Basketball fans are in for a treat as We Beat the Dream Team, a new TNT Sports and HBO Original documentary, is set to premiere on Monday, February 17, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. Directed by Michael Tolajian (Q Ball, Once Brothers), the film tells the little-known story of how a group of college basketball stars stunned Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and the rest of the legendary 1992 Dream Team in a secret scrimmage ahead of the Barcelona Olympics.
The Untold Story of a David vs. Goliath Moment
In 1992, professional basketball players were allowed to compete in the Olympics for the first time, resulting in the formation of the iconic Dream Team – a roster stacked with NBA Hall of Famers. Before heading to Barcelona, the Dream Team faced off against a squad of top college athletes in a closed-door practice game. Featuring Grant Hill, Chris Webber, Penny Hardaway, Bobby Hurley, Jamal Mashburn, Allan Houston, Rodney Rogers, and Eric Montross, this USA Select Team wasn’t expected to pose a challenge.
But what happened next shocked the basketball world. The college kids won. The Select Team handed the Dream Team their only known defeat, a wake-up call that ultimately fueled the NBA stars’ dominance en route to Olympic gold.
Using the only surviving VHS footage of that scrimmage, We Beat the Dream Team unpacks the game from the perspective of the college players who lived it. The documentary features in-depth interviews with Grant Hill, Chris Webber, Penny Hardaway, and others, alongside key figures like Select Team coach Roy Williams, Dream Team assistant Mike Krzyzewski, and even 2024 Team USA players Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton, who reflect on the moment’s legacy.
From Underdogs to NBA Legends
Many of the Select Team members went on to have standout NBA careers, with Grant Hill eventually taking on the role of USA Basketball’s men’s national team managing director in 2021. Their scrimmage win, once a closely guarded secret, now comes full circle as a defining moment in basketball history.
How to Watch
We Beat the Dream Team debuts on HBO on February 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT and will be available for streaming on Max. Basketball fans won’t want to miss this rare glimpse into a game that changed the course of the sport.