When the USA decided to field an all-professional team for the first time in Olympic play, the Dream Team simply dominated the competition in Barcelona 1992.
It didn’t take long, however, for the competition to catch up.
In the eyes of seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry, the international game has already overtaken the American game... at least in terms of being fundamentally sound.
“They’re way advanced than us, you know. What I say about that is the fundamental part of it. They understand how to play the game,” Horry bared in his meet-and-greet session in the Philippines on Wednesday, September 18.
Back for his third visit in the country, "Big Shot Bob" revealed what paved the way for the world to close the gap: learning the basics of the game as early as possible.
“You know, I was just talking about this to a couple of people downstairs. It’s like when you play international ball, you’ve got to learn the fundamentals because fundamentals are the base of being good,” said Horry, who played for 16 seasons in the NBA.
“And so many times in the U.S., this kid has a lot of talent. So they say go for what you know. And he’s really not taught the game the right way.”
He also noted that young hoopers skipping the collegiate scene may prove to be detrimental for the American quality of play.
“We as Americans do not need to be so cocky and stop trying to push our kids to be in the NBA so quickly," he said, emphasizing the need to drill the fundamentals.
Save for 2004, Team USA won gold in every other edition of the Olympic Games since 1992.
But in the recently-concluded Paris 2024, the Americans had to pull all the stops late in their semifinal and gold medal matches against eventual bronze medalists Serbia and runners-up France.
[ALSO READ: Steph Curry, Team USA frustrate host France to seize 5th straight, 17th overall Olympic gold in Paris 2024]
Add that to the fact that perhaps the best players in the NBA right now are Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo— all coming from outside the United States.
Jokic, Doncic, and Gilgeous-Alexander figured in the 2023-24 NBA MVP shortlist, with the Serbian eventually picking up his third plum. Antetokounmpo already has two.
“I think that’s why when you look at the NBA, and you say give me the top 10 players in the NBA, I think six or seven of them are foreign players. And that’s the base," Horry said.
It's also worth noting that it's during the Olympics when USA's superstars converge. During the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup held in the Philippines, a Jalen Brunson and Austin Reeves-led USA dropped out of the podium and finished fourth. They were dislodged by bronze medalist Canada's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, silver medalist Serbia spearheaded by Bogdan Bogdanovic, and world champion Germany--with league MVP Dennis Schroder.
To reclaim the "lost glory", Horry preached the need to teach the basics to the younger generation to perform at the highest level--whether in the pros or in the international scene.
"Teach them the game and understand the game so they can be fundamental in sound, so they can eventually take back the top spots in the NBA," he said.
