1994 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS DREAM TEAM

 

Seated (L-R): Steve Smith; Reggie Miller; Shawn Kemp; Alonzo Mourning; Don Nelson, head coach; Shaquille O'Neal; Derrick Coleman; Larry Johnson; Dominique Wilkins.

Standing (L-R): Tom Abdenour, athletic trainer; John Hefferon, team physician; Stephen Haas, team physician; Isiah Thomas; Tim Hardaway; Joe Dumars; Dan Majerle; Kevin Johnson; Mark Price; Don Chaney, assistant coach; Pete Gillen, assistant coach; Rick Majerus, assistant coach; Ron Culp, athletic trainer.

Continuing the dominance displayed in Barcelona by the 1992 USA Olympic Team (Dream Team I), USA Basketball's 1994 Men's World Championship of Basketball Team dominated its opponents by an average of 37.7 points a game and rolled to the 1994 FIBA World Championship gold medal.

Under the direction of Golden State Warriors head mentor Don Nelson, the USA squad for the first time ever at a World Championship featured NBA players. Compiling an unblemished 8-0 record, the United States' capturing of the gold medal marked just the third time an American squad has won the world title and reaffirmed the USA's dominance on the court.

The USA opened the 1994 World Championship of Basketball with a 115-100 victory over Spain as Joe Dumars and Reggie Miller led the USA with 21 and 20 points, respectively. Exploding for a 55-point victory over China, 132-77, Shaquille O'Neal led the USA with 22 points in 18 minutes of action, while Dominique Wilkins and Miller each added 15 points. The USA rolled to a 105-82 victory over Brazil in the team's final preliminary round game asO'Neal, playing 22 minutes, finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Shawn Kemp and Alonzo Mourning finished with 15 points each.

Starting slowly against Australia, the game was tied 31-31 with 8:45 to go in the opening half, but by halftime the Americans had pulled out to a 62-48 advantage. The second half was all USA as it cruised on to a 56-point win, 130-74. Miller led the USA scoring frenzy with 31 points on 9-10 shooting from the field (5-6 3-pt FGs), Mark Price added 17 in the win and Dan Majerle had 14 points. Facing Puerto Rico, the U.S. rolled to a 134-83 victory as O'Neal scored 29, Miller made eight of 11 3-point shots to finish with 28 points and Wilkins added 22. Using its superior depth to wear Russia down, the USA team capped the quarterfinals round with its sixth straight win, a 111-94 victory over Russia. O'Neal paced the USA with 21 points, Dumars added 20 points and Derrick Coleman accounted for 15.

Shooting just 40.0 percent (34-85 FGs) for the game from the field, and finishing with under 100 points for the first time, the USA relied on its defense as it earned a berth in the gold medal game with a 97-58 win over Greece. Miller led the U.S. with 14 points.

Saving its best game for last, the USA dominated the gold medal contest from start to finish as it trounced Russia 137-91. Hitting 16 of their first 17 shots, Dream Team II led 25-10 with the game less than five minutes old and never looked back. Wilkins led the offensive attack with 20 points, while O'Neal added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Mourning and Kemp accounted for 15 and 14 points respectively. The USA's 137 points were the second most ever by a USA team in the World Championships.