In 1992, basketball history unfolded in front of the world. The best of the best in the NBA came together to form a team full of legends for the Olympics. The ‘Dream Team’ is arguably the greatest team ever assembled in the history of the sport. However, apart from their battle with the world, there was also an internal battle. Notably, the NBA landscape changed as Michael Jordan became the leader of the group. Although Magic Johnson passed on the torch, but that was after a hard lesson from ‘His Airness’.

Before the Dream Team, the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics were the dominant teams in the NBA. The rivalry between Johnson and Larry Bird was iconic. The two giants went head to head to be the best in the league. However, in 1984, a rookie from North Carolina would go on to challenge their authority. Now, fresh off an NBA championship, Jordan became one of the spearheads of the Dream Team.

Although a returning Magic Johnson wasn’t ready to let go of his status as the best, he was left helpless when ‘Air Jordan’ turned it up in one of their internal team matches.

Michael Jordan makes Magic Johnson pay

Chuck Daley divided the Dream Team into the West and the East. The prior three contests between the two ended up even. Hence, the restlessness had to bring out a winner soon. And Magic Johnson led his troops to a fiery start in their fourth game. However, he made a critical mistake that would change his role in the team. For the first time in his life, he decided to trash talk, and he went after Michael Jordan, one of the most competitive players in the NBA. Likewise, he quickly turned into Air Jordan.

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While speaking to Jimmy Kimmel, the Lakers legend narrated the next few moments after the trash-talk. Magic Johnson said, “This is the fourth day. And we got on about to about a 12-1. I said I’m really gonna really rattle his chains. So I went over there, tapped him on the shoulders and said ‘Hey man if you don’t turn into Air Jordan we going to blow you out.”

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That was enough motivation for Jordan to turn it on. As both Bird and Johnson came to the end of their careers, ]Jordan was the obvious successor. Hence, the 1992 Dream Team also became a passing of the torch moment. Michael Jordan would go on to dominate the NBA after his involvement in the ‘Dream Team’.

One of the greatest teams in sporting history went on to win the gold medal in the 1992 Olympics. Jordan would average 14.9 points in the campaign while Magic Johnson dished out 8 points and 5.5 assists per game. To this day, many believe a team with such star power will never be assembled again. Their only rivals are the 2008 ‘Redeem’ team, which was led by the next generation, comprising Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade.

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If they came head to head, who do you think will win? Let us know your views in the comments below.