Dream Team:
Jordan > Bryant/James
Robinson > Chandler
Ewing > Griffin
Malone > Love
Barkley > Durant
Bird > Bosh
Pippen > Carmelo
Mullen > Iguadola
Drexler > Westbrook
Magic > Williams
Stockton > Paul
2012 team:
Harden > Laettner
Dream Team-12 2012 team-1

If Kobe, LeBron and Durant were pros in 1992, they would displace Mullin and Laetner. Kobe and LeBron would take their places. Kobe would probably take either Drexler's spot or Pippen's, even though I would prefer that he took Stocton's.

The team would then be as follows:

Magic
Jordan
Bird
Stockton
Pippen/Drexler
Malone
Barkley
Ewing
Robinson
Kobe
Lebron
Durant

Barkley is correct; the 2012 team has just three players who would make the 1992 team, though CP3 and Deron Williams could probably make good cases as top alternates.

Ain't nobody taking Pippen's spot.

Damn right, to be honest at this time in thier career Scottie was probably the best defensive weapon on the Dream Team and could easily have been the third or fourth option on offense!!!

Agree!!

What the hell are you smoking son? No one would take Pippen's spot, lol. I have the privilege to watch all '92 DT players from draft until retirement, let me tell you, I didn't seen in all this years a Team that can Match The 1992 Dream Team, they were the real Deal. Period

Kobe couldn't take Pippen's spot because Kobe is a pretty much a one trick pony. All he really does is score. He doesn't put up big numbers in any other statistical category. Kobe has rarely if ever seen a triple double or a double double. Pippen was a good rebounder and assist man. So it would have to be Drexler.

Okay so you're an idiot. You should really look up stats before you quote them. Scottie Pippen played 21 years and had 21 tripple doubles. Kobe so far has played 16 years and has had 17 tripple doubles.

Pippin was drafted in 1987 and retired from the NBA in 2004, so how is that 21 years? You can't count 4 years playing in garbage European leagues.

So what you're saying is "Pippen has more tripple doubles." Thanks... that's the whole point. You're missing the point: Pippen has always been an All-around threat (every game), while Kobe is only on certain nights. Look up career scoring, rebounding and assists: Pippen is on every list. Kobe has been a legend on a scrub Laker team and has never lead the team in every category. Pippen had an excellent team in '94 minus Jordan... and led in Scoring, Rebounding, and Assists... plus was the all-star MVP. Plus he only missed the finals by a phantom foul call by Hue Hollins, when Pippen lunged at Hubert Davis on the 3point line. Pippen is a 9 time 1st team All_NBA defensive legend. Kobe can't guard any premier player, but Pippen is legendary because he could guard anybody; Magic 1st Bulls championship, Drexler 2nd Bulls title, Barkley & Kevin Johnson 3rd Bulls title. Guarded Shawn Kemp & Gary Payton 4th Bulls title, and various players from Utah Jazz for Bulls 5th & 6th NBA Championships!!! Oh....and almost did the same with Portland against the Lakers, while in his Mid-30's (35-37).

Tell him again, these young kats don't know anything about the game, to them it's all about how many points you can score!!!

Not to mention that "one trick pony" has been selected 1st team All Defensive 9 times, tying him with Michael Jordan, Gary Payton, and Kevin Garnett for that record. 12 times overall, second only to Tim Duncan's 13.

NOT EVEN DREXLER

I would take Mullin over Kobe to fit on that team any day. Mullin was a guy who could shoot and still see the open man. He was third or fourth highest scorer on that team. Didn't need Kobes black hole attitude with all those scorers.

wow! lol this is makeing me laugh too hard you guys stop please! 2012 against 92 dream team. Kobe i swear man their are doctors that can help you dont give up beacuse if you think 2012 can beat 92 dream team you need to check youself in to rehab who ever thinks Kobe or Labron can D up on Micheal Jordan i feel sorry sorry for you Barkley might have been 6''4 but he would kill some of the fowards right now and griffin lol lol lol
aginst The Admrial lol lol. pipen would stop everyone on 2012 even Gay James sorry Labron James

Neither Kobe nor Lebron could D up Jordan, nobody could 1 on 1, and Jordan could D up Kobe, but could never match up w/ Lebron, nobody could 1 on 1,he's too big & strong and just as fast, those 2 are a wash.

