1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team
| Basketball at the Summer Olympics season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Chuck Daly |
| 1992 Summer Olympics |  |
| Scoring leader |  18.0
|
| Rebounding leader | 5.3
|
| Assists leader | 5.9
|
|
|
|
The 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team, nicknamed the “Dream Team”, was the first American Olympic team to feature active professional players from the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team has been described by journalists around the world as the greatest sports team ever assembled.
At the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona, the team defeated its opponents by an average of 44 points en route to the gold medal against Croatia.
The team was collectively inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2009, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010, and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017. The Naismith Hall calls the team “the greatest collection of basketball talent on the planet”. In addition to the team induction, 11 players and three coaches have also been inducted individually into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.
Forming the team
Background
Prior to the 1992 Olympics, FIBA rules specifically prevented NBA players from participating in Olympic tournaments, and only amateurs were eligible for the U.S. Olympic teams, which were composed of collegiate and, at times (especially in the 1950s), AAU players. Other countries used their best players from their domestic professional leagues. In the 1988 Summer Olympics, the Americans lost to the USSR and settled for bronze, their worst finish in the history of the tournament.[9] In 1989, FIBA voted to change the rule and allow NBA players to participate. The vote was 56–13 in favor of the change; Amateur Basketball Association of the United States of America (ABAUSA, renamed USA Basketball after the vote) voted against it due to “colleges and high schools that make up most of its [ABAUSA’s] constituency [opposing] it.” The Soviet proposal to limit the national teams to only two NBA players for the first few years was then unanimously rejected.
Selections
USA Basketball asked the NBA to supply players for its 1992 roster. The league was initially unenthusiastic, not foreseeing the cultural phenomenon that the team would become. In early 1991, Sports Illustrated labeled the forthcoming American roster as the “Dream Team” on the cover of its February 18 issue.
The first ten players for the team were selected on September 21, 1991: Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls, John Stockton and Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz, Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers, Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, Patrick Ewing of the New York Knicks, Chris Mullin of the Golden State Warriors, David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs, and Charles Barkley of the Philadelphia 76ers. Most of the players were at or near the peaks of their NBA careers. Bird had back trouble, but was selected due to the team’s historic nature. Robinson had played with the 1988 Olympic team, and was eager to earn a gold medal at Barcelona.
Johnson had retired from the Lakers in November 1991 after testing positive for HIV. His teammates expected Johnson to die from the disease, and he later described his selection for the Olympics as “almost like a life saver,” evidence that he could still overcome the illness and live a productive life. The Australian Olympic delegation prominently threatened to boycott the games in protest of Johnson’s presence, fearing that he might infect other athletes. Their threats backfired, however, as Johnson received even more public support. Ewing, Jordan, and Mullin had won gold at the 1984 games but Malone, for instance, had not made the team and had seen his non-selection in 1984 as a challenge.
On May 12, 1992, Clyde Drexler of the Portland Trail Blazers was chosen over Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons for the final professional roster spot.
As an acknowledgment to the previous amateur system, the U.S. basketball committee decided to include one collegiate player on the team. Christian Laettner of Duke University was added on May 12, 1992, chosen over Louisiana State University‘s Shaquille O’Neal.
Jordan declined head coach Chuck Daly‘s suggestion that he serve as the public face of the team, and Bird and Johnson were selected as co-captains. At the time of the 1992 Olympics, these three superstars over the previous 13 seasons combined for 10 NBA championships, seven NBA Finals MVP awards, and nine regular-season MVP awards.
Isiah Thomas left off team
There was speculation that Thomas was not part of the team because Jordan would participate only if Thomas was not on the roster. At the time, it was widely believed that Jordan did not like Thomas because he was seen as the “ring leader” of the Detroit Pistons teams of the late 1980s and early 1990s, known as the “Bad Boys“, who employed overtly physical tactics against Jordan in the NBA Playoffs. In his 2012 book Dream Team, author Jack McCallum quotes Jordan as saying to Team USA selection committee member Rod Thorn: “Rod, I don’t want to play if Isiah Thomas is on the team”. In 2020, Thorn and Jordan denied directly mentioning Thomas’s name in discussions. According to Jordan in The Last Dance, he asked Thorn, “Who’s all playing?” Thorn responded, “The guy you’re thinking about is not going to be playing.”
After the selection of the first ten members of the team, Johnson released an official statement in support of Thomas, but years later it was discovered that his support was less than enthusiastic. In the book When the Game Was Ours, Johnson said, “Isiah killed his own chances when it came to the Olympics. Nobody on that team wanted to play with him.”
Longtime NBA analyst Jan Hubbard claims that when John Stockton got injured at the 1992 Tournament of the Americas, his potential replacement would have been Thomas’ teammate Joe Dumars.
