Assembling the 1992 Dream Team wasn’t as easy as it seemed. Michael Jordan, the best player on the squad, initially didn’t want to join for various reasons. Meanwhile, Larry Bird was getting old and didn’t feel he could contribute to the team’s quest for gold.
Luckily for the Americans, Magic Johnson was able to convince Jordan and Bird to represent their country.
Magic’s convincing powers
The 1992 Olympics was big for Magic as he had been cleared to play basketball after testing positive for HIV the year before.
And so the Michigan native tried everything to get the best American players to play with him. With a convincing pitch, he approached Bird, who was dealing with a back injury.
“Larry, this is a chance for our kids to see us play in the Olympics, not on the Boston Celtics or the Lakers,” Johnson said. “You can just play 10 minutes a game. All I want to do is come down, do a no-look pass to you, and you shoot a three-pointer.”
Meanwhile, Jordan didn’t want to compete in the Olympics, given that he had already won the gold in 1984. He didn’t feel the urge or need to represent the country again.
To lure the Chicago Bulls legend, the three-time MVP said he could play cards all night and golf all day. During the games, Johnson told MJ he could drop 30 points by halftime and then chill.
Ultimately, Magic’s convincing powers worked as Bird and Jordan said yes. Together, they went on one of the most dominant runs in basketball history.