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“This Is Ridiculous! Just Like the NBA”: Lakers Legend Magic Johnson Once Got Fed Up With Fouls Called on Michael Jordan During USA Dream Team’s Practice Sessions

Published 08/08/2022, 5:30 PM EDT

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The 1992 Dream Team had one of the best players ever in Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. The team was full of superstars and future Hall of Famers. Before 1989, there was a rule which didn’t allow players from the NBA to compete in the Olympics. It was to balance out the advantage in the sport. And in the 1988 Olympics, the U.S. stumbled to a humiliating third place. So after the rule change, the players were ready. It was not just about winning the Gold medal; it was about dominating.

So the Dream Team was assembled to redeem the nation’s name. To show the world what real dominance looks like. The greatest team ever assembled.

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And the U.S. national team won the Gold medal 30 years ago today with authority. Time and again, we have been hearing about the practice games between the teammates.

Magic Johnson vs. Michael Jordan

In 2012, 20 years after the 1992 Olympic win, GQ covered the history of the Dream Team with input from many. Before the opening ceremony in Barcelona, the team went to Monte Carlo. Assistant coach Carlesimo said that the practices were legendary because that was the first time the players went against each other. Since there were no college players available they had to play each other.

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Karl Malone revealed that the coaches always kept Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson on different teams. Then Assistant coach Wilkens disclosed what happened in the last scrimmage. He said that Johnson’s team was winning and everybody started teasing Jordan for playing golf every morning. And then Jordan turned everything around.

Member of the selection committee, Rod Thorn continued that MJ was upset and started to make every basket. Once when he drove, the refs called a foul on minimal contact. And Johnson lost it. He said, “One time he drove, and the refs called, like, a real tick-tack foul. So Magic booted the ball up to the ceiling: ‘This is ridiculous! Just like the NBA! He gets every call!'”

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When superstars who are huge competitors face off every day in practice, things will blow up now and then. Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan were rivals. Jordan had just brought an end to Magic and the Lakers dynasty by winning the 1991 NBA title. And he was helping the Chicago Bulls to a dynasty of its own. So things got heated now and then.

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Written by:

Bagavathi Eswaran

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Bagavathi Eswaran is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He has been playing the game of basketball for more than 20 years now and has also been following the NBA for more than 10 years. After not being able to go pro, this former college player decided to join the IT industry.
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