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...I think Kobe's smoking crack. :frown:

http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/basketball/story/_/id/8158008/charles-barkley-says-1992-dream-team-beat-2012-olympic-team-double-digits

Kobe is an idiot. That 1992 Dream Team is the best team to suit up anywhere, any time, ever. The only improvement they could have made is putting almost anyone on that team instead of Christian Laettner.

I never understood that.  If they wanted the token college player, they should've taken Shaq.  I thought Chris Mullin was a bit of a reach too, but he was the best 3 point shooter in the league at the time so he certainly filled that role.

Questioning player selection of the '92 Dream Team? Man, y'all would criticize some of the ingredients of grandma's homemade pecan pie, wouldn't you?  :toothless:

Seriously though- Christian Laettner?  One of these things is not like the others... :wink:

Laettner won two NCAA titles and was a great college player. O'Neal, while a great player, played on LSU teams that woefully underperformed in the tourney.

That's great, but everyone knew even then that Shaq's game would translate better at the next level.  And besides, did they really NEED a "winner"?  They already had Jordan and Magic and Bird. 

By the same logic, they didn't need another Shaq for talent either.   

Kobe also thought he could fool around and not get caught.

I had always kind of saw Laettner's being picked as a "reward" pick.  And, as others have pointed out, it's not like they desperately needed O'Neill.

Well, I always thought it strange that they felt the need to include a college player anyway, especially given their stated goal to assemble the best team ever top to bottom.  The Hawks homer in me thinks that spot should've gone to 'Nique.

Speaking of Kobe, so yeah, I guess since he deigned to show up this year, all of a sudden he has to talk smack about it.   In the past he has had better things to do.  But I get it.  Now that HE'S back in the Olympics, it's the greatest of all time.   :frown:

Meh.  I have never liked that guy.

He should wait until AFTER the U.S. team wins the upcoming gold medal before talking about who would beat whom.

This. Spain is a threat to this team.

Wouldn't that be a kick in the teeth if the US lost. But I don't know if there's much chance of that. I've been hearing most of the experts say that most of the international teams aren't quite as strong as they've been in the past. When the US lost in 2004, my opinion was that they lost because foreign teams played fundamental basketball, and the US couldn't match them in the half-court game. In '08 Coach K did a great job of utilizing the USA's greater athleticism by pressing and running more, getting a lot of easy baskets in transition. I'm pretty sure that will happen again this year.

I think they will win, but Spain is the team to watch because the US doesn't have a lot of front court size and Spain has both Gasols plus the guy from OKC who is a great shot blocker. Plus they are even with the US at point guard with Rubio. The US should win but don't sleep on Spain... that's all I'm saying.

I love arguments like these. No way to know because they can't play each other

I don't think Rubio is going to play.

http://www.fibaeurope.com/coid_8B4pGl1WJM6KjanOYvB,A1.articleMode_on.html

For some reason I thought he got hurt earlier in the season and would be returning, so my bad for not knowing that.

I STILL say Spain will threaten them. The US is bringing virtually nothing to London in the post and Spain has three NBA players there.

In '04, when the US limped to the bronze, it was pretty obvious that a lot of the foreign players where more skilled in basic fundamental basketball then the US. They shot better, had better teamwork and chemistry (we had guys like Iverson, Stephon Marbury, Carmelo Anthony, etc., that were never really known for being anything other than point-scoring machines). in '08 Coach K seemed to have the good sense to realize this and sucessfully out-athleted everybody else. So, yes I think the US could be beaten but I think again it will come down to altheticism vs. fundamentals. And with Rubio out, it will make it harder for Spain to withstand the US defensive pressure.