The 1992 United States Men's Olympic Basketball Team, also known as "The Dream Team," might be the greatest team assembled in any sport. The collection of legends like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and more achieved a gold medal, one in a long string of successes for US basketball in the 20th century. But in the 21st century, the script had become obsolete. Stars began opting out of adding the extra summer tournament to their schedules, and in 2004 the unthinkable happened: the US lost games and finished with just one bronze medal.
Redemption was needed, and it came in 2008, thanks to the strength of a new team led by Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski and stars LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony. They would not only win back the gold, but set in motion events that would shape the next decade of the NBA.
Director: Jon Weinbach
Stars: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony
Looking back at the list, it might seem like a foregone conclusion that the 2008 US men's Olympic basketball team was going to win gold, given the resumes of those involved. Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant. Four-time champion LeBron James. Sure future Hall of Famers Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and Chris Paul. Stars like Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard and Deron Williams. There's no way a collection of talent like this can lose, right?
Well, that's the kind of thinking that led us to the beginning of The Redeem Team.
The 2004 US Men's Olympic team, led by veteran NBA coach Larry Brown and led by stars Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan and Stephon Marbury, seemed destined to continue the US's streak of dominance in the game. international. Since 1936, the US had failed to win gold just once: in a questionable loss to the Soviet Union in 1972. Once the pros were allowed to play in 1992, the influx of NBA talent turned the team into a true giant.
The 2004 team then lost to Puerto Rico in their first match in the group stage, losing another to Lithuania, before a loss to Argentina in the semifinals even cost them a shot at gold. A bronze medal may be a glorious achievement for some, but for US basketball it's a painful defeat.
Enter the 2008 team, a team of stars, but stars that still had a lot to prove. LeBron James might have been the best player in the world at the time, but he was still years away from winning his first NBA championship ring. Kobe Bryant had three rings to his name by then, but all three had come along with former teammate and rival Shaquille O'Neal, and he was dogged by a perception of selfish play and the suggestion that he couldn't win the big game. . on his account. Later, these stars arrived at Beijing 2008 with much to prove, both as a nation and individually. However, playing as individuals would not be enough: they would have to learn to play as a real team, and legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski was hired to spearhead this process.
The Redeem Team is packed with both current and contemporary gaming interviews, and these stars' perspectives are fascinating to listen to, interwoven with in-game footage and news coverage of the time. We can see the team coming together in real time, learning how to win not just as stars, but as a team. This process would have leggy legs, no doubt influence future championship runs for Bryant, James, Wade and others, and sow the seeds of James, Wade and Bosh teaming up on the 2010-14 Miami Heat superteam. The "Trade Team" wasn't just about an Olympics, it was about a new era in the game of basketball.
Watch The Redeem Team 2022 Movie Trailer
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