NOPE JASON KIDD

I'm with you on most of these. Come on though, the 92 squad doesn't stack up quite so well. Some of those "greater thans" are pretty thin. I really think it comes down the centers. Robinson and Ewing can handle Griffin and Chandler with little trouble. The other matchups can be even and it's still 92 by a good margin. I'm willing to say 92 bought into the team concept better as well, but have to hold off as 2012 has yet to play. If they treat it like an All-Star game, they'd get killed.

The 92 squad absolutely kills the current squad. Kobe spoke like a twenty-something- year-old with no knowledge of the game. It is shameful!!! He should have known better. He deserves to get skewered by everyone over the age of 35.

Kobe spoke with the confidence / ego / hubris that only the greatest athletes possess. If you don't have supreme confidence, you don't rise to the top - in any field. And, just maybe, he was trying to push a few buttons too.

BTW, he's known to be one of the most knowledgable people on the planet when it comes to basketball. He studies the game, both past and present.

If Kobe is oe of the most knowledgeable people on the planet when i comes to basketball, then, he needs to study his own stats, maybe that might help him to see that he probably forces more shots than anybody else around, and he really doesn't get team concpts. ( i'm not saying he's not a great basketball payer, he's just a selfish player) Plus the guy is 35yrs old, he needs to be more of a leader/facilitator/coach out there and be more opportunistc and create opportunities for his team mate. Just saying!

Yeah im sorry buddy... this generation really doesn't have G.O.A.T. Talent. Stats aside (as an fyi you lose mathmatically as well) . More to my point in 92 basket ball was a very popular sport. Today the sport is in dissarray. No disrespect to soccer but they have over taken the nba as the third most watched sport.

Close, but you've got a few mistakes on there.
Lebron would be a game changer for an olympic team no matter what decade he is playing in. He seems to be at the peak of his performance. Also Kevin Durant would be a hard matchup for anyone. The starting 5:
Magic > Paul
Jordan > Bryant
James > Malone/ Barkley
Durrant > Bird (Bird is one of the greatest players ever but the arm reach and athleticism of KD is unbelievable.
Ewing/robinson > chandler

Griffin would be a no contest loss against any of the players out here. He's good at dunking but not much else.
Melo would not be able to match up with any of the forwards.
On the '12 side, the quickness of the NBA has become much different now than in years past. There are people coming into the NBA that run faster 40 times than the people coming into the NFL (OJ Mayo for example). Westbrook and Harden have a lot of speed that will be hard to match up against. I know their size may hinder them, but Westbrook's size doesn't stop him from getting to the hole in any other game.
I give the full advantage to the '92 team, but it would be a closer game than most people are willing to admit.

Durant over Bird? Clueless. Bird made everybody better around him just by attitude. Anybody playing back then think that Bird wasn't a tough matchup?

As a career, you may be correct. But Bird was 36 during the 1992 Olympics. I have no problems believing a 23 year old Durant would easily be better than the 36 year old Bird.

I agree. Bird's inclusion on the team was sort of a lifetime achievement award. Over the course of his career, he was superior to everyone we're talking about except Magic and Jordan. But by 92 he had a terrible back that limited his playing time and was clearly near the end of his career. Today's Durant would help the team more than the 92 Bird did. If we could have someone gotten a healthy,1985-quality Larry Bird on the team, though...

Bird as a starter was more of a gesture than anything else, I believe Barkley and Pippen played more so Durrant would have had to match up with them more. Melo has no business on the 2012 team, he's as over rated as anyone who has ever played the game.

