If the Dream Team was used to crushing its opponents during the 1992 Olympic Games, there were big tensions during some matches.

To the point where Michael Jordan was afraid of seeing one of his teammates being excluded from the tournament.

The basketball competition is one of the most followed and anticipated events during the Olympic Games.

And this observation is explained in large part by the American Dream Team of 1992.

This team from the United States had shown its domination over the world from the beginning, and this until winning the gold medal.

Michael Jordan was the figurehead of this selection that became legendary.

Other Hall of Famers accompanied him in this epic but if the difference in technical and athletic level was colossal between the Americans and the other nations, the latter had no intention of letting them have fun on the courts of Barcelona.

And as Tonight Show saxophonist Branford Marsalis told GQ, the former Bulls superstar figured it out before anyone else.

Michael Jordan’s Fear at the 1992 Olympics with the Dream Team

I saw a lot of guys around the hotel.

I saw Jordan sitting there watching the Angola tape, staring, looking for weaknesses. I said to him, “I don’t want to bother you, but why are you watching this game?” He replied, “I always take my opponent seriously.

I never underestimate anyone. Seeing him be the only one watching the game is something that struck me.

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Michael Jordan was right to be attentive to the match against Angola. Because although Team USA inflicted an unprecedented beating on him (116-48), this confrontation had not been all fun and games for the Olympic champions.

Following his pre-match comments about the Africans, Charles Barkley learned this the hard way when he received a few elbows, which didn’t leave him unmoved.

They were playing a bit like rogues and I warned my opponent several times.

I thought he was doing well despite his few low blows.

The Chuckster wasn’t the type to let things slide, which worried the six-time NBA champion at the time. He even admitted to having feared a regrettable decision by the referees.

He’s going to get kicked out of the Olympics if he doesn’t stop.

We’ve already caused some bad blood here, which didn’t help.

Fortunately, tensions eventually eased after the incident.

Team USA and Angola continued the game in the spirit of sport, despite the angry gestures between the players:

The talent gap between Team USA and the other countries at the Barcelona Games was far too great.

But still, Michael Jordan was not indifferent to the idea of ​​Charles Barkley getting sent off while responding to the Angolans’ trickery.