Thursday, July 12th, 2012 at 10:55 am  |  103 responses

Kobe Bryant Thinks 2012 Team Would Beat ’92 Dream Team; Charles Barkley Disagrees (VIDEO)


Not too shockingly, Kobe Bryant believes his current Olympic squad could beat the most celebrated Olympic hoops team of all time. It’s a position that Charles Barkley completely disagrees with. From USA Today: “Less than 24 hours after Kobe Bryant said he thought this year’s Olympic team would win a tough game against the Dream Team, Barkley said the game would not even be close. Barkley, speaking on The Mike Missanelli Show on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia said it would be a double digit win for the Dream Team. ‘Oh yeah, that’s no disrespect,’ Barkley said. ‘I ain’t got to badmouth them. But like I said, their point guards weren’t going to beat us. That’s a no-brainer.’ He added that ‘other than Kobe, LeBron (James) and Kevin Durant, I don’t think anybody else on that team makes our team.’”

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  • bike

    Kobe should have waited until the Games are over before saying this…God help ‘em if they lose.

  • pposse

    the more older kobe gets the more appreciative i am of his work haha what did the media expect him to say tho in response to that question??

  • Boss Bailey

    Chuck is absolutely correct. Now if this London squad was at full strength, with a healthy Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose and possibly Chris Bosh and Andrew Bynum, then and only then is there reason for discussion. I see the Dream Team going up by double digits as Chuck predicts and then Kobe playing hero-ball trying to will the team back.

  • http://thahiphopcorner.com Kevin

    I honestly think 2012 has the PG advantage over the 92 squad

  • mick

    kobe get real

  • Bh

    Barkley’s obviously right. The Dream Team would have a huge advantage at the big man spots and a slight advantage at PG. (although Westbrook, CP, and D-Will would probably be too athletic for Magic or Stockton. Then again: Magic is Magic) To win, this 2012 team would have to dominate on the wings and that simply would not happen against MJ and Pippen.

  • Dungeon Family

    That Small Forward Position is why I think this team could beat the 92 team….Lebron,KD,and Melo That’s too much scoring right there.

    But I think it would be a close Game….2k need to add Dream Team in the Game

  • 23

    who guards lebron? jordan is too undersized and would most likely take kobe. pippen would be the best option but lebron would be able to back him down so easily. and if pippen is guarding bron, who guards durant? who can get a hand in durants face? who guards westbrook? the center postion easily goes to the 92 team. but im not so sure about the rest of the matchups. im honestly believing that 2012 has a better roster. because magic, and bird werent even close to their primes on the 92 team.

  • 23

    who guards lebron james? jordan is too undersized and would most likely take kobe. pippen would be the best option but lebron would be able to back him down so easily. and if pippen is guarding bron, who guards durant? who can get a hand in durants face? who guards westbrook? the center postion easily goes to the 92 team. but im not so sure about the rest of the matchups. im honestly believing that 2012 has a better roster. because magic, and bird werent even close to their primes on the 92 team.

  • pposse

    since this is all hypothetical, which rule set are we going by here; the nba rules of today, the nba rules of yesteryear, or FIBA rules?

  • Solito

    If you go be players at the age they were on the teams, it would be close.
    Here’s why:
    Jordan, Pippen and Drexler vs. LeBron, Kobe and Igudala would be incredible to watch and even matchups on both ends.
    At the point, Paul, Westbrook and Williams could do battle against Magic and Stockton.
    The problem for current team USA would be the Bigs. Chandler and Love would not see daylight against either Ewing or Robinson. Antony and Griffin couldn’t guard neither Barkley nor Malone, and would be completely helpless on offense against two of the craftiest defenders on that position, all time.
    But I agree about the age thing with Kobe. They would have to hide Bird and Mullin on defense. Though both are great shooters on offense, they would be contained.
    Oh, and Lattner could use his 5 fouls and sit down again.

    So it would come down to the wire. Which I think could go either way. Slight edge current team.

    But since all current players are in their prime, it is only fair to compare them to a “Prime Time Dream Team”. And that would not even be close for the current squad. With Magic, Bird and Mullin in their prime, it would be a landslide victory for the Originals.

  • trueballer4life

    dream team 1 would destory dream 2- air jordan, magic and larry bird would kill lbj, kobe and durant..-karl malone and charles barkley would eat blake griffin and kevin love lol im from the old school.. players were more tougher back in old days..

  • billups

    brains vs. brawn….and brains would win handedly

  • billups

    brains vs. brawn, and brains would win handily

  • pposse

    NBA rules of yesteryear = Dream Team Victory, FIBA rules = Dream Team Victory, NBA Rules of Today = a no decision and the game will end with both sides arguing every call and refs eventually tossing every player not named Christian Laetnner

  • AQWORD

    LOL @ Lobe Tryant! Pip would guard Bron, cmon now. Gs up ,Dream Team hands down.

