Many have touted the US Men’s basketball team for the 1992 Olympics as one of the greatest sports teams of all time. Paramount+ has released a documentary titled ‘DREAM TEAM: Birth of the Modern Athlete’ based on the 1992 Dream Team.
1993 NBA MVP Charles Barkley was also part of the 12-man roster that won gold at the Barcelona Olympics. Barkley’s thoughts regarding his snub from the 1984 Olympics has also been aired in the documentary.
Philadelphia 76ers drafted Charles Barkley in 1984 ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics. US Olympics Committee invited collegiate players for the team trials for the Olympics at home turf. 70 players attended the trials. Barkley became the fifth overall pick in the NBA draft and was one of the best talents at that time.
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However, Barkley failed to make the cut for the Olympics that year. US Basketball won the gold medal at the event.
Charles Barkley blamed coach Bobby Knight for cutting him out of the 1984 squad
The latest documentary has used rare footage and unheard tapes of several basketball greats. Charles Barkley’s thoughts regarding the shocking snub at the 1984 Olympics have also been aired and he is heard blasting Bobby Knight for the snub.
“Bobby Knight had a hidden agenda against me. Because I was the second-best player there, I kinda felt like he didn’t want me there. He didn’t want me on the team. It was a joke,” Barkley said in the latest documentary.
However, one player made the cut at the 1984 Olympics and helped the team win the gold: Michael Jordan. The United States outclassed Spain by 96-65 in the final and won their ninth gold medal in basketball events.
However, Barkley got his chance at the Olympics in 1992. He was a part of the ‘Dream Team’ that went undefeated at the Barcelona Olympics with the closest game being a 32-point win over Croatia in the gold medal game.
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