Laettner selection over O’Neal
The selection committee considered several college players including Harold Miner, Jimmy Jackson, and Alonzo Mourning in addition to Shaquille O’Neal and Christian Laettner.[30] O’Neal was the number-one pick in the 1992 NBA draft, but Laettner’s Duke Blue Devils teams won consecutive National Championships 1991 and 1992. Laettner was the Naismith College Player of the Year, and hit the game-winning shot in the 1992 NCAA Eastern Regional final. Although O’Neal was a two-time Consensus NCAA First Team All-American in 1991 and 1992, his team lost in the second round of the 1992 NCAA Men’s Tournament. Laettner’s college success ultimately secured his position on the team.
Success on the court
Early scrimmages
To help the team prepare for the Olympics, a squad of the best NCAA college players was formed to scrimmage them. USA Basketball selected players whose style of play, it hoped, would resemble that of the Europeans the Dream Team would face. Members included the penetrating guard Bobby Hurley, all-around players Grant Hill and Penny Hardaway, outside shooter Allan Houston, and the tough Chris Webber and Eric Montross. Hill and Hardaway would play for the 1996 national team, and Houston on the 2000 team.
In late June, the Dream Team first met together in La Jolla, California, astounding and intimidating the collegians who watched them practice. However, on June 24, the Dream Team lost to the NCAA team, 62–54, after underestimating the opposition. Daly intentionally limited Jordan’s playing time and made non-optimal substitutions; assistant coach Mike Krzyzewski later said that the head coach “threw the game” to teach the NBA players that they could be beaten. The teams played again the following day, with the Olympians winning decisively in the rematch. Some of the college players visited Jordan’s hotel room afterward and asked their hero for his personal items as souvenirs.
Tournament of the Americas
The Dream Team made its international debut on June 28 at the Tournament of the Americas, an Olympic qualifying event in Portland, Oregon. The team defeated Cuba 136–57, prompting Cuban coach Miguel Calderón Gómez to say, “You can’t cover the sun with your finger.” Marv Albert, who announced the game, recalled that “it was as if [the Americans] were playing a high school team, or grade school team. They were so overwhelming … a blowout after blowout.” The Cubans were the first of many opponents who were more interested in taking photos with the Americans than playing them. The next five games were also easy victories for Team USA, which ended the tournament on July 5 with a 127–80 victory over Venezuela in the championship game to win the tournament and be one of four Americas squads to qualify for the Olympics.
Olympics
The team trained for the Olympics in Monaco for six days, practicing two hours a day and playing exhibition games against other national teams. During their time away from the court, the squad spent time enjoying the nude beaches, Monte Carlo‘s casinos, and dining with royalty. There was no curfew; as Daly stated, “I’m not putting in a curfew because I’d have to adhere to it, and Jimmy’z [a noted Monte Carlo nightclub] doesn’t open until midnight.”
For one scrimmage, the group divided into two teams: Blue (led by Johnson, with Barkley, Robinson, Mullin, and Laettner) and White (led by Jordan, with Malone, Ewing, Pippen, and Bird). Drexler and Stockton did not play because of injuries. Daly told the teams to play “All you got now. All you got.” White won, 40 to 36, in what Jordan recalled as “the best game I was ever in” and Sports Illustrated later called “the Greatest Game Nobody Ever Saw”.
Because of the team’s unique celebrity, the Dream Team did not stay in the Olympic Village due to security concerns.[39] The Olympic Village had only four guards at the gate when the team arrived to pick up their credentials; one of the guards, upon seeing the Dream Team, grabbed his camera and his child while the team members were mobbed by other Olympic athletes. Daly also stated that the beds in the Village were a problem, as two of his athletes were over seven feet tall and he considered comfort a priority to keep the team rested.
As a result, the team stayed at Barcelona’s Hotel Ambassador, where USA Basketball occupied 80 of the hotel’s 98 rooms. Fans were not allowed to enter the lobby, but did gather outside the hotel, hoping to see their favorite players. “It was like Elvis and the Beatles put together,” Daly said. Opposing basketball players and athletes from other sports often asked to have photographs taken with the players.
In an interview years later, Charles Barkley recounted that “we got death threats”. Despite that assertion, Barkley walked around the city alone. When asked where his bodyguards were, he held up his fists and answered, “This is my security.”
Jordan was the only player who studied the opposition, carefully watching game tapes. He and the other Americans enjoyed the opportunity to get to know each other in a casual setting, often playing cards all night and, for Jordan, playing several rounds of golf daily with little rest.
Opposing teams were nonetheless overwhelmed by the talent of the American roster, losing by an average of 43.8 points per game. This was the second largest Olympic Games point differential, surpassed only by the 53.5 point per game margin achieved by the 1956 US Men’s Basketball Team. The Dream Team was the first to score more than 100 points in every game. Its 117.3 average was more than 15 points more than the 1960 US team. Johnson later recalled, “I look to my right, there’s Michael Jordan … I look to my left, there’s Charles Barkley or Larry Bird … I didn’t know who to throw the ball to!”