Have to call a foul on your "Close game" comment: It'd be a yawner of a game. When the 6'9" Magic got tired of posting up the 6'0' Paul and sky-hooking him to death, he would just pass down to the Admiral for the layup and the foul against the hugely overmatched Chandler. Defensively, both Bird and MJ could afford to be much more aggressive on defense because of Robinson/Ewing's ability to nullify drives by KD and Lebron.
And to be fair, you can't sy "Bird is one of greatest ever, BUT..." Bird would find a way to be Bird offensively, AND he's one of the dirtiest, sneakiest players ever... he'd find (or make) a way to slow or hold (literally) KD under his average!

I would agree that the only guys on the 2012 team who would have made the '92 Dream Team would have been Kobe, LeBron and Durant ! I would go as far as to say D Wade would have made that team as well.

My only gripe about the Dream Team was the omission of Isiah Thomas ! Like him or not, Thomas deserved to be on the team whether the guys who colluded to keep him off wanted him there or not !

To me, threatening not to play if Thomas payed was unpatriotic ! It was Team USA not Team Magic, Michael, Larry, Charles, Clyde, John, Christian, Karl, Patrick, David etc etc etc !

That was thing about the Dream Team and the selection committee that I can never forgive, leaving arguably the greatest PG under 6'2" off the team ! Isiah was a better all around PG than was Stiockton and if I recall, Stockton at times looked out of his element when Magic, Michael, Scottie, Clyde etc played their run and gun style !

You've got to be kidding about Thomas being better than Stockton right?
How does 15,806 assists sound? Which kills the next closest person (Jason Kidd) by 4,000.
How about 3,265 steals? That is more than 700 more than 2nd place Jason Kidd who will not pass him in either category seeing as he is already 39 years old.
So don't tell me Stockton didn't deserve to be on that list or that Isiah was a better all around PG than Stockton. The only category Isiah beats Stockton in is scoring but look at the Dream Team they did't need another scorer they needed someone to distribute the ball.

The only person named so far, that I would've considered is Durant, but Thomas? NO WAY, yes he was a great player but when that team was put together, chemistry was a huge factor and Thomas was always a brat. And you know when a team is great, whet Michael Jordan averaged a playing time of less than 20 minutes per game.
Every team after the 92 team, goes out there to play a basketball game, they go out there to win, to compete. The 92 team they knew they didn't have to, people were going to every game just to see them have fun, they destroyed everyone they played, they were just playing around, they were never challenged in any way shape or form. Watching them play together was a thing of beauty, and that is why they will always be de real deal, The real Dream Team, and that is why even 20 years and 5 olymipic games later every team ever put together is alway compared to them and not to any of the other 5 so called dream teams.

The Euro teams have also gotten better since then.

Don't forget Reggie Miller.

you are so right! reggie miller would run rings aroud labron. it was so hard for people to get around double sceens then lights out

Kobe, bit off more than he can chew! They wouldn't stand a chance. Just look at the match up! Slaughter city!

And as far as replacing PIPPEN! You need to get off dat crack cos' ain't nobody taking PIPPEN spot! None these guyz has even come close to what Pippen has accomplished! Pippen is da Man!

Pippen accomplished nothing without Jordan. He was a great defender, but a lot of guys are.

In fact, quitting on his team during a play off game may be his legacy in the end.

Well said. Hard to imagine Jordan or Bird or Magic pouting on the bench during the final seconds of a playoff game.

that said, you still keep Pippen. He can do a little of everything. A good compliment to the other guys on the floor.

Man stop it because if you take Scottie away from that team Jordan doesn't get any rings either. You guys need to go back and do some research before you start spewing off at the mouth. You don't get to be in the Top 50 Players of all time by being just an ok player!!!

To completely end the argument just look at what the teams are called. In 92 the team was actually named the "Dream Team". For 2012 they have come up with a clever name, Team USA. Nuff said. LOL!!! Forget about the matchups, the truth is in the name. You don't dream about watching all of the 2012 players perform like you did the players from 92. Kobe its time to wake up because your 2012 Team USA plays the Dominican Republic in a few hours.

