Isiah Thomas cried after learning the U.S. would boycott the Moscow Olympics: "I was ready to go in 1980"

Before Isiah Thomas was snubbed from the 1992 Dream Team, he had another chance to win an Olympic gold medal.

Zeke was part of the 1980 U.S. men's basketball team that was supposed to play in the Moscow Olympics. That squad, however, stayed on U.S. soil as politics got in the way and caused the Americans to boycott the Summer Games.

"You know how competitive I am and how I want to win in somebody else's building, on somebody else's turf and territory. Hey, that's right up my alley. From a competitive standpoint, I was ready to go in 1980. I was definitely ready, and we all wanted to go and win and compete," Thomas said , remembering he cried when the decision was made.

USA's boycott of the 1980 Olympics

Aside from Thomas, the 1980 Team USA featured his buddy and DePaul University scoring machine Mark Aguirre. Fellow future NBA players Rolando Blackman, Rodney McCray, Buck Williams, Alton Lister, Darnell Valentine, Bill Hanzlik, and Sam Bowie were also on the roster.

"We had a heck of a team; we had great chemistry all throughout tryouts and during preparation for the games," Isiah bragged in another interview. "Most of us had played together on the 1979 Pan American Games Gold-winning squad and were really excited about a chance at back-to-back Gold medals."

Despite then-President Jimmy Carter announcing a U.S. boycott of the 1980 Olympics after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, USA Basketball kept its team hoping that the situation would change and Carter would reconsider his decision. Unfortunately, that didn't happen.

Related: "You could just feel it, the lack of respect" - Alonzo Mourning on the tense environment in the gold medal game against France in the 2000 Olympics

Zeke's Dream Team snub

Over a decade later, Isiah seemed like a lock to make the 1992 Dream Team . However, he was controversially snubbed during the selection process.

Several reasons have been given for Thomas' exclusion—Michael Jordan is someone most people blame for it. Still, Zeke has always believed he should have been part of that team .

"I don't know what the criteria was," Thomas explained . "I do believe I've made a lot of contributions. I never really wanted to get into blowing my own horn, but no other player has come into the NBA and done what I've done with a franchise. I mean, the Detroit Pistons had never won anything, not even a division. I helped this franchise win two championships, and now we sell out every game."

Isiah never got another opportunity to win an Olympic gold medal. He was supposed to be part of Dream Team II, which competed in the 1994 World Championships. However, months before that tournament, he suffered an Achilles injury, ending his career at 32.

Related: "I am more disappointed today than I was back when I was not selected" -Isiah Thomas on handshake snub as the reason he didn't make the Dream Team