  • Justin05

    The two teams are not comparable. I cannot stand it when ppl talk about other generations of players. In my opinion, the players now woul run circles around the competition back then. That’s why MJ, Larry, and magic looked so good. Barkley will forever be an angry ballet because he never got a trophy. Boo hoo Charles

  • 23

    @trueballer4life, do you seriously think that an old bird and magic combo could seriously be effecive against the 2012 team? u must be out of your mind.

  • everything

    Nostalgia does some tricky things to your mind if you think hard enough

  • http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/basketball/story/_/id/8159879/2012-olympics-michael-jordan-laughed-kobe-bryant-dream-team-boast Valkyrie

    MJ’s response was typical lmao. Click my name.

  • 23

    @Solito, and what about durant????

  • http://www.slamonline.com JohnnyyyJ

    I think this is completely retarded, 1st Kobe is the best SG of all time so he would kill Michael Jordan because of the size and strength of kobe and for the SF position its COMMON sense L James/ Kevin Durant would destory Bird or Malone. The only upper hand that the 92 team has is the center which would of been easily looked past because of the SG and SF play.. but honestly no reason to argue it because this game will never take place but oh how we all wish it would!

  • http://thahiphopcorner.com Kevin

    I love Magic Johnson (no homo) but Magic in 1992 couldnt guard Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook or Deron Williams if his HIV medication depended on it. Both teams are even, the biggest glaring advantage for the Dream Team are their bigs. I dont know who on the 1992 team would be able to guard Carmelo who is a monster in FIBA play

  • corky

    You people are ridiculous.

    Who would guard LeBron? Roffle! Pippen (or LeBron). But really, who cares?

    The real question is who would guard Jordan…or anyone else in that lineup for that matter?

  • http://www.newyorkshockexchange.com Shock Exchange

    Horry, Jr outta his rabbit ____ mind. The equivalent of “cubic zirconias” (2012 Team) vs “diamonds” (Dream Team).

  • http://www.reverbnation.com/tray24 T-Ray

    Lol @Valkyrie that response was priceless and classic MJ.
    I honestly feel that Jordan during that time of his career would have his way with anyone offensively and defensively. Pippen would indeed give Durant/Melo/LeBron fits on defense. The 2012 team has the advantage at the PG spot with their speed and athleticism. The X factor in this is the Dream Team’s size and all-around skill set of their bigs.

  • Solito

    @23: I guess, I shouldn’t have forgotten him. he would be the one match up problem for them, when guarded one on one. but the the guys on the 92 squad were great help side defender. Specially Drexler, Pippen and Robinson. Same outcome, though.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    The 2012 team has a PG advantage? LOL!!!!! Because Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Deron Williams can guard Magic Johnson? People think about what you say before you say it. There is an offensive advantage for the 2012 guys in that their PG’s are quick…then there is the defensive disadvantage in that, the 2012 PG’s can’t guard a single player on the Dream Team except John Stockton. Plus, on the boards, the Dream Team would win the rebounding battle by 50 miles.

  • EuroForce

    Crazy.The former Yugoslavia of 1991 would have beaten this “2012 dream team”.Kobe is crazy.

  • http://www.reverbnation.com/tray24 T-Ray

    God Doug Gottlieb is such a retard. They messed up letting him run The Herd while Colin is gone. His explanation of how the 2012 team would beat the Dream Team is hilarious yet pathetic.

  • RIGGS

    wow some of you guys are bugging, you think pippen wouldnt handle lebron?

  • http://www.newyorkshockexchange.com Shock Exchange

    Compared to the ’92 Olympians, Horry, Jr, LeBron, BG, Melo, et al is a glorified AAU team.

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    The college team beat the 1992 Dream Team, so why don’t people think this years Dream Team cannot win. In a seven game series, I could see it going 7 games or 6 games in favor of Dream Team 1. But people forget 1992 team did have alot of Hall of Famers, but some of them were chokers, if we keep it real. The only players on that team I would fear if I was the 2012 team is MJ, Barkley and maybe David Robinson. If the 1992 team have Zeke at point guard, no way this year Dream Team win one game. Magic was old and Stockon really did nothing for the Dream Team. Its not ridiculous for Kobe comments. I still have the Dream Team games on VHS and at times they did play old and really MJ was the deal while everyone else followed.