The only reason the '92 team was called the Dream Team was it was a "dream" to get a collection of greats together like that, because it had never before happened. Prior to '92, the US team consisted of amateur players only.

the "body glove". Gary Payton, was at the height of his career back in 92. Tell me that I am wrong but I would rather have him on my team than Westbrooke or DWill . He got plenty of speed and one of the best defensive little guy ever to play in the NBA. The Reign Man, Shawn Kemp, would posterize any of these 1012 player at any given moment. In 92, Kemp was a man child with plenty of speed and nastiness.

Both of them did not make the team. That to show how scary good the dream team was.

At 34, Kobe does possess a lot of hot air.

Jordan over Bryant but = to James
Robinson over Chandler "Big"
Ewing over Anthony Davis "Big"
Malone over Love
Barkley = Durrant
Bird over Bosh "slightly for his shooting"
Pippen over Carmello
Mullen = Iggy
Drexler = Westbrook
Magic over Williams "big"
Stockton = Paul
Harden = Laettner
Dream team 7, 2012 0, 6 washes

Thats a pretty lineup.....Jordan at 29 would freak kobe at 34...The Cut Fit Robinson...would drive Chandler crazy....Georgetown EWING would freak Griffin...he would get a few dunks but his EGO would be Torched....Barkley and Durant...that would be something to see....Bird would run and shoot Bosh's lights out.. Malone would out rebound and throw kevin Love into the next Row...Malone was George Foreman Strong..Pippen would shut Carmelo down....im sorry..Mullen and Igualdala..is a good match...iguadala takes mullen to the hole...but Mullen would Shoot his eyes out of his face...Westbrook and Drexler..tough match up..advatage probably Westbrook but just slightly..Magic wins against williams or westbrook too big and too smooth..put Big Game James on the floor and its GAME over....Stockton vs paul that another good match up....I say advantage Paul...just on raw quickness but stockton would light him up off a screen........Harden would probably freak laettner....he was just big and very weak!! The Dream team would CRUSH Bryant and his bad news bears!!!

HOW GOOD 92 DREAM TEAM WAS THEY DIDN'T LET LAETTNER PLAY THAT MUCH

You guys forget that Bosh is not on the team. If you're talking about people that would have made the team, then the only one worth mentioning is Dwight Howard. He can give Robinson and Ewing a run for their money. If Kobe, James and Durant were to replace 3 players, it'd be Laetner , no brainer there, Mullin would be replaced by Durant, James can take Clyde's spot. It was between Clyde and Pippen, but Scottie's defense is too valuable. Now to debate if you can fit Howard in there, over Ewing or Robinson (or someone else)

CRY BABY HOWARD WOULD GET CRUSHED BY YOUNG SHAQ

92 TEAM
PG Stockton
SG Jordan
SF Pippen
PF Malone
C Ewing

92 RESERVES
PG Magic,
SG Drexler,
SF Bird
PF Barkley
C Robinson


12 TEAM
PG Paul
SG Kobe
SF Durant
PF James
C Griffin

12RESERVES
PG Williams
SG Westbrook
SF Carmello
PF Love
C Chandler

There really is no question that the Dream Team would destroy them, no matter how you start the current roster their is a direct answer from the Dream Team, same does not hold true the other way. Also the defensive intensity of everyone from 92 would be too much to handle for the current players.

you have the starting 5 an reserves for the 2012 team wrong

starters

pg Paul
sg Bryant
sf Durant
pf James
c Chandler

reserves
pg Williams
sg Igoudala
sf Anthony
pf Griffin
c Love

11 harden
12 westbrook

So Kobe Bryant thinks this current (2012) US Olympic team would beat the Dream Team of 1992; well all I can say is that KB has been in LA too long and the smog has gotten the best of him. I only hope that the 2012 team doesn't stumble and fall flat on its collective faces during the Olympic Games. If that happens, KB is going to look mighty stupid with egg all over his smug mug. There is an old saying that goes:' True greatness is its own reward'; thus, until one becomes truly great one cannot claim greatness; and, the 2012 US Olympic team hasn't proven itself to be great.....yet.