In a press conference before the team’s first Olympic game against Angola, Barkley famously quipped “I don’t know anything about Angola. But Angola’s in trouble.” Herlander Coimbra of Angola recalled that “those guys were on another level—a galaxy far, far away”. During the game, Barkley elbowed Coimbra in the chest and was unapologetic after the game, claiming he was hit first. Barkley was called for an intentional foul on the play. Coimbra’s resulting free throw was the only point scored by Angola during a 46–1 run by the US.
Although this incident had no bearing on the final result (a 116–48 USA win), at the time there was a concern about the image of America to the rest of the world. After the game, Jordan said, “There just wasn’t any place for it. We were dominating the game. It created mixed feelings, it caused a mixed reaction about the U.S. There’s already some negative feelings about us.” Even though this was the only incident of the game, it changed the narrative; instead of the Americans being viewed as a highly skilled team beating an underdog, some viewed them as bullies.[47][48]
Daly started Jordan in every game, and Johnson started in five of the six games he played, missing two games because of knee problems.[49] Pippen, Bird, Mullin, Robinson, Ewing, Malone, and Barkley rotated in the other starting spots.[15] Barkley was the Dream Team’s leading scorer during the Olympics, averaging 18.0 points per game,[50] although the player selection committee had been unsure of his inclusion, worried that he would not represent the United States well.
The closest of the eight matches was Team USA’s 117–85 victory over Croatia in the gold medal game. Croatia, participating as an independent nation in the Olympics for the first time since its separation from the former Yugoslavia, briefly led the Dream Team by a score of 25–23 in the first half. By the end of the game, Team USA had pulled away and Stockton agreed to a Croatian player’s plea not to shoot. Pippen and Jordan aggressively sought the opportunity to guard Toni Kukoč of Croatia. He had just signed a contract with the Bulls for more money than Pippen, who believed that the team’s negotiation with the Croatian had delayed his own contract. Tired of hearing about Kukoč’s talent, Pippen and Jordan agreed to, as Jordan later said, “not … let this guy do anything against us.” McCallum described the two Bulls as “rabid dogs” against Kukoč. Croatia had lost to the Dream Team 103–70 in their first game. The only team besides Croatia to hold the margin under 40 points was Puerto Rico, which lost 115–77 in the quarterfinals.
Legacy
Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, takes questions from the media as he introduces the NBA teams draft picks in El Segundo, Calif., Tuesday, June 26, 2018. Magic Johnson is betting his job on his free-agent recruiting skills for the Los Angeles Lakers. Johnson says he will step down as the Lakers’ president of basketball operations if he can’t persuade an elite free agent to sign with his club within the next two summers.
Sports Illustrated later stated that the Dream Team was “arguably the most dominant squad ever assembled in any sport” and compared it to “Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, the Allman Brothers at the Fillmore East, Santana at Woodstock.”[18] In 2009, the team was elected to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame. The following year, the team was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Barkley later said, “I don’t think there’s anything better to representing your country. I don’t think anything in my life can come close to that.” Bird called the medal ceremony and the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” “the ultimate experience.” Johnson said, “The 92 Dream Team was the greatest moment of my life in terms of basketball, bar none.” Jordan said that the biggest benefit for him from the Olympics was that he learned more about his teammates’ weaknesses. He later defeated Barkley, Malone, and Stockton in three NBA finals. As of 2014, 11 of the 12 players on the roster (all except Laettner) and three of the four coaches (all except Carlesimo) have been elected to the Hall of Fame as individuals.
Global interest in basketball soared due to the Dream Team. In one game, an opposing player guarding Magic Johnson was seen frantically waving to a camera-wielding teammate on the bench, signaling to make sure he got a picture of them together. Daly said of the opposing teams “They’ll go home and for the rest of their lives be able to tell their kids, ‘I played against Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.’ And the more they play against our best players, the more confident they’re going to get”.
International Olympic Committee head Juan Antonio Samaranch stated that “the most important aspect of the [Barcelona] Games has been the resounding success of the basketball tournament, as we’ve witnessed the best basketball in the world.” Subsequently, the number of international players in the NBA rose. On opening day of the 1991–92 season, NBA rosters included 23 international players from 18 countries. At the start of the 2011–12 season, there were 74 players from 35 countries. Many international players credited the Dream Team as their inspiration to take up basketball.
Kobe Bryant and LeBron James said they believed their 2012 Olympic team would win against the Dream Team. Bryant said, “[T]hey were a lot older, at kind of the end of their careers. We have just a bunch of young racehorses, guys that are eager to compete.” Barkley said that he “just started laughing” upon hearing Bryant’s comment and that the Dream Team would win by double digits. Jordan added, “For [Bryant] to compare those two teams is not one of the smarter things he ever could have done… Remember now, they learned from us. We didn’t learn from them.” Bird joked, “They probably could. I haven’t played in 20 years and we’re all old now.”
The team was elected to the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017.
