I CERTAINLY believe that Isiah Thomas should have been on the 1992 US Olympic Men’s Basketball Team. But of course, in selecting a team, talent and accomplishments are but one thing. The ability to mesh with others means just as much; maybe more.
During the telecast of The Last Dance, Thomas’s omission has become an issue. Michael Jordan has gone on record to say that he had nothing to do with Thomas non-selection.
It should be known that Jordan wasn’t the only one who had issues with Dream Team players. Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Scottie Pippen had their own issues with Thomas.
The 13-man committee that selected the players included CM Newton who was the Athletic Director of the University of Kentucky, Wayne Embry who was the Vice President and General Manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bob Bass who was the head coach and Vice President of Basketball Operations for the San Antonio Spurs, Quinn Buckner a former Olympian and National Basketball Association (NBA) player who was a broadcaster then, Seton Hall head coach PJ Carlesimo, Miami Heat partner and former NBA player and Olympian Billy Cunningham, Charles Grantham who was the Executive Director of the NBA Players Association, Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyewski, Detroit Pistons General Manager Jack McCloskey, University of Southern California Head Coach George Raveling, NBA Vice President for Operations Rod Thorn, Boston Celtics Executive Vice President and General Manager Jan Volk, and Indiana Pacers President Donnie Walsh.
Buckner and McCloskey withdrew but only one replacement was added in the person of New Jersey Nets Vice President for Operations Willis Reed.
Chuck Daly, the head coach of the Dream Team listed seven players per position that he thought should be included in the team. That was as far as Daly’s participation was.
As Daly surmised about the committee, “This was a very solid group of basketball people who were committed to making the right decisions for the right reasons. Obviously, just about anybody you talk to is going to agree or disagree about one or two players, but that is understandable. You’re never going to get total agreement on the makeup of the team. You just have to accept that fact and go on from there.”
During the selection, Daly was asked who he wanted on his staff. How did he want to play in terms of systems on offense and defense? What was his plan to cover opposing countries’ three-point marksmen? Do you want specialists (e.g., defensive specialists)?
The committee solicited Daly’s thoughts on the composition of the team to which the coach requested players who were flexible. Those who can play and cover multiple positions.
Daly admitted to taking heat for the non-selection of his own players from the Detroit Pistons. He listed three—Thomas, Joe Dumars, and Dennis Rodman. However, when the first 10 players were announced, none of them were on the list. The three Pistons were obviously disappointed. Clyde Drexler was the 11th NBA player added while Christian Laetnner was the sole US college player added as he had won two national titles with Duke.
I am sure that the committee took into consideration the testy relationship that Jordan had with Thomas (including the other players).
I thought that at that time, Dominique Wilkins and Thomas would be listed in lieu of collegian Christian Laetnner and John Stockton (although he deserved to be there as well). It’s just that in a 12-man line-up there will be some glaring omissions. It’s like the annual NBA All-Star Game… some deserving players will miss it. It is just some of those unfortunate things in life.
However…this was more than a Dream Team. It was a legacy team. Larry Bird was on the tail-end of his career. In fact, after the Barcelona Olympics, he retired. He just summoned enough of his strength and game to play pretty well. But in the previous NBA season, Bird only suited up for 45 games. Reggie Lewis had become the team’s go-to player as their kids asserted themselves (including Kevin Gamble, Dee Brown, and Brian Shaw).
This was a legacy team also intended sell the NBA brand of hoops.
The previous two NBA seasons as well as the NCAAs were used as the trials for the team.
With The Last Dance, a lot of old hurts have been rehashed. Some are making mountains out of old hurts. Maybe people are in need of talking points in this pandemic. But it isn’t right.
As for Thomas? He was rebutted pretty well by Michael Jordan about the former walking off. And right now, he would just do well to apologize for the tactless walk-off and just keep quiet about the Dream Team snub. After all, there is nothing that you can say to get…. The Last Word in.