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“MJ…Was the Man”: 7x NBA Champion Channels the Dream Team Comparisons Only to Slam the FIBA USA Team

Published 08/31/2023, 1:13 AM EDT

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The 2023 FIBA World Cup is well underway, with some major upsets already taking place. However, Team USA has shown tremendous chemistry on their way to big wins over the likes of Greece and Jordan. While this team doesn’t come anywhere close to the Dream Team or the Redeem Team in terms of big names, they are doing their jobs brilliantly. Nonetheless, there were some big egos on those rosters, and sharing the ball became all the more important in games. In the latest episode of his podcast show, a 7x NBA champion opened up on the ‘playing time’ on the U.S. International team.

Representing one’s own country is a huge deal and only the ‘crème de la crème’ gets productive playing time, especially in a high-stakes game.

‘Playing time’ and ‘Dream Team Era’: Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson Comparisons

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7x NBA champion Robert Horry talked about an important topic regarding the current U.S.A. team on his hit podcast ‘Big Shot Bob’. One of the co-hosts asked, “Has there ever been a player who has voiced their displeasure regarding their playing minutes?

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He further said that since many players on the roster were “elite”, there would be egos and issues with playing time. However, Horry interjected and presented his points. He said, “Let’s go back to the first ‘Dream team’. We all knew who the man in that team was. Michael Jordan. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were different type of players though. Especially, Magic who found joy in passing the ball.

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He then mentioned how the Redeem Team was similar. “Even the ”Redeem Team’. Let’s be honest, they all were f****ng friends man! Except maybe Kobe, who they realized was a cold-blooded killer/winner that they needed on their team,” Horry said. This led to him giving his thoughts on the current roster.

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The 7x NBA champion added, “These guys aren’t friends. They don’t even know each other. It’s hard trying to assert your dominance when guys don’t really know who you are. And so, they try to assert their dominance. It’s hard man. Especially with the opportunity to play for your country and show the world, the high-caliber basketball player that you are.”

Team U.S.A’s performance in the 2023 FIBA World Cup

Coached by the legendary Steve Kerr, the young U.S.A. team consists of talented players like Paolo Banchero, Anthony Edwards, Brandon Ingram, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Austin Reaves, among others. There are only 2-3 NBA veterans with the rest within the first 2-3 years of their pro careers.

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Despite having such a young team, they are playing splendid basketball in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. With a 3-0 record, Steve Kerr’s roster has so far lived up to their pre-tournament credentials as favorites and made it safely through to the second round. What are your thoughts on the 7x NBA champion’s views on the current U.S.A. team? Let us know in the comments below!

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Written by:

Akhil Chakravarthy

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Akhil is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He has been following the NBA for more than a decade and represented his state at the National level. To hone his understanding of the inner workings of the game, he closely follows the analysis of popular NBA insiders and reporters like Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania.
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Edited by:

Pragya Vashisth