C
Chandler Holt
Guest
SALT LAKE CITY – Many believe that the 1992 USA Basketball ‘Dream Team’ is the greatest basketball team ever assembled.
Utah Jazz legend and ‘Dream Team’ starter Karl Malone was well aware of the greatness surrounding him. During the 1992 run, Malone asked for a game-worn jersey and pair of shoes from almost every player on the roster.
An article from ESPN highlights Malone’s collection and what sold for the most at auction.
The item that sold for the most was, unsurprisingly, Michael Jordan’s notorious No. 9 signed game-worn jersey.
Jordan’s jersey and shoes sold for nearly $3.5 million.
Malone also sold memorabilia from the likes of Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, and David Robinson.
About the 1992 USA Basketball ‘Dream Team’
In recent years, USA Basketball has struggled to get the top talent to play in the Olympics. This is partly because many of the NBA’s best players are foreign-born. Others choose to focus on rehabilitating and preparing for the upcoming NBA season.
This hasn’t always been the case. After FIBA voted to allow professionals to partake in the Olympic festivities, the USA came out with a vengeance. The 1992 ‘Dream Team’ was made up of 11 future hall-of-fame players and three hall-of-fame coaches.
Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, David Robinson, Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, and Christian Laettner all made the cut.
The ‘Dream Team’ won by an average of 44 points as they steamrolled past every team on their way to a gold medal. The closest a team got was in the semifinals when Puerto Rico only lost by 38 points. The biggest blowout came in the first game when the USA beat Cuba by 79 points.
Charles Barkley led the team in scoring with 18.0 points a game. Malone and Ewing led in rebounds with 5.3 each.
The entire team was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and the FIBA Hall of Fame.
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Chandler Holt is a Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com, specializing in all things basketball and football. Follow Chandler on Twitter at @ChandlerHoltKSL.
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