BradyManny

Michael Jordan Responds To Kobe Bryant: 1992 Dream Team Better Than 2012 USA Squad

Well put, Jordan.

For Kobe to suggest this current team is even in the conversation with that 92 Dream Team is actually offensive - particularly before they've even won the Gold Medal.

Comparing the rosters, it's just laughable.

Starting 5:
Magic >>>>>>>>>> Paul
Jordan >>>> Kobe
Bird <<< Lebron
Barkley = Durant
Ewing >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Chandler

As for Kobe's comment about them being out of their prime, really only Bird was, Magic was still playing at a very high level. Had Bird been in his prime, the Lebron comparison might be closer to a draw.

The bench - it's not even worth breaking down. That Dream Team bench was all (outside of Laetner) Hall of Famers. Now, you got a guy who doesn't even start on his own team (Harden) alongside a bunch of guys who haven't done more than play somewhat above average for mediocre teams (Igoudala, Love, Melo, Deron). At most, you'll get a couple HOFers out of that bench, but it's mostly just trash compared to the 92 Dream Team - and honestly only 3 guys from this team would even make the 92 squad (sorry Chris Paul, but John Stockton was a better PG).

What that 92 team did will never happen again. It was literally the best players in the game at a time when two great eras were overlapping (Bird/Magic and then Jordan), at the peak of basketball - the stars will never align like that again. You'll never get all the greats to line up to play like that again - and even if you did, I just don't know if the talent would compare.

UofApatsfan

What does it for me is the size. The US team's "big men" are Chandler, Kevin Love, and Blake Griffin (I know he's injured but lets pretend he's healthy since he was when Kobe said this). Compare that to David Robinson, Olajuwon, and Ewing at ages 26, 29 and 29, so none of them really being past their prime (Olajuwon was actually just entering his prime of becoming a lethal passer out of the post). The dream team would dominate them in the post, and contrary to popular belief, international style ball is a lot more post oriented than the NBA is.

It would be tough for them to guard Lebron because he's that much of a freak, but if old Shawn Marion + Tyson Chandler could lock Lebron up in the finals, then Scottie Pippen + Robinson or Olajuwon could do the same only better. The only real advantage team USA has is athleticism and shooting, but international ball doesn't have refs who reward sheer athleticism like the NBA does.

Also, for all the talk of how much better the competition has gotten, 1992 still had Croatia's team of Drazen Petrovich (woulda been the best international guard ever if he had a full career) and Toni Kukoc. That team would pummel any international team other than Spain and the US right now, while it would be a toss up with Spain.

patsfan13

The Drem team was a bit older. If they had the same guys playing in 88 Bird is maybe < less tha James not <<<, Kobe is dreaming.

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"Some guys play in all-star games, some guys don't. I don't know who picks all those all-star teams. In all honesty, I don't know who picks the combine, for that matter," Belichick said. "How does (Miami-Ohio offensive lineman Brandon) Brooks not get invited to the combine? How did Vollmer not get invited to the combine? I don't know. We can't really worry about that. We just have to try to evaluate them the best we can."

BradyManny

Bird was the only old one though - he was the only guy past his prime. Common misconception about the others.

Jordan was 29, completely in his prime, coming off ring #2. Barkley, 29. Magic was 32, a year removed from taking LA to the Finals. Ewing was 29. Robinson 26. Drexler 30, just took Blazers to the Finals. Malone 29. Stockton 30. Mullin 29. Pippen 26.

Look at all their stats the season leading into the Olympics - they were all in the midst of their primes.

Jordan was averaging 30 with 6 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block.
Magic's last season was 20-12-7.
Pippen had just had a season that would rival Lebron now (21 pts, 7.7 rebounds, 7 assists, 1.9 steals, 1.1 blocks, and better defense than even Lebron can play.)
Malone was 28 pts and 11 boards.
Stockton was dishing out 14 dimes a game with 3 steals.
Barkley went 23-11.
Robinson was 23-12 with 4.5 blocks a game.
Ewing was 24-11 with 3 blocks a game.
Drexler had 25, 6.6 rbs, 6.7 asts
Mullin was 25.6 pts a game w/ 52% FG shooting.
Even Bird, who was the only guy not really in his prime was still 20, 8, 7 with 2 steals.

And these were done on actual teams. This isn't Kevin Love racking up stats on a pathetic TWolves team. Or Andre Igoudala being the only above average player on the Sixers. Or Deron Williams continuing to put up meaningless numbers. Or Carmelo Anthony, with the emptiest stats in the NBA. These were guys who went to the Finals, won rings, won MVPs, and consistently competed.

That team would annihilate the current team.

brdmaverick

There is absolutely no validity to Kobe's comments. I don't even think that Kobe is buying what he is selling. He's probably just trying to stir the pot. But hey, that's fine with me. I like when people continue to talk about the Dream Team. After all, it really was the greatest basketball team ever assembled.

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KontradictioN

Hey Jordan... what's the spread?

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CREDIT - Sicilian

PATSYLICIOUS

Lebron says it again. These guys need to stop this is absolutely insulting to the guys that were the best, and the basketball era that was by far superior. The quality of NBA is complete **** now compared to what it was at that time and before. If nothing else, the fact that the Dream team had MJ and the massive frontcourt advantage would be enough. They probably wouldn't even need to bring Bird/Magic/Stockton/Drexler/etc into the discussion.

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Organized madness
The young Gott-stra
Young Frank Sinatra

ausbacker

I'll comfortably take the Dream Team (and it wouldn't be close).

Real World

The crazy part is, this current team might lose this year. Would anyone be shocked if they lost to someone? I wouldn't be. There are 3 guys who would definately make the 1992 team from this years squad. Kobe, Lebron, and Durant. After that it's arguable. To think that the 1992 team didn't even have Dominique Wilkins, Isiah Thomas, Shaq, Tim Hardaway, Reggie Millier, James Worthy, etc. on it.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Boston Boxer

well, they almost lost the last game to Lith...i think they pulled it out by 4 or 5.