Isiah Thomas talks about his ’92 Dream Team snub

by UK American Sports Fans

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Isiah Thomas’ exclusion from the original Dream Team in 1992 has been spoken about at length but only one man knows what the two-time NBA champion feels about the situation.

That man is Isiah Thomas.

BBC radio Five Live had an exclusive interview with him on Tuesday night and below are some of the extracts from the interview.

Isiah Thomas on…

…his excitement about playing in the Olympics in 1992 before the squad was announced:

“I was definitely looking forward to having another shot at playing in the Olympics. In 1980, the U.S boycotted the Olympics, we didn’t get the chance to participate and play in that. We were all looking forward to playing the next time the Olympics rolled around. I was a professional athlete and they weren’t allowing professionals to play.

“So, this time (1992) when they opened it up, I was hoping I would get an opportunity to go and compete and play for my country.”

…how he found out he did not make the ’92 Dream Team:

“I think I heard it on television or on the radio when they announced the team and I wasn’t selected.”

…whether he spoke to Dream Team and Detroit Piston Coach, Chuck Daly, after his exclusion was announced:

“We spoke to him. We wished him well. All he would say is that he wasn’t in control of the selection process. The team was picked for him and he coached the team.”

…whether he has since heard the process of selection for the 1992 Dream Team:

“I’ve definitely heard a lot of the things that have been said or intimated, yes.”

…the suggestion that Michael Jordan did not want Thomas on the roster due to their regular season and play-off battles:

“I don’t know if that’s what he (Jordan) said or if that is what someone is claiming he has said. All I know is whenever he’s spoken about it, he’s never said himself – that I’ve ever heard publicly – that he didn’t want me on the team.”

…whether the Detroit Pistons walking past the Chicago Bulls bench without shaking hands and with time still on the game clock following the Bulls 4-0 sweep of them in 1991, affected his inclusion/exclusion from the Dream Team:

“If that was the case, that was definitely a lapse in judgement on all of our part…. “If sportsmanship was going to be the criteria for picking players..a lot of guys wouldn’t have been on that team!”

…Magic Johnson stating in his book that no-one on the 1992 Dream Team wanted Isiah on the roster:

“He (Magic) and I had spent a lot of time together over the years. We had gone out to dinner, he was with my family, my wife, his wife, we were all together in different places and I never heard any of that until he wrote it in a book.”

…the current status of ‘friendship’ between Isiah and Magic:

“There is no status and that’s unfortunate. It was a great friendship. It was chronicled and storied and um….

Mark Chapman: “Would you like it back, that friendship?”

*Six seconds of silence*

Isiah Thomas: “….I don’t think you can ever go back. We can never have a friendship like we once had. You always leave the door open. I’m mature enough to know and understand that people do make mistakes and people do say things that they don’t necessarily mean. I’m a compassionate person so I do forgive and give compassion. And my door is always open.”

…the possibility of anything matching the Original Dream Team:

“Nothing will match it. It was the first, the original.”

To ‘listen again’ via the BBC i-player, click here.* The interview with Isiah will begin at approximately the 45 minute mark.

*i-player is only available in the UK.