BASKETBALL / U.S. OLYMPIC CAMP : Amid the Stars, Daly Does the Worrying

The Dream Team, until Monday a gleam in NBC’s eye, came to life when 11 of the planet’s best players plus collegian Christian Laettner opened training camp.

Whatever else it is--greatest basketball team ever, symbol of national pride, marketing vehicle for cereal and telephone companies, standard-bearer for the Olympic TV network that squeezed in the NBA finals around its promos--the U.S. men’s team finally exists.

The Olympians will spend four more days at UC San Diego, then will open the American qualifying tournament at Portland, Ore., on Sunday against Cuba.

Coach Chuck Daly, once dubbed “the prince of pessimism,” was seen Sunday, poring over a scouting report of Cuba.

Said Daly: “Coaches worry.”

He acknowledged that the report ended with the words: “I think we can post them up.”

All participants showed up as scheduled.

Larry Bird, who sat out the last month of the season and seven of 11 playoff games because of a bad back, was here.

David Robinson, sidelined for the last month of the season after thumb surgery, was here.

Michael Jordan, who had hoped to be touring the world’s 100 best golf courses, was here.

And Magic Johnson was here.

“It’s a relief,” Johnson said. “I don’t have to answer that question: ‘Are you going to play?’ You get tired of that.

“And then the anticipation was wearing me out because I was so excited. And now I’m finally here, and I can relax and do what I do best, and that’s play basketball.

“It’s a thrill. What it is, too, is the respect for each other. We understand that everybody is great in their own way.

“That’s what people fail to realize. The minutes don’t matter. It’s a matter of us winning and being together. That’s all that matters.

“I don’t care if I never start. When I get my shot, I’m going to be ready. I remember a lot of all-star games when I was in college. Larry and I sat on the bench for three weeks. Same thing here. If (Daly) gives me five minutes, I’ll take five minutes. If he gives me 15 minutes, I’ll take 15. If he gives me 30, I’ll take 30.

“You miss being one of the boys, and last night I was back to being one of the boys.

“Larry and I both understand. We’re both cheering for each other. We both understand this could be our last situation. It’s beautiful to watch him and just play with him--finally, us together.”

If chemistry, depth, size, quickness, post-up players, outside shooters and everything in between aren’t a problem, what is?

Only overconfidence.

“That’s one of the things that can beat us,” Daly said. “I think the perfect example was the U.S.S.R. hockey team that came to the U.S.A. and defeated all the NHL teams, went to the Olympics and lost to a bunch of college kids. It couldn’t happen, but that’s what sport is all about. Villanova wasn’t supposed to beat Georgetown (for the 1985 NCAA championship), but that’s basketball.”

The honor of selection seemed to embrace even Jordan, talked into participating by Johnson and who knows how many sponsors.

Jordan stayed up Wednesday night playing cards with Johnson, Ewing and Charles Barkley.

Jordan and Ewing went chest to chest in the Bulls-Knicks playoff series, but laughed at the memory.

“He said he wasn’t going to hit me,” Jordan said. “I said I wasn’t going to hit him.

“It’s the golf, the card-playing, the camaraderie we enjoy with each other. It’s like summer camp, except I can’t swim, so I’m not going near the pool.”

OK, so they have one weakness.

Don’t tell Cuba.

Basketball Notes

More signs the players like each other: Karl Malone on Phoenix’s acquisition of Charles Barkley: “We’re going to see if he can get that Milk Dud-looking head up and down the floor.” . . . The Olympians are practicing against a team of collegians, including Michigan’s Chris Weber, Duke’s Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley, Wake Forest’s Rodney Rogers, North Carolina’s Eric Montross, Memphis State’s Anfernee Hardaway and Tennessee’s Allan Houston. Most will be NBA lottery picks.

Magic Johnson, not happy to be asked if his participation is controversial: “I’m over that. Next.” . . . Coach Chuck Daly on Johnson: “Basically, he hasn’t missed a beat. He’s the same player he always was, except he’s trying harder than he ever has. He looked very, very good.”