Roster
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Head coach
Assistant coach(es) Legend:
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Tournament of the Americas results
The team was undefeated, with their closest margin of victory being 38 points over Puerto Rico.
| Game | Date | USA Points | Opponent Points |
Opponent | Point differential |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 28, 1992 | 136 | 57 |  |
79 |
| 2 | June 29, 1992 | 105 | 61 |  |
44 |
| 3 | June 30, 1992 | 112 | 52 |  |
60 |
| 4 | July 1, 1992 | 128 | 87 |  |
41 |
| 5 | July 3, 1992 | 119 | 81 |  |
38 |
| 6 | July 5, 1992 | 127 | 80 |  (Gold medal game) |
47 |
Tournament statistics
| Player | GP | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | REB/AVG | PTS/AVG | AST | BLK | STL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Barkley | 6 | 34 | 58 | .586 | 2 | 5 | .400 | 28 | 33 | .848 | 40/6.7 | 98/16.3 | 10 | 1 | 12 |
| Larry Bird | 2 | 8 | 11 | .727 | 3 | 4 | .750 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 7/3.5 | 19/9.5 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Clyde Drexler | 5 | 27 | 39 | .692 | 5 | 11 | .455 | 10 | 12 | .833 | 13/2.6 | 69/13.8 | 33 | 2 | 5 |
| Patrick Ewing | 5 | 27 | 43 | .628 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 5 | 8 | .625 | 26/5.2 | 59/11.8 | 2 | 10 | 6 |
| Magic Johnson | 6 | 19 | 34 | .559 | 3 | 9 | .333 | 17 | 20 | .850 | 25/4.2 | 58/9.7 | 54 | 0 | 7 |
| Michael Jordan | 6 | 29 | 53 | .547 | 9 | 23 | .391 | 9 | 12 | .750 | 23/3.8 | 76/12.7 | 30 | 5 | 11 |
| Christian Laettner | 6 | 18 | 31 | .581 | 3 | 7 | .429 | 5 | 8 | .625 | 16/2.7 | 44/7.3 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Karl Malone | 6 | 33 | 53 | .623 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 23 | 39 | .590 | 35/5.8 | 89/14.8 | 9 | 4 | 5 |
| Chris Mullin | 6 | 31 | 49 | .633 | 15 | 30 | .500 | 9 | 14 | .643 | 18/3.0 | 86/14.3 | 14 | 1 | 9 |
| Scottie Pippen | 6 | 20 | 30 | .667 | 2 | 6 | .333 | 6 | 9 | .667 | 26/4.3 | 48/8.0 | 37 | 2 | 8 |
| David Robinson | 6 | 32 | 42 | .762 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 7 | 13 | .538 | 32/5.3 | 71/11.8 | 5 | 11 | 5 |
| John Stockton | 2 | 5 | 6 | .833 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 1/0.5 | 10/5.0 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
Olympics results
The team was again undefeated, with their closest outing being the 32-point victory over Croatia for the gold medal.
| July 26, 1992
Group A, Game 1
|
Angola  |
48–116 | |
| July 27, 1992
Group A, Game 2
|
Croatia  |
70–103 | |
| July 29, 1992
Group A, Game 3
|
United States |
111–68 |  |
| July 31, 1992
Group A, Game 4
|
United States |
127–83 |  |
| August 2, 1992
Group A, Game 5
|
Spain  |
81–122 | |
| August 4, 1992
Quarterfinals
|
United States |
115–77 | |
| August 6, 1992
Semifinals
|
Lithuania  |
76–127 | |
| August 8, 1992
Gold medal game
|
Croatia |
85–117 | |
Olympic statistics
| Player | GP | GS | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | PPG | RPG | APG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Barkley | 8 | 4 | 59 | 83 | .711 | 7 | 8 | .875 | 19 | 26 | .731 | 18.0 | 4.1 | 2.4 |
| Larry Bird | 8 | 3 | 25 | 48 | .521 | 9 | 27 | .333 | 8 | 10 | .800 | 8.4 | 3.8 | 1.8 |
| Clyde Drexler | 8 | 3 | 37 | 64 | .578 | 6 | 21 | .286 | 4 | 10 | .400 | 10.5 | 3.0 | 3.6 |
| Patrick Ewing | 8 | 4 | 33 | 53 | .623 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 10 | 16 | .625 | 9.5 | 5.3 | 0.4 |
| Magic Johnson | 6 | 5 | 17 | 30 | .567 | 6 | 13 | .462 | 8 | 10 | .800 | 8.0 | 2.3 | 5.5 |
| Michael Jordan | 8 | 8 | 51 | 113 | .451 | 4 | 19 | .211 | 13 | 19 | .684 | 14.9 | 2.4 | 4.8 |
| Christian Laettner | 8 | 0 | 9 | 20 | .450 | 2 | 6 | .333 | 18 | 20 | .900 | 4.8 | 2.5 | 0.4 |
| Karl Malone | 8 | 4 | 40 | 62 | .645 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 24 | 32 | .750 | 13.0 | 5.3 | 1.1 |
| Chris Mullin | 8 | 2 | 39 | 63 | .619 | 14 | 26 | .538 | 11 | 14 | .786 | 12.9 | 1.6 | 3.6 |
| Scottie Pippen | 8 | 3 | 28 | 47 | .596 | 5 | 13 | .385 | 11 | 15 | .733 | 9.0 | 2.1 | 5.9 |
| David Robinson | 8 | 4 | 27 | 47 | .574 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 18 | 26 | .692 | 9.0 | 4.1 | 0.9 |
| John Stockton | 4 | 0 | 4 | 8 | .500 | 1 | 2 | .500 | 2 | 3 | .667 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 2.0 |
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. He is the principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and of 23XI Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. He played 15 seasons in the NBA, winning six championships with the Chicago Bulls. His biography on the official NBA website states: “By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time.” He was integral in helping to popularize the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s, becoming a global cultural icon in the process.
