Michael Jordan reflects on Olympic experiences in MJ: Insights to Excellence

Mike Jordan became Michael Jordan thanks to the Olympics.

Jordan looked back on his Olympic experiences in 1984 and 1992 in the latest installment of “MJ: Insights to Excellence” on the NBA on NBC and Peacock.

“That is very genuine,” he said of playing for the national team. “That is no money involved. It’s pure, pure passion and dedication to the country as well as to the game.”

The 1984 Los Angeles Games took place in the summer between Jordan’s final year at North Carolina and his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls. He was not yet known internationally.

Under coach Bobby Knight, Jordan led the team with 17.1 points per game as the U.S. outscored its eight opponents by an average of 32 points per game.

Michael Jordan Bobby Knight

Michael Jordan’s note to Bobby Knight before the 1984 Olympic gold-medal game

Bobby Knight made Michael Jordan cry at the Olympics. Then Jordan earned Knight’s ultimate respect with a simple written note.

In 1992, though Jordan was coming off back-to-back NBA titles, some still thought that Magic Johnson was more famous globally — even though Jordan shared a building-covering billboard in Barcelona with Ukrainian pole vaulter Sergey Bubka.

Jordan scored 14.9 points per game (second to Charles Barkley’s 18) as the Dream Team outscored its eight opponents by an average of 43.8 points per game.

Jordan noted one contrast between those two Olympics: accommodations.

“Representing your country, feeling that energy with the United States in ’84, staying in the (athletes’) village and understanding and spending time with all the other athletes and seeing their passion and their efforts,” he said. “In ’92, we rented a whole hotel. We were away from everybody. We had a police escort back and forth to the events. It was a total different experience. I mean, if you had to ask me which one I enjoyed the most, it was ’84 by far.”

In 2028, the Games return to Los Angeles. Since the Dream Team, the Olympic men’s basketball tournament has become more competitive — the U.S. took bronze in 2004, lost another group-play game in 2021 and led the 2024 gold-medal game by three points with three minutes left before Stephen Curry’s series of three-pointers.

Jordan’s thoughts on LA28?

“Basketball is so strong in the United States,” he said, “I think there’s no way we should lose.”