In an excerpt from Michael Jordan’s new book, the former Chicago Bull reveals that he never expected to be picked over Isiah Thomas.
John Stockton, who was a member of the 1992 Dream Team, admits he never expected to be selected over Isiah Thomas. The selection process came down to Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.
The 1992 USA Dream Squad was possibly the finest basketball team ever constructed. Many notable players appeared in it, including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, John Stockton, and others.
But, without a doubt, the most notable omission from this incredible group was point guard Isiah Thomas. Thomas was a terrific player at the time, as everyone knows. As a result, his exclusion from the squad came as a shock.
The competition between MJ and Thomas was the cause behind it. Jordan first detailed the origins of their feud in a Playboy magazine issue from 1992. Jordan said in the magazine that when he first met Thomas at the 1985 All-Star game, the then-Detroit Pistons great gave him the cold shoulder.
Knowing MJ, that rubbed him the wrong way, and he welcomed the competition wholeheartedly. While most people are aware of the two players’ animosity and how it influenced Thomas’ omission from the 1992 Dream Team. Few people are aware of John Stockton’s version of the tale, who was chosen in lieu of Thomas.
Stockton’s response to this was revealed in a recent interview with John Whitlock. The star of the Utah Jazz revealed:
“Well, I’ve got to tell you about one of the cool things he did. I stated before that he’s been into my life a few times and done significant things. So that whole selection went down again, and I was astonished when I first received the call. When I received the call, I couldn’t believe it and had to phone our team to confirm it. So, before I said yes, you know, my expectations were that I would never be chosen for a squad like that. As a result, I’m chosen. I simply get ready and do it, so whether else was on the squad or who wasn’t was sort of unimportant to me. I was told, “I have a job to do, let’s go,” and then the issue erupted, but as I previously said, I don’t read the newspaper and don’t use social media, which didn’t exist at the time.
“So I only heard about it on the days we played Detroit, which is only twice a year, so you know, you heard about it a lot and I don’t believe you knew Isiah until he put together a couple of big games that year. I’ll tell you, he was a pain to play against, but you know, there was a purpose there, and what that remarkable thing he did in the middle of all the chaos was that he found a way to contact my father. I mean, I’m not sure how you hear how he could do it, but he directly contacted my father. He didn’t have you know since he didn’t have a secretary call. He contacted my father and just said that he thought he belonged there as well, not that John or I did. I tell you, my father uh liked that so much and it set him at peace, and I’m so glad for that because I don’t know if I’d have been big enough to do it, that’s for sure, and so um you know that put things at ease in my camp for sure in 92.”
(Beginning at 14:00)
It’s fantastic to know that, despite Stockton’s reservations about his selection for the 1992 Dream Team, Isiah Thomas backed him up.
It would have had a terrible influence on Stockton’s morale if Thomas had been nasty about it. Fortunately, this was not the case, and John performed well with the Dream Team, earning the gold medal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Isiah Thomas not in the Dream Team?
A: Isiah Thomas was not in the Dream Team because he is no longer a member of the NBA.
Who left out of Dream Team?
A:
Cameron Holland, who is one of the most popular streamers on Twitch and Youtube. He got kicked out for not being nice to other members in a game.
Joe Harris left too, but hes still playing games.
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