Jordan played college basketball for three seasons under coach Dean Smith with the North Carolina Tar Heels. As a freshman, he was a member of the Tar Heels’ national championship team in 1982. Jordan joined the Bulls in 1984 as the third overall draft pick, and quickly emerged as a league star, entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring while gaining a reputation as one of the game’s best defensive players. His leaping ability, demonstrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line in Slam Dunk Contests, earned him the nicknames “Air Jordan” and “His Airness”. Jordan won his first NBA championship with the Bulls in 1991, and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a “three-peat“. Jordan abruptly retired from basketball before the 1993–94 NBA season to play Minor League Baseball but returned to the Bulls in March 1995 and led them to three more championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998, as well as a then-record 72 regular season wins in the 1995–96 NBA season. He retired for a second time in January 1999 but returned for two more NBA seasons from 2001 to 2003 as a member of the Washington Wizards.
Jordan’s individual accolades and accomplishments include six NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, ten scoring titles (both all-time records), five MVP Awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors (joint record), fourteen NBA All-Star Game selections, three All-Star Game MVP Awards, three steals titles, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He holds the NBA records for career regular season scoring average (30.12 points per game) and career playoff scoring average (33.45 points per game). In 1999, he was named the 20th century’s greatest North American athlete by ESPN, and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press‘ list of athletes of the century. Jordan was twice inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, once in 2009 for his individual career and again in 2010 as part of the 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team (“The Dream Team”). He became a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2015.
One of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation, Jordan is also known for his product endorsements. He fueled the success of Nike‘s Air Jordan sneakers, which were introduced in 1984 and remain popular today. Jordan also starred as himself in the 1996 live-action animated film Space Jam, and is the central focus of the Emmy Award-winning documentary miniseries The Last Dance (2020). He became part-owner and head of basketball operations for the Charlotte Bobcats (now named the Hornets) in 2006, and bought a controlling interest in 2010. In 2014, Jordan became the first billionaire player in NBA history. With a net worth of $1.6 billion, he is the fifth-richest African American, behind Robert F. Smith, David Steward, Oprah Winfrey, and Kanye West.
Charles Barkley
.jpg) Barkley in 2019
|
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 20, 1963 Leeds, Alabama |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 252 lb (114 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Leeds (Leeds, Alabama) |
| College | Auburn (1981–1984) |
| NBA draft | 1984 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall |
| Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | |
| Playing career | 1984–2000 |
| Position | Power Forward / Small Forward |
| Number | 34, 32, 4 |
| Career history | |
| 1984–1992 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1992–1996 | Phoenix Suns |
| 1996–2000 | Houston Rockets |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 23,757 (22.1 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 12,546 (11.7 rpg) |
| Assists | 4,215 (3.9 apg) |
Stats  |
|
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame as player | |
| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006 |
|
|
Medals
|
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Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player who is an analyst on Inside the NBA. Nicknamed “Sir Charles”, “Chuck” and “the Round Mound of Rebound,” Barkley was an 11-time NBA All-Star, an 11-time member of the All-NBA Team, and the 1993 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP). During the NBA’s 50th anniversary, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
An All-American power forward at Auburn University, he was drafted as a junior by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 5th pick of the 1984 NBA draft. Barkley was selected as a part of the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1985. In the 1986–87 season, Barkley led the league with the highest rebounding average and earned his first NBA rebounding title. He was selected as the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1991. In 1993 with the Phoenix Suns, he was voted the league’s Most Valuable Player. He competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games and won two gold medals as a member of the United States‘ “Dream Team.” Barkley is a two-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, being inducted in 2006 for his individual career, and in 2010 as a member of the “Dream Team.”
Barkley was popular with the fans and media and made the NBA’s All-Interview Team for his last 13 seasons in the league. He was frequently involved in on- and off-court fights and sometimes stirred national controversy, as in March 1991 when he spat on a young girl while attempting to spit at a heckler, and as in 1993 when he declared that sports figures should not be considered role models. Though shorter than the typical power forward, Barkley used his strength and aggressiveness to become one of the NBA’s most dominant rebounders. He was a versatile player who had the ability to score, create plays, and defend. In 2000, he retired as the fourth player in NBA history to achieve 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists.