Well said, totally agreed. Can't wait this team play again the Euro teams, Basketball International Level is not the same as 20 yrs ago, they are at the same level as NBA.

That's a comment I can agree with. The Euro teams now are a lot better than they were from from back then. Truth is we really don't know who would win between the 2 teams. I think it would be a pretty good game. Now I Can say that Jordan at 29 would kill Kobe at 34.

"Well said, totally agreed. Can't wait this team play again the Euro teams, Basketball International Level is not the same as 20 yrs ago, they are at the same level as NBA."

Well, you just inadvertently gave a very good reason why the 2012 team deserves a lot more credit (if they win) than what they're being given in these posts - the competition is exponentially better today than 20 years ago.

Especially Spain, Argentina and Turkey. These will be all tough games for the US team.

BUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH! OUR BEST PLAYERS ARE NOT EVEN PLAYING "SmallFry123" u must be a joke. there is no say the dream team would beat this new team, this is the line up.

Johnson vs paul = paul [magic couldnt even guard the non-athletic slow pg in the 80's]
jordan vs kobe = mike [slight edge to mike]
bird/pipen vs durant = durant [no brain er]
malone vs lebron = lebron [lebron is actually a guard in a Karl malone body lol
Robinson vs chandler = Robinson [but is not bec robinson is so good, its because chandler is no a scorer and besides robinson and Ewing wouldn't even start on the dream team if Hakeem the Dream wasn't born in Nigeria] also, our best center isnt even playing
pipen vs melo = melo
stockon vs williams = williams [guys like stockton cant even play in the league now]
drexler vs westbrook = dont make me laugh
barkley vs griffin = griff [there is no room for 6'4 powe rfowards in the league right now]
mullens vs iguadola = dont make me laugh

I'm going to guess you're maybe 25? Chris Paul over Magic!! Bird was one of the best basketball players to ever touch the floor. You are basically trashing some of the greatest NBA players ever. I'm guess you give Chandler the edge of Wilt Chamberlain too? Do yourself a favor and go and watch some of the Olympics from '92. Hell, what a NBA game from that time. These guys were PHYSICAL! They owned guys on Defense. Barkley and Jordan would just flat run over you. I agree with Barkey..3-4 guys on this years team could ride the '92 bench.

If you were born before 1982 and believe this team could beat the Dream Team, please pass whatever you're smoking son, because I'll probably think I can date Kate Upton with the stuff you got.

Pippen would make Durant go crazy. Did you ever watch Pippen play defense? Probably not.

Say it again man, they don't know anything about the real game of basketball!!!
Pippens D was insane, I've seen him shut down most of the plaers he matched up against!!!

Your David Robinson, Pat Ewing argument is dumb too. Robinson was a beast. Did you see the game where he poured in 70 or were you still sucking your mom's titties?

Melo over Pippen.........you nearly made me laugh coffee through my nose, kid. Melo can't guard his own shadow, he would be pouting by the end of the first quarter.

No room for Barkley in today's league? When I think of what Charles would do to day's power forwards I think, Hulk smash, Hulk smash!! He would have his way with these kids in his prime.

Many of the 2012 Team will have to purchase an ticket to get inside the hall of fame, kid.

I LAUGH SO HARD THAT MY SECRETARY LOOK AT ME LIKE I'M CRAZY, LOL. THIS KIDS DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT 80'S AND 90'S BASKETBALL,LMAO...PLAIN AND SIMPLE
LOL, MELO VS PIPPEN? - PLEASE, LOL...

You're a dope, outside of Lebron, Kobe and maybe Durrant I don't think there's another hall of famer on this roster. Iguodala doesn't even make the league back in 1992, he's playing in Turkey for chickens and a tent to sleep in. You're comparisons mean nothing because there are five players on the court at a time, it's not one on one games. Just another idiot with a computer.

