1992 USA Olympics 'Dream Team' star's Gold Medal set to be auctioned with $250,000 starting bid: Report
The Olympic gold medal that 1992 USA "Dream Team" star Clyde Drexler won is set to be auctioned with a starting bid of $250,000. The medal hit the auction platform, Goldin Auctions, on Monday, and bidding for the medal is scheduled to end on Aug. 18. According to the experts at Goldin, Drexler's medal is the first Dream Team gold that has come up for sale, and it is likely to be the last one too.
It is unclear why Drexler is parting ways with the piece. He had previously filled out a letter of authenticity in April and proclaimed that he had no intentions of securing the prize back in the future. The Olympic champion further said in the LOA that he will not seek a reproduction of the medal through the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Clyde Drexler won the gold medal when the 1992 Team USA roster, also called the Dream Team, defeated Croatia in the finals of the men's basketball tournament of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
The Americans had a dominant run in the international tournament, having featured many Hall of Famers, including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and more, which coveted them the "Dream Team" title.
Team Serbia head coach thinks USA’s 2024 Olympic team outshines 1992 Dream Team
Last month, the Serbian men's basketball team's coach, Svetislav Pesic, deemed the USA's 2024 Olympic roster to be even better than the 1992 team that featured Michael Jordan and Co.
“This American team is better than the original Dream Team from 1992,” Pesic said (via Mozzart Sport).
To build credibility for his claim, Pesic highlighted his role as the head coach of the German national team that faced Team USA in the 1992 Olympics.
“I was there with the German team and then we thought there were no better players than these,” Pesic said. “This team that will appear in Paris will be stronger than the Dream Team, with the fact that not everyone will prepare just for them like not everyone was prepared just for the team in 1992.”
The 1992 Team USA consisted of a star-studded roster that included Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Chris Mullin, Clyde Drexler, David Robinson, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen and Christian Laettner.
Meanwhile, Team USA ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics features LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton, Jrue Holiday, Bam Adebayo and Derrick White.
LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard was also listed on the team. However, he withdrew from the Olympic roster on July 10, which made way for Derrick White to join the star-studded squad.
Team USA will look to secure its fifth straight Olympic gold and reclaim the top spot in international basketball after finishing fourth in the FIBA World Cup in 2023. The U.S. will kick off its 2024 Paris Olympics run against the Serbian national team on July 28.