How Michael, Magic, Larry, Charles, and the greatest team of all time conquered the world and changed the game of basketball forever.
They were the Beatles of basketball, the Mercury Seven in sneakers....
In Dream Team, acclaimed sports journalist Jack McCallum delivers the untold story of the greatest team ever assembled: the 1992 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team that captivated the world, kindled the hoop dreams of countless children around the planet, and remade the NBA into a global sensation.
As a senior staff writer for Sports Illustrated, McCallum enjoyed a courtside seat for the most exciting basketball spectacle on earth, covering the Dream Team from its inception to the gold medal ceremony in Barcelona. For the duration of the Olympics, he lived with, golfed with, and - most importantly - drank with some of the greatest players of the NBA's Golden Age: Magic Johnson, the ebullient showman who shrugged off his recent diagnosis of HIV to become the team's unquestioned captain and leader; Michael Jordan, the transcendent talent at the height of his powers as a player - and a marketing juggernaut; and Charles Barkley, the outspoken iconoclast whose utterances on and off the court threatened to ignite an international incident.
Presiding over the entire traveling circus was the Dream Team's beloved coach, Chuck Daly, whose laissez-faire approach proved instrumental in getting the most out of such disparate personalities and superstars as Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, and Scottie Pippen.
Drawing on fresh interviews with the players, McCallum provides the definitive account of the Dream Team phenomenon. He offers a behind-the-scenes look at the controversial selection process. He takes us inside the team's Olympic suites for late-night card games and bull sessions where the players debate both the finer points of basketball and their respective places in the NBA pantheon. And he narrates a riveting possession-by-possession account of the legendary July 1992 intrasquad scrimmage that pitted the Dream Teamers against one another in what may have been the greatest pickup game - and the greatest exhibition of trash talk - in history.
In the 20 years since the Dream Team first captivated the world's attention, its mystique has only grown - and so has its influence. The NBA is now flush with international stars, many of them inspired by the exuberant spirit of '92. Dream Team vividly recreates the moment when a once-in-a-millennium group of athletes came together, outperformed the hype, and changed the future of sports - one perfectly executed fast break at a time.
©2012 Jack McCallum (P)2012 Tantor
"Great [listening] for NBA fans. High-demand backstory." (Booklist)
"Great insight into the great basketball team ever."
As a basketball fan, a David Robinson super fan and a teen of the 90's this book was right up my alley. It was great hearing all the great stories about the players who molded the NBA through the 80's & 90's. Great insight all how all those players talk and think about each other, these same players who would battle while on the team and for another 5-10 years after. This is a must listen for all basketball lovers.
71 year old avid reader using either my eyes or ears. I make earrings that I donate to shelters and while I work, I listen to wonderful books. I also keep in mind that you have to kiss frogs to find princes - time's too short to bother with losers.
"Even if you're not a basketball fan"
Wonderful review of the greatest team in --- forever. The ins, the outs and everything in between. Great personalities with enormous egos all portrayed with great writing.
"The golden age of hoops"
This book is not so much about the US Dream Team as much as it is about a golden age of hoops. McCallum does a good job profiling the personalities of the team and what made the players legends. He also goes into the behind the scenes working (and ego) that went into picking the team and how the players interacted with each other on and off the court. The book has a behind the scenes feel that does not feel gossipy or tabloidy. The only thing this book was lacking was tactics and real good summaries of the games but I was glad that was not in this book because it would have really weighed down the narrative.
Long distance commuter who loves audio books. After an hour drive, I sometimes struggle to leave the car because the book is THAT GOOD!
"Reliving the Dream!"
Entertaining, enlightening and nostalgic
My favorite character is Michael Jordan. I've been a fan for years. Dream Team gives a great insight into Jordan's dynamics with the other team members. I loved the rivalry between Jordan and Drexler.
Dick Hill does a great job of sharing his enthusiasm for the team and the story. His emotion makes you feel like you were an invited attendee to the "secret scrimmage".
The Dream Team created a great sense of nostalgia for me. Having grown up loving and playing basketball during the golden age of the NBA, I felt a connection to the players immediately. I often found myself saying out loud, "I remember that!", or "Oh, I totally forgot about that". The story itself kept me captivated. Because the narrator easily conveys his enthusiasm for the team, I made an instant connection with him as well. A favorite moment in the story is when Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan set out to humiliate Toni Kukoc, a member of the Croatian team and newly signed and highly paid Bull. Their stifling defense shuts down the Croatian star and is a clinic on great defensive play. It also illustrates a great life lesson, don't steal money from a man's pocket, even if it is only potential money.
The Dream Team does a superb job of setting the goal to help the reader/listener identify with each player. Even the often less interesting David Robinson has a great section of the story that left me routing for him both on the court and in life. I finished the book feeling like I had a better understanding of each players motivations and a renewed appreciation for Chuck Daly's leadership. This begs the point that the Dream Team transcends being just an entertaining history of the best team ever assembled by being a great book on leading a group of superstars and high achievers in any field.
"I would recommend this book to any NBA fan."
Average.
This book provided much insight into what made this dream team and its members so special. It will be tough for there ever to be another all star team like this one.
None in particular, but this book was still very entertaining. I'm glad I read it.
"Great listen for basketball fans"
Remarkable access to the most amazing team ever to be assembled. Inside scoop into the inner works of various legendary relationships (Mike and Charles, Larry and Ewing, Magic and Larry, The Admiral and his God, etc...). The author had the authority and knowledge to put it together and he did. As a big basketball fan I can only be grateful this work came to be and i had the change to enjoy it while those former superstars are still around. Life dictates that we prioritize more serious matters as the world can be full of challenges and shortcomings. True!
But thanks God we'll always have our memories of the Dream Team to fall back to. :)
"If you love 1990's NBA stories this book is for U!"
Showed insight to the iconic players of the 80's and 90's... Showed real flaws that these icons have.. Shows them to be just like anyone else except thier great abilities to play a game.