thoughts on the currents state of affairs, and what they thought needed to be done. It was tremendous to have that kind of brainpower in one room.”

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Safe to say, the 1992 Olympic stars hit right on the money. The ‘Redeem Team’ met Argentina once again in the semi-finals. However, this time they were far from a disconnected group. Thrashing their opponents, the USA marched to the finals with a 20-point margin to complete their revenge. Likewise, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant combined to bring gold back to their country. With the pressure stacked on their shoulders, the King and the Black Mamba achieved redemption.

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Now, in just a few weeks, fans will get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at one of the most iconic rosters. Produced by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, ‘The Redeem Team’ docuseries will surely be a must-watch for fans. Starring even Kobe Bryant, fans have already begun the hype.

If matched up, do you think the ‘Redeem Team’ would win against the 1992 ‘Dream Team’? Let us know your views in the comments below.

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Written by:

Anuj Talwalkar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He is a student studying at NM College in Mumbai, aspiring to pursue sports management to follow his love for sports. Anuj started following the NBA last year, and he loves to combine his passion for writing with his understanding of basketball.

Edited by:

Veer Badani

16 Years After Winning Olympic Gold for USA, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird Made a Huge Decision for the Country Involving LeBron James and Kobe Bryant

Michael Jordan helped recruit Kobe Bryant and LeBron James?

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