Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson’s Dream Team Faced a Unique Issue While Facing International Opponents: “The Player Was Weeping”

The iconic 1992 Dream Team brought together basketball legends Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, captivating fans worldwide. Their popularity extended beyond the court, with their presence electrifying the atmosphere. Their star power and skill level elevated the game itself, leaving players in such awe that they couldn’t even play the game. Such was the case at the Olympic Games in Barcelona back in 1992. The US Olympic Team was unstoppable. Partly due to the legends on the roster playing at an incredibly high level, but also because of their opponents. Opponents, as described in the book When the Game Was Ours, were so fascinated by the superstars around them that they stopped playing to take pictures and even started weeping.

It isn’t rare for celebrities to leave fans starstruck. But for another athlete competing against you to chase you for a picture must be the greatest compliment. Especially when it happens on the Olympic court where every player is carrying the pride of their country on their shoulders. But if any team was ever capable of doing that to their opponents, it was the 1992 Dream Team.

Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan were surprised by their international opponents during the 1992 Olympics

Basketball is a sport that has huge renown all across the world. However, it would not have gained such fame if it weren’t for some of the legends of the game. Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, and more. All of them played a crucial role in popularizing the sport.

So, when all these big names were on the same team back in 1992 the world watched keenly. The Dream Team was the talk of the town in Barcelona. After all, you had some of the greatest players of all time playing together on the same court. They were so good, even their opponents stopped to admire them.

In fact, one player from Argentina even refused to drive to the basket, all so that his teammate on the bench could take the perfect picture. A situation that bemused his marker, five-time NBA Champion Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

“When they played Argentina, Magic guarded a player on the block who refused to make a move to the basket. ‘What are you doing?’ Magic asked him. ‘I’m waiting’ the player replied. Johnson, clearly flummoxed, finally knocked the ball out of his hands but only after a player on the Argentina bench had successfully snapped a Polaroid of Magic guarding his friend. As he ran back down the court, Magic noticed the player was weeping. ‘Mr. Johnson, I cannot believe it’s you,’ he said. ‘I used to watch you late at night. This is the thrill of my life.'”

It certainly was quite the predicament to be in, but a good one nonetheless. After all, the legacy they left behind changed the game of basketball forever.

MJ and Magic along with the rest of the 1992 Dream Team revolutionized the sport of basketball

The Dream Team’s conquest of the Olympics at Barcelona completely changed the way basketball was looked at from a global perspective. It inspired more and more people to take up the sport. And, in the years to come, the influx of foreign players into the NBA increased tenfold. All thanks to Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Co.

Toni Kukoc, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Dirk Nowitzki, Yao Ming, and many more. All players who may have never stepped foot on an NBA court if it weren’t for the mark the Dream Team left. They truly were one of those teams that transcended the sport.