Johnson vs paul = paul [magic couldnt even guard the non-athletic slow pg in the 80's] - i WOULD PAY TO SEE THIS MATCH
jordan vs kobe = mike [slight edge to mike] - KOBE HAVE NOTHING ON MIKE, NO EVEN A SLIGHT EDGE - ARE YOU CRAZY?
bird/pipen vs durant = durant [no brain er] - I DON'T KNOW ABOUT BIRD BUT AGAIN DURAN HAVE NOTHING ON PIPPEN, SORRY
LET ME STOP HERE, REALLY? I CAN TELL, YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS BASKETBALL BACK IN THE '80'S AND '90'S, YOU MUST BE WATCHING NBA IN THE LAST 10YRS, LOL KIDS!!

BTW'
pipen vs melo = melo - THIS IS A CLEAR EXAMPLE WHAT DRUGS DO YOUR BRAINS, KIDS DON'T USE DRUGS. PIPPEN WILL EAT MELO FOR BREAKFAST,LOL...

I'M DONE.

You made me laugh.

HOW MANY RINGS DOES PAUL HAVE. JORDAN NO QUESTION. PIPEN U FORGOT. MALONE WOULD GO INSIDE ON LELOSSER. I WOULD SAY SHAQ THEN AND NOW. AGAIN PIPEN. STOCKON LIKE BIRD HE'S JUST THAT GOOD. STILL DREXLER, WESTBROOK COULDN'T KEEP UP. BARKLEY WOULD LAUGH AT U.THA LAST ONE IS A SLIGHT EDGE.

aahmed04 paul over johnson...please..magic would back him down for ***** and giggles...bird over durant....apparently you have never seen bird against long power forwards and dont forget bird was 6"9 and very long arms. Malone would kill lebron on the inside...Lebron would kill Malone on the outside...stockton off a a malone screen watched it for almost 20 years and NOBODY could stop it...Stockton led with Assists and Point ratio for Years on the screen alone...trust me many had tried to stop it to no avail....Barkley was ONE tuff ass son of a bitch against Big men and the like...He did not back down to anybody ...and griffin was no exception.....Barkley and Shaq went to blows and Charles did not Back down...Charles could defend ...grab rebounds ..and score on ANY big man and he was AMAZING for that ..a freak of nature..out of Auburn...look up the old film ...look at his numbers for his height....and you will not beleive what he did for almost 18 years AGAINST BIG MEN.....dont fool yourself.......Mullen is not in the HOF for nothing...one of the baddest leftiies from the 3pt arc and like Bird Helluvia basketball IQ...he was always around the ball...WAS a PURE shooter..like WEST..Paxson or...Ray Allen...Igualdola..is a good dunker but his outside game has always been inconsistent.....keep in mind....Ewing and Robinson were old school Centers......They STopped Buckets...no driving to the hole...easy layups...or working your way in the paint......they RULED the paint...Chandler or Griffin dont know any thing about that

What???!!!! 92 Dream Team is the best line-up we'll EVER see! I only have to name 5 of the players, and it kills any arguement you might have for the 2012 team. Magic=Best Point Guard EVER (only point in history to play all 5 positions), Jordan=Best Player EVER (of course, you young guys would argue for Kobe or Labron), Pippen=Best all-around player (Melo can't win, only score points. Where as Pippen led the championship Bulls in EVERY catagory when Jordan retired), Barkley (Best PF EVER - Who locked Shaq down at 6'4'', and could step outside the arc when he needed to. You can't even go to Griffin in the clutch, but Barkley was the 1st option on every team he played for), and you can't compare Chandler to Ewing or Robinson (I don't really need to point out why, do I?)

The funniest match-up you have on here is Mello vs Pippen and you gave the edge to Mello? Mello doesn't even play D and Scottie is one of the best defenders to play the game. Stop smoking whatever it is you're smoking...
CP vs Magic, granted Majic couldn't stay in front of CP3 but Magic would kill CP3, cause all he would have to do was post him up... Com'on Son

aahmed04...you watch to many porns, you silly kid! You and your devil laugh! Go to youtube and do a little research, ok? Don't embarass yourself. If you haven't watched any 80's or 90's nba games yet, then pls do so before you make your comments. Understand, boy?

