Kicks On Court Classic // The 1996 USA Olympic Team

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

To this day, I still think the ’96 US Olympic team could beat the ’92 Dream Team. They simply had more players in their prime, and a dominant duo with Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O’Neal inside.

While that debate might be never-ending, another hot take we’re pretty confident about is the ’96 team winning the Kicks On Court battle. With classics like the Air More and Air Much Uptempo, Zoom Flight 96, signature Barkleys and Grant Hills all hitting the ATL hardwood, it’d be quite a head-to-head matchup against the Air Jordan VII, Air Force 180 and Air Ballistic Force worn by the ’92 Dream Team in Barcelona.

Check out all of the best Kicks On Court worn by the ’96 Team USA roster below, and enjoy a bonus image at the end of a prime Shaq taking on a young Tim Duncan during a Select Team scrimmage.

Barkley 2 Barkley 3
Charles Barkley — Nike Air More Uptempo
_____

Charles Barkley — Nike Air Max CB34
_____

Charles Barkley — Nike Air CB4
_____

Hakeem Olajuwon — Spalding Dream ’96
_____

David Robinson — Nike Air Modify Force
_____

1 Aug 1996: Gary Payton of the Dream Team reacts during the USA v Australia men's basketball game at the Georgia Dome at the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Mandatory Credit: Al Bello /Allsport

Gary Payton — Nike Air Much Uptempo
____

1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta, USA, Men's Basketball, USA 104 v Lithuania 82, USA's Grant Hill (Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images)

Grant Hill — Fila GH2
_____

Grant Hill — Fila GH3
_____

Karl Malone — LA Gear
_____

Mitch Richmond — Nike Air Flight 96
_____

17 Jul 1996: Guard Anfernee Hardaway of the Men''s U.S. Olympic Basketball Team takes a moment to relax during a practice session for the Dream Team at the Disney Institute in Walt Disney World in Orlando,Florida. Mandatory Credit: ANDY LYONS/Allsport

Penny Hardaway — Nike Zoom Flight 96
_____

ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 1: Scottie Pippen of the US (L) keeps the ball away from Australia's Andrew Vlahov during their Olympic semi-final basketball match 01 August. AFP/Bob DAEMMRICH (Photo credit should read BOB DAEMMRICH/AFP/Getty Images)

Scottie Pippen — Nike Air More Uptempo
_____

FILE -- These are members of the USA's Dream Team III. Top row from left are: David Robinson, Mitch Richmond, Hakeem Olajuwon, Scottie Pippen, Grant Hill and Shaquille O'Neal. Bottom from left are Gary Payton, Karl Malone, Reggie Miller, John Stockton, Anfernee Hardaway and Charles Barkley. (AP Photo/Andrew D. Bernstein/USAB Photos)

John Stockton — Nike Air Adjust Force
_____

Reggie Miller — Nike Air Much Uptempo
_____

22 Jul 1996: Center Shaquille O''Neal of the Dream Team backs into the post while being guarded by David Dias of Angola during the USA v Angola basketball game at Georgia Dome at the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

16 Jul 1996: Nikki McCray of the U.S. Women''s Baketball Team and Shaquille O''Neal of the Men''s U.S. Team share a laugh during team practices at the Disney Institute in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.