Dream Team

:For the TV series of the same name, see Dream Team.

Dream Team IV

During the late 1990s, international basketball began to gather attention as more and more foreign players became stars in the NBA. Therefore, Dream Team IV had the enormous task of proving that American basketball was still the best in the world. The new team that was assembled again featured NBA players, but this time few of them were considered to be true superstars, as several elite players elected not to participate.

Related Topics:
1990s - NBA

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Team roster

• Shareef Abdur-Rahim, of the Vancouver Grizzlies
• Ray Allen, of the Milwaukee Bucks
• Vin Baker, of the Seattle Sonics
• Vince Carter, of the Toronto Raptors
• Kevin Garnett, of the Minnesota Timberwolves
• Tim Hardaway, of the Miami Heat
• Allan Houston, of the New York Knicks
• Jason Kidd, of the Phoenix Suns
• Antonio McDyess, of the Denver Nuggets
• Alonzo Mourning, of the Miami Heat
• Gary Payton, of the Seattle SuperSonics
• Steve Smith, of the Portland Trail Blazers

Dream Team IV participated in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and was coached by Rudy Tomjanovich. It began by defeating its first rivals by large margins but suddenly the margins began to shrink. The preliminary game against Lithuania 85-76 was the first time a Dream Team failed to win by double digits.

Related Topics:
2000 Olympics - Sydney - Rudy Tomjanovich - Lithuania

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A major shock came on the semifinals game when Lithuania fell to the Dream Team by only two points, 85-83, after Lithuanian star Sarunas Jasikevicius missed a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer that would have won the game. Dream Team IV eventually won the Gold Medal against France in a very close game, which the Americans won 85-75. Though Dream Team IV won the 2000 Olympics undefeated, for the very first time the American superstar team began to lose its aura of invincibility.

Related Topics:
Sarunas Jasikevicius - France

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Results of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney

• USA 119 China 72
• USA 93 Italy 61
• USA 85 Lithuania 76
• USA 102 New Zealand 56
• USA 106 France 94
• USA 85 Russia 70
• USA 85 Lithuania 83
• USA 85 France 75

Final standings at Sydney 2000

• United States (8-0)
• France (4-4)
• Lithuania (5-3)
• Australia (4-4)
• Italy(4-3)
• Yugoslavia (4-3)
• Canada (5-2)
• Russia (3-4)
• Spain (2-4)
• China (2-4)
• New Zealand (1-5)
• Angola (0-6)