  • Bh

    The more I think about it, the more I think it would be a really close game, or series. Magic, even in ’92, was still Magic — he’d just taken the Lakers to the Finals one season prior to that (’91); he was the league’s MVP in ’90. And Stockton was absolutely in his prime. Consequently, the PG battle would be a push — none of those dudes would be able to stop the other side. It would appear that the “Dream Team’s” bigs have the advantage but we shouldn’t underestimate 3 things — 1. Chandler’s post D (which is superb), 2. K-Love’s outside shooting (again, superb), and 3. LBJ’s ability to play the 4.

  • Bh

    Like any great series, it would come down to the truly, transcendent superstars — specifically, the playmakers. And, as of now, MJ + Bird (even old Bird hit big shots!) + Magic > LBJ + KD + Kobe

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    The College team also didn’t score a single point the next day. They lost 100-0.

  • Bh

    Also, this discussion should be framed with realistic rotations in mind — the Dream Team would go Magic, MJ, Pip, Barkley, and Robinson as starters with Stockton, Drexler, Mullin, Malone, and Ewing off the bench. Bird would be there as a Mike Miller type and Laettner would handle the towels. 2012 starts CP3, Kobe, KD, LBJ, and Tyson with Deron, Russell, Melo, Love, and Iggy off the bench. Harden is there for emergency, microwave type moments and Blake would handle garbage time highlights. When framed that way, 2012 may actually have the advantage in a series. MJ would have to be incredible for the Dream Teamers to win. But MJ WAS incredible.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    NBK
    That is a lie. They didn’t get shutout, but they did get smashed.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    they even said they didn’t score. Why they say that if it isn’t true? (not talking about the Dream team guys, talking about Chris Webber and them)

  • james

    They must beat the stats that the Dream team did. If im not mistaken their average winning margin is 40+ and Chuck Daley didn`t call a single timeout in the tournament.

  • corky

    “…the defensive disadvantage in that, the 2012 PG’s can’t guard a single player on the Dream Team except John Stockton.”

    Not even him. Stockton’s big game ability against top flight competition is abundant and obvious…and he was still producing into his late 30′s.

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    ^^^^^^^The other teams were just starting to develop their basketball teams and basketball was not global like it is now. There is basketball everywhere, from streetball to organized ball.

  • http://www.slamonline.com spit hot fiyah

    drexler i so underrated, he could easily play in todays nba and produce like he did back 20 years ago

  • Sizzle

    Taken from my other post, but what I believe……I agree with MJ, BUT what should really be said is NO team will ever be comparable to the dream team even if a future team is better. It’s highly unlikely that another team will be able to beat international teams by an average of 43 points (due to the increase in hoops competition from around the world). Not that I wouldn’t want to see dream teams vs redeem team or the 2012 team, but what I would really want to see is the Dream Team against today’s international teams. No question they would still be getting the gold, but I highly doubt they would win by an average of 43 points. International players these days aren’t afraid of the us like they were back then. I think it would be a different ball game, and not pictures being taken after getting stomped by 43+

  • LP

    yall basing yall opinions off a scrimmage??? in which, in the documentary they said Jordan and some others didn’t even PLAY??? oh..ok.

  • MG

    Barkley is clearly right.

    I actually think that the best players today are equivalent to the best players 20 years ago. But not all of the best players are on this year’s US Olympic team. That’s the main distinction.

    Dwight Howard, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Derek Rose, Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett, and Tim Duncan aren’t playing. If they were – then the imagined match-up would be damn close.

    But Barkley is spot on. Among this year’s roster, only LeBron, Kobe, and Kevin Durant are good enough to have made the ’92 team. I would take those 3 ahead of Christian Laettner, Chris Mullin, and Clyde Drexler.

    But Blake Griffin vs. Karl Malone? Karl Malone wins.
    Tyson Chandler vs. Patrick Ewing? Ewing.
    Russell Westbrook vs. Magic Johnson? Magic.
    Kevin Love vs. Charles Barkley? Barkley.
    Andre Iguodala vs. Scottie Pippen? Pippen.
    Chris Paul vs. John Stockton? Stockton by a small margin.
    James Harden vs. David Robinson? (Yes – I know the positions are different). Robinson.
    Deron Williams vs. Michael Jordan? Give me a break.
    Carmelo Anthony vs. Larry Bird? Please.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    NBK
    I thought they said they didn’t score for a long stretch in the beginning, but not that the got shutout 100-0 for the game. That’s what I meant.

  • http://www.reverbnation.com/tray24 T-Ray

    Agreed Sizzle

  • DreDay

    Only people who never watched the players from the ’92 Dream Team would agree with Kobe. Put the Bath Salts down kids!! Good doesn’t compete with GREAT!! Move on!!

  • Dungeon Family

    2K need to make this Happen

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