Since retiring as a player, Barkley has had a successful career as an NBA analyst. He works with Turner Network Television (TNT) alongside Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson as a studio pundit for its coverage of NBA games (for which he has won four Sports Emmy Awards). In addition, Barkley has written several books and has shown an interest in politics.
Charles Barkley’s net worth is estimated at $50 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.Jul 1, 2021.
Magic Johnson
.jpg) Johnson in 2014
|
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 14, 1959 Lansing, Michigan |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg)[1] |
| Career information | |
| High school | Everett (Lansing, Michigan) |
| College | Michigan State (1977–1979) |
| NBA draft | 1979 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall |
| Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Playing career | 1979–1991, 1996, 1999–2000 |
| Position | Point guard |
| Number | 32 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1979–1991, 1996 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1999–2000 | Magic M7 Borås |
| 2000 | Magic Great Danes |
| As coach: | |
| 1994 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As a player:
|
|
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 17,707 (19.5 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 6,559 (7.2 rpg) |
| Assists | 10,141 (11.2 apg) |
| Stats |
|
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame as player | |
| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006 |
|
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Medals
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Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player and former president of basketball operations of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Often regarded as the best point guard of all time,[2][3] Johnson played 13 seasons for the Lakers and was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Lakers. He won a championship and an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his rookie season, and won four more championships with the Lakers during the 1980s. Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had contracted HIV, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game, winning the All-Star MVP Award. After protests from his fellow players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996, at age 36, to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring for the third and final time.
Johnson’s career achievements include three NBA MVP Awards, nine NBA Finals appearances, twelve All-Star games, and ten All-NBA First and Second Team nominations. He led the league in regular season assists four times, and is the NBA’s all-time leader in average assists per game, at 11.2. Johnson was a member of the 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team (“The Dream Team”), which won the Olympic gold medal in 1992. After leaving the NBA in 1992, Johnson formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a barnstorming team that traveled around the world playing exhibition games.
Johnson became a two-time inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame—being enshrined in 2002 for his individual career, and again in 2010 as a member of the “Dream Team”. His friendship and rivalry with Boston Celtics star Larry Bird, whom he faced in the 1979 NCAA finals and three NBA championship series, are well documented.
Since his retirement, Johnson has been an advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and safe sex, as well as an entrepreneur, philanthropist, broadcaster and motivational speaker. His public announcement of his HIV-positive status in 1991 helped dispel the stereotype, still widely held at the time, that HIV was a “gay disease” that heterosexuals need not worry about; his bravery in making this announcement was widely commended. Named by Ebony magazine as one of America’s most influential black businessmen in 2009, Johnson has numerous business interests, and was a part-owner of the Lakers for several years. Johnson also is part of a group of investors that purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 and the Los Angeles Sparks in 2014. During Johnson’s ownership of both teams, the Sparks won the 2016 WNBA championship, and the Dodgers won the 2020 World Series championship. Combining his playing career and sports ownership career, Johnson has 10 NBA championships (five each as a player and later part-owner of the Lakers) to his credit.
As of 2021, Magic Johnson’s net worth is approximately $600 million, and he’s one of the richest athletes in the world. Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. is an American retired professional basketball player and former president of the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA.
David Robinson
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David Maurice Robinson (born August 6, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who played for the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1989 to 2003, and minority owner of the San Antonio Spurs. Nicknamed “the Admiral” for his service with the U.S. Navy, Robinson was a 10-time NBA All-Star, the 1995 NBA MVP, a two-time NBA champion (1999 and 2003), a two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner (1992, 1996), a two-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee (2009 for his individual career, 2010 as a member of the 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team), and a two-time U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame inductee (2008 individually, 2009 as a member of the 1992 Olympic team). He is widely considered one of the greatest centers in both college basketball and NBA history
In 2008 Robinson partnered with Daniel Bassichis, formerly of Goldman Sachs and a board member of The Carver Academy, to form Admiral Capital Group. Admiral Capital Group is a private equity firm whose mission is to invest in opportunities that can provide both financial and social returns. Robinson’s primary motivation in starting Admiral Capital was to create a source of additional financial support for The Carver Academy. Its portfolio is worth more than $100 million and includes nine upscale hotels and office buildings across the U.S. as well as Centerplate, one of the largest hospitality companies in the world. Admiral Capital Group also partnered with Living Cities to form the Admiral Center, a non-profit created to support other athletes and entertainers with their philanthropic initiatives. Robinson is also co-owner of a Jaguar Land Rover Dealership in San Juan, Texas.
In 2010, Admiral Capital Group and USAA Real Estate partnered to launch a series of value-add real estate funds targeting multifamily, office, retail and hotel properties in top 25 markets. USAA Real Estate is both an anchor investor in the funds and provides strategic resources to support Admiral Capital Group’s execution of the fund strategy.
