With the beginning of the 2024 Olympics, you may want to listen to The Dream Team Tapes with sportswriter Jack McCallum. The podcast is based on his book Dream Team: How Michael, Magic, Larry, Charles, and the Greatest Team of All Time Conquered the World and Changed the Game of Basketball Forever. McCallum chronicles his journey with Team USA men’s basketball team during the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Players on that team included legends of the game; such as: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley and many others. McCallum tells entertaining stories about the team and its players that listeners will enjoy hearing. The Dream Team Tapes will fascinate basketball fans!
In the beginning of the podcast, you learn about changes in FIBA rules (International Basketball Federation) that made the Dream Team possible. Borislav "Bora" Stanković, a Serbian basketball player and coach, was instrumental in creating a rule in 1989 that made NBA players eligible to compete in the Olympics. This could not have happened at a better time for Team USA because they were defeated by the USSR in 1988.
The most sought after player for the 1992 team was Michael Jordan. The stipulation was that Jordan refused to be on the team if Pistons star Isiah Thomas was also on it. Though Jordan denies saying this in certain interviews, there is a recording of him talking about this with McCallum, which is included in this podcast. Chuck Daly, who coached the Dream Team and also the Pistons, looked past this slight and coached the team masterfully.
One of the best basketball games during the Olympics was a scrimmage between the Dream Team players. McCallum describes which superstars matched up against each other and the trash talking that occurred between players. When Magic Johnson’s team was pulling ahead of Michael Jordan, Johnson started talking smack to Jordan, which was a big mistake! Thereafter, Jordan scored numerous baskets in a row and his team ended up winning.
The Dream Team buried other teams on the way to the gold medal. A couple of notable incidents during these games include Charles Barkley elbowing an Angolan player in a game that was a blowout and Jordan and Scottie Pippen locking down Hall of Famer Toni Kukoc to spite Bulls executives that were recruiting him.
McCallum is a tremendous storyteller and he has an engaging voice. He had a lot to pull from being that he interviewed all the Dream Team players and the podcast is filled with numerous amusing anecdotes. Those that enjoyed The Last Dance and enjoy sports podcasts will be fascinated by The Dream Team Tapes.
Michael Walsh is an Adult Services Librarian at the Will Library. He is currently reading You Like It Darker by Stephen King.