BELGRADE (Serbia) - Svetislav Pesic has coached a lot of international basketball games in his long and successful career and may be second to none with his talent of assessing opponents' strengths and weaknesses and figuring out ways to win games.
So his evaluation of the USA team that's been assembled for the Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024, that "it's stronger than the Dream Team," is going to make everyone sit up and take notice of the American team that's preparing to take France by storm.
"I won't be shy about saying that this tournament will be the strongest ever at the Olympics," he said, which will be met with universal agreement.
USA, Canada and France are the favorites - Pesic
But then he said this?
"This American team is stronger than the Dream Team from 1992," he said. "I was there with Germany, I remember that no one could believe such players exist … but it was 1992, now it’s 2024, and this team is better… a perfect opportunity to see where the rest of the world is compared to them…"
For the record, Pesic's Germany fell 111-68 to the Dream Team in Barcelona. The following year, he guided the Germans to a FIBA EuroBasket title on home soil.
No one can dispute that international basketball has changed and become more competitive than ever because of the improvement of national teams around the world, and especially in Europe, although the last European team to win the Olympic gold medal was the Soviet Union in 1988.
But the gold standard in basketball history since 1992 has been the Dream Team that was made up of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Scottie Pippen, Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, Clyde Drexler, David Robinson and Christian Laettner.
Their head coach was the late Chuck Daly.
Any suggestion that any team of any generation could be better than that assemblage of talent, or basketball gods, would have seemed absurd. But because the legendary Pesic has said it, well, maybe it's possible!
The 2024 USA team has a glittering array of stars. Several, if not most, will end up in either the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the FIBA Hall of Fame, or both.
There are Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum, Kawhi Leonard, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Davis and Joel Embiid.
The head coach is Steve Kerr.
While Pesic gave his glowing assessment of the USA team, Bogdan Bogdanovic did not compare it to the '92 Dream Team. When it comes to facing the Americans in both teams' first game on July 28, however, which is Day 2 of the Olympic Basketball Tournament, Bogdanovic said: "It can only help us. It will definitely be a spectacle. When you play against the best, you can only get better. I'm excited because we'll play them in the preparations. It can help us a lot."
The teams will indeed face off in a friendly at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on July 18 before playing again at the Olympics.
Bogdanovic was the brightest, the shiniest of Serbia's lights at last year's World Cup, spearheading their run to the Final to earn a spot in the All-Star Five for the second consecutive time at FIBA's flagship event. He also made the all-tournament team in China in 2019.
The USA will be familiar with his game since he plays in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks.
Bogdanovic will be far more influential for his team at this Olympics when he was eight years ago in Rio de Janeiro, although even then he averaged 12.3 per game. In two clashes with the USA in Brazil, including the Gold Medal Game, Bogdanovic was a combined 5 of 19 from the floor and 1 of 12 from behind the arc. The Americans knew then that Bogdanovic could shoot it well from deep and adjusted their defense accordingly.
He has, however, improved a lot since. And Serbia will be a force to be reckoned with, especially with three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic in the team as well.
"Every competition is difficult in its own way and a new experience," Bogdanovic said. "I have never looked too far ahead, only day by day. That's how I'm approaching this summer. We need to start by creating chemistry and camaraderie. We're happy to be here and satisfied with what we have. With the company, above all. We shouldn't worry about other things."
FIBA