Our Philosophy |
| Admiral Capital Group brings a balanced, multidisciplinary approach to investments and strategic partnerships, creating value and positive social impact. We know social impact doesn’t have to come at the cost of good business. |
Karl Malone
 Malone with the Utah Jazz in 1997
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 24, 1963 Summerfield, Louisiana |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 259 lb (117 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Summerfield (Summerfield, Louisiana) |
| College | Louisiana Tech (1982–1985) |
| NBA draft | 1985 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13th overall |
| Selected by the Utah Jazz | |
| Playing career | 1985–2004 |
| Position | Power forward |
| Number | 32, 11 |
| Coaching career | 2007–2011 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1985–2003 | Utah Jazz |
| 2003–2004 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| As coach: | |
| 2007–2011 | Louisiana Tech (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 36,928 (25.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 14,968 (10.1 rpg) |
| Assists | 5,238 (3.6 apg) |
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| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame as player | |
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Karl Anthony Malone (born July 24, 1963) is an American retired professional basketball player. Nicknamed “the Mailman”, he is considered one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history.
Malone spent his first 18 seasons (1985–2003) in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Utah Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate John Stockton. He was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, a 14-time NBA All-Star, and an 11-time member of the All-NBA first team. His 36,928 career points scored rank second all-time in NBA history behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and he holds the records for most free throws attempted and made, in addition to being tied for the second-most first-team All-NBA selections with Kobe Bryant and behind LeBron James.
Malone played college basketball at Louisiana Tech University. In his three seasons with Louisiana Tech, he helped the Bulldogs basketball team to its first-ever NCAA tournament in 1984 and to first place in the Southland Conference in 1985. The Utah Jazz selected him in the first round of the 1985 NBA draft with the 13th overall pick. Malone appeared in the playoffs every season in his career, including the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998 with the Jazz. He played his final season with the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he played his third Finals in 2004. Malone also competed with the United States national team in the Summer Olympic Games of 1992 and 1996; in both years he won gold medals.
After retiring from the NBA, Malone joined the staff of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball team in 2007 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 twice – for his individual career, and as a member of the 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team.
Businesses
Malone is the owner of Teriyaki Grill, Eskimoe’s Ice Cream, and Arby’s in Ruston, Louisiana.
He also owns two car dealerships in Utah and one in Louisiana. Karl Malone Toyota is in the Salt Lake City suburb of Draper, Utah, while Karl Malone Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is in Heber City, Utah. Malone previously co-owned a Toyota dealership in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with Larry H. Miller Dealerships, but sold his share in 2010. He also co-owned a Honda dealership in Sandy, Utah, with John Stockton, but sold his share, again to Larry H. Miller Dealerships, in 2010. In 2019, he bought a Toyota dealership in Ruston, Louisiana, now called Karl Malone Toyota.
Malone also owns three Jiffy Lube franchises in Utah, and is a part owner of Burger King franchises in Utah and Idaho.
One of the greatest and most popular athletes during the ’90s, Karl Malone, has accrued a net worth of $85 million. Likewise, Karl Malone’s net worth is a consequence of his 19 years of service in the NBA, and Business portfolio.
Scottie Pippen
 Pippen in 2009
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 25, 1965 Hamburg, Arkansas |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 228 lb (103 kg)[1] |
| Career information | |
| High school | Hamburg (Hamburg, Arkansas) |
| College | Central Arkansas (1983–1987) |
| NBA draft | 1987 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall |
| Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics | |
| Playing career | 1987–2004, 2008 |
| Position | Small forward |
| Number | 33 |
| Career history | |
| 1987–1998 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1999 | Houston Rockets |
| 1999–2003 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2003–2004 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2008 | Torpan Pojat |
| 2008 | Sundsvall Dragons |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 18,940 (16.1 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 7,494 (6.4 rpg) |
| Assists | 6,135 (5.2 apg) |
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| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame as player | |
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Scotty Maurice Pippen Sr. (born September 25, 1965), usually spelled Scottie Pippen, is an American former professional basketball player. He played 17 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. Pippen, along with Michael Jordan, played an important role in transforming the Bulls into a championship team and in popularizing the NBA around the world during the 1990s.
Considered one of the greatest small forwards of all time, Pippen was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team eight consecutive times and the All-NBA First Team three times. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star and was the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1994. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History during the 1996–97 season, and is one of four players to have his jersey retired by the Chicago Bulls (the others being Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, and Jordan). He played a main role on both the 1992 Chicago Bulls Championship team and the 1996 Chicago Bulls Championship team, which were selected as two of the Top 10 Teams in NBA History. His biography on the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame‘s website states that “the multidimensional Pippen ran the court like a point guard, attacked the boards like a power forward, and swished the nets like a shooting guard”. During his 17-year career, he played 12 seasons with the Bulls, one with the Houston Rockets and four with the Portland Trail Blazers, making the postseason 16 straight times.
