In 1992, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed professional basketball players to compete in the Olympics for the first time. That summer, US men's basketball coach Chuck Daly had the enviable dilemma of juggling Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and other proven champions in his lineup. So deep was the bench that the "Dream Team" always had more future NBA Hall of Fame members on the bench than whichever five were on the floor. Such unrepentant hegemony in international competition is rare, but there are those who can relate. For 60 years, China has exerted such a crushing grip on table tennis that it is newsworthy when anyone else wins anything. Since table tennis made its Olympic debut in 1988, 28 of 32 gold medals in the event have gone China's way. In preparation for the pandemic-delayed 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, China has left no stone unturned. Since last summer, they have staged not one but two mock Olympics to assess players' readiness. Now, the final announcements have been made. Pictured from left to right, the 2020 Chinese Olympic team will consist of Xu Xin, Fan Zhendong, Ma Long, Chen Meng, Sun Yingsha and Liu Shiwen. While Ma Long will look to repeat as men's singles gold medalist, the absence of Ding Ning ensures that a new women's singles champion will be crowned. Reigning world mixed doubles champions Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen look to mine their proven chemistry in the event's Olympic debut. In 1992, the Dream Team crushed opponents by an average of 44 points en route to a never-in-doubt gold medal. How will China's "Dream Team" compare this year?

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