Dream Team set to disband

The Dream Team came in for some criticism

America's self-styled 'Dream Team' look to have played in their last Olympics, following widespread criticism of their attitude.

National Basketball Association commissioner David Stern conceded that a side full of superstars was not good for the competition.

He suggested they may adopt a more "horses for courses" attitude for Athens in 2004.

"An All Star team may or may not be the best representative in a true competition," Stern said during a press conference to mark the start of the new NBA season.

"Perhaps we will put together a team that doesn't contain as many superstars but has role players that fit in well.

"That's the ultimate compliment to the intensity of the competition."

Stern admitted the 200 Dream Team had taken part in a few "antics", but claimed the original 1992 version, featuring the likes of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, attracted more criticism.

Fonder memory

"We all seem to forget. The 1992 Dream Team is held up as the epitome of the way it should be," he said.

"But when I was living through it, the criticism of that team was that they lived in a luxurious hotel apart from the Olympics and media, they said Charles Barkley picked on the poor Angolans.

"But as it's become more distant, they become a much fonder memory."

In Sydney, the squad were pulled up for their trash talking style and on-court confrontations.

But Stern insisted there was no serious misbehaviour.

"I think by and large our guys were good citizens over there," he said.

"There may have been some antics that were very, very mild by NBA standards, but perhaps we need to do a much better job educating them as to how the etiquette changes in international competition."