Pippen is the only NBA player to have won an NBA title and Olympic gold medal in the same year twice, having done so in both 1992 and 1996. He was a part of the 1992 U.S. Olympic “Dream Team” which beat its opponents by an average of 44 points. He was also a key figure in the 1996 Olympic team, alongside former “Dream Team” members Karl Malone, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, and David Robinson, as well as newer faces such as Shaquille O’Neal, Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway and Grant Hill. He wore the number 8 during both years.
Pippen is a two-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, once for his individual career and once as a member of the “Dream Team”, having been simultaneously inducted for both on August 13, 2010. The Bulls retired his number 33 on December 8, 2005. The University of Central Arkansas retired his number 33 on January 21, 2010.
Scottie Pippen’s net worth, which Newsweek estimates to be $50 million for the 54-year-old.
Patrick Ewing
 Ewing in 2018
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| Georgetown Hoyas | |
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| Position | Head coach |
| League | Big East Conference |
| Personal information | |
| Born | August 5, 1962 Kingston, Colony of Jamaica |
| Nationality | Jamaican / American |
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Cambridge Rindge and Latin (Cambridge, Massachusetts) |
| College | Georgetown (1981–1985) |
| NBA draft | 1985 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall |
| Selected by the New York Knicks | |
| Playing career | 1985–2002 |
| Position | Center |
| Number | 33, 6 |
| Coaching career | 2002–present |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1985–2000 | New York Knicks |
| 2000–2001 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 2001–2002 | Orlando Magic |
| As coach: | |
| 2002–2003 | Washington Wizards (assistant) |
| 2003–2007 | Houston Rockets (assistant) |
| 2007–2012 | Orlando Magic (assistant) |
| 2013–2017 | Charlotte Hornets (assistant) |
| 2017–present | Georgetown |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 24,815 (21.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 11,617 (9.8 rpg) |
| Blocks | 2,894 (2.4 bpg) |
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| Basketball Hall of Fame as player | |
| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2012 |
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Patrick Aloysius Ewing (born August 5, 1962) is a Jamaican-American basketball coach and former professional player who is the head coach of the Georgetown University men’s team. He played most of his career as the starting center for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) before ending his playing career with brief stints with the Seattle SuperSonics and Orlando Magic.
Ewing played center for Georgetown for four years—in three of which the team reached the NCAA Championship Game. ESPN in 2008 designated him the 16th-greatest college basketball player of all time.[2] He had a seventeen-year NBA career, predominantly playing for the New York Knicks, where he was an eleven-time all-star and named to seven All-NBA teams. The Knicks appeared in the NBA Finals twice (1994 and 1999) during his tenure. He won Olympic gold medals as a member of the 1984 and 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball teams. In a 1996 poll celebrating the 50th anniversary of the NBA, Ewing was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. He is a two-time inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts (in 2008 for his individual career, and in 2010 as a member of the 1992 Olympic team).[5] Additionally he was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame as a member of the “Dream Team” in 2009. His number 33 was retired by the Knicks in 2003.
Patrick has been one of the most successful basketball players. Ewing has played for various franchises and has made a lot of money throughout his career. As of July 2021, Ewing has an estimated net worth of $100 million.Jul 12, 2021
Clyde Drexler
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 22, 1962 New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 222 lb (101 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Sterling (Houston, Texas) |
| College | Houston (1980–1983) |
| NBA draft | 1983 / Round: 1 / Pick: 14th overall |
| Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers | |
| Playing career | 1983–1998 |
| Position | Shooting guard / Small forward |
| Number | 22 |
| Coaching career | 1998–2002 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1983–1995 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1995–1998 | Houston Rockets |
| As coach: | |
| 1998–2000 | Houston Cougars |
| 2001–2002 | Denver Nuggets (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 22,195 (20.4 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 6,677 (6.1 rpg) |
| Assists | 6,125 (5.6 apg) |
| Stats |
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| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame as player | |
| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006 |
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Clyde Austin Drexler (born June 22, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player who is the commissioner of the Big3 3-on-3 basketball league. Nicknamed “Clyde the Glide”, he played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), spending a majority of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers before finishing with the Houston Rockets. He was a ten-time NBA All-Star and named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Drexler won an NBA championship with Houston in 1995, and earned a gold medal on the 1992 United States Olympic team known as “The Dream Team”. He was inducted twice into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, in 2004 for his individual career and in 2010 as a member of the “Dream Team”. He currently serves as a color commentator for Houston Rockets home games.
His brother James and his two sisters, Denise and Virginia, run the family barbecue restaurants in Houston called Drexler’s World Famous BBQ & Grill, which includes the “22 Bar”. His mother, Eunice Scott, also works at the downtown restaurant that was started by his uncle in 1967. There are two locations, downtown Houston and Bush Intercontinental Airport. Drexler also started investing in real estate in his rookie NBA season, and although he is now mostly retired, he does do some managing of his Drexler Holdings LLC, based in downtown Houston.
Clyde is estimated net worth of $25 million.
