The 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain marked the first time NBA players were allowed to compete. This led to the formation of the iconic “Dream Team” that included some of the greatest basketball players in NBA history, including Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley.
One particular game during the Olympics sparked controversy when Barkley, known for his aggressive playing style, got into a physical altercation with an Angolan player. After the incident, reporters asked Jordan about Barkley’s behavior.
Might be kicked out of the Olympics
With the Dream Team bringing huge star power to the event, all eyes were on them. Buckley threw more gas into the fire and said: "I don’t know anything about Angola, but Angola is in trouble," before their first game of the tournament.
After a fast-break layup in the game, Barkley made good on his promise and elbowed Angola player Holland Coimbra in the ribs. The vast disparity between the two players — Barkley is a 250-pound powerhouse, while Coimbra only weighs 174 pounds — made the game seem even more outrageous.
After the game, people were talking about this game more than Team USA’s 116-48 victory. Jordan was particularly critical of Barkley’s behavior, saying he could have had Barkley kicked out of the tournament.
“If he keeps this up, they’re going to kick him out of the Olympics.” Jordan said.
“We’ve created some bad feelings here, but that doesn’t help.”