Redeem Team’s Challenge MUCH GREATER Than Dream Team

Kobe Bryant reveals why the Redeem Team's challenge was much greater than that of the Dream Team. He mentions that "basketball has truly become a global sport." This was during an interview in The Philippines on September 5, 2007.

Excerpt from '“LeBron James, Redeem Team Over Michael Jordan, Dream Team!”: 6ft 4” Dwyane Wade Raised Eyebrows Choosing Between Olympic Squads' article by Achyuth Jayagopal:

In an interview with Jemele Hill, Wade was yet again posed the ever-relevant question regarding his pick between The Dream Team and The Redeem Team. With the help of the crowd, Wade settled on an answer – The Redeem Team.

With a majority of the crowd going with the Redeem Team, Wade got to pick the safer side and also take in the validation that came with it. While giving the Dream Team their flowers as the inspiration to play in the Olympics, Wade elaborated on why he feels the Redeem Team deserves credit.

According to Wade, the political climate in which the Redeem Team thrived deserves mention. With considerable tension and threat to their lives even, Wade mentions the risk taken by each player in being part of the Redeem Team.

Wade also mentions how Team USA had competition and a history of losing, factors that had to be overcome in comparison to the easy path the Dream Team had. The Dream Team was head and shoulders above all opposition, and the opposition lined up to take pictures with them. The Redeem Team had none of that, in Wade’s words.

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My opinion on this one:
The Dream Team is one of the main reasons in further globalizing the game of basketball. There were already players like Drazen Petrovic, Toni Kukoc or Detlef Schrempf playing in the NBA but it wasn’t until after the dream team of 1992 and its impact that made basketball to global phenomenon for many. Peja Stojakovic, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Hedo Turkoglu, Toni Parker, Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola etc. were all great international players representing their country.
So for the Redeem Team it was definitely a challenge facing better opponents who want to take the thrown by winning gold. So Kobe‘s totally right. Even now France was quite close in winning gold in Tokyo and won even the group stage match against Team USA. But Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum had both an outstanding performance in the finals, thus bringing that gold medal 🥇 where it belongs 💪🏼