My problem with this whole thingis that I could take a group of alternates from 1992 and form a team that would kill the 2012 team, which means that Kobe is on crack!
Try ths on for size:
Centers: Shaquille O'Neal (7'1) and Alonzo Mourning (6'10)
Power Forwards: Tom Chambers (6'10), Otis Thorpe (6'9), Danny Manning (6'11), and Shawn Kemp (6'10)
Swing Forward: Dennis Rodman (6'8)
Small Forward: James Worthy (6'9)
Shooting Guards/Small Forwards: Reggie Miller (6'7) and Reggie Lewis (6'7)
Point Guards: Isiah Thomas (5'11) and Joe Dumars ( 6'3)
PG could also include as alternates any combo of two of the following: Gary Payton (6'4), Kevin Johnson (6'2), Mark Price (6'1), Terry Porter (6'3), Mookie Blaylock (6'0), Terrell Brandon (5'11), Tyrone "Mugsy" Bogues (5'3), Kenny Anderson (6'2)
Note: At the time, Kenny Anderson was living up to his star potential! Now he's one of the biggest underacheivers in NBA history.
SG could include as an alternative any combo of two of the following: Alex English (6'7), Hersey Hawkins (6'3), Mitch Richmond (6'5), Ricky Pierce (6'7), Dan Majerle (6'6), Rex Chapman (6'4), Chuck Person (6'8), Dale Ellis (6'7), John Starks (6'5), Dell Curry (6'4)
SF coud inlude as an alternate: Larry Johnson (6'6)
PF could also include as an alternative any combo of he following: Charles Oakley (6'9), Larry Nance (6'10), Cliff Robinson (6'11)
Centers could include as an alternate: Brad Dougherty (7'0)
Now...let's look at the 2012 team.
The only legitimate members are
Kobe
LeBron
Durant
Deron Williams
Chris Paul
Kevin Love
Carmelo Anthony
The following would not be on the team if not for injuries, etc.; so they're cutbait, for the purposes of this discussion.
Blake Griffin (undeveloped, can only dunk, Shawn Kemp without the additional talents/skills)
James Harden (too inexperienced, not as skilled as the other 2G's)
Tyson Chandler (one-dimensional - defender - and sometimes not great at that)
Andre Iguodala (great athlete, odd choice over Rudy Gay)
Russell Westbrook (he's not a true PG; no need for four 2G's)
Instead, these five people would be on the team:
Dwight Howard
Dwayne Wade
Derrick Rose
Andrew Bynum/LaMarcus Aldridge
Brandon Roy*
*B-Roy is the theird-best 2G in the NBA being Kobe and D-Wade, and would certainly have been on this team had he been healthy enough to endure the training schedule over the past two years.
Yet, even if the 2012 team looked like this...
Deron Williams
Chris Paul
Derrick Rose
Dwayne Wade
Brandon Roy
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Kevin Love
Carmelo Anthony
Dwight Howard
Andrew Bynum/LaMarcus Aldridge
...it still wouldn't be good enough to beat that alternate team I proposed above. So how in the name of Satan can Kobe fix his lips to say that the 2012 team could beat the1992 team?
In 1992, Shaq and Mourning would have just been drafted into the NBA; yet they still would have been too much for the 2012 bigs to handle. That alternate team would have had two things the 2012 team now sorely lacks (actually THREE): a pure, deadeye shooter, bigs who can consistently rebound as well as score big numbers, and a kick-ass enforcer (like a Dennis Rodman, a Charles Oakley, or an Otis Thorpe).

I WAS WITH YOU TILL U PICK ANDREW BYNUM PLUS WADE FALLS TO MUCH.

Wade falls but he scores. when he is healthy, he is a monster.

Individual players it is not even close....as a team...what is Kobe thinking? With Magic and Bird as the epitome of team players and Jordan as one of the all time clutch plays...say nothing about the centers of Robinson and Ewing, this would not even be close.

My problem with this whole thing that I could take a group of alternates from 1992 and form a team that would kill the 2012 team, which means that Kobe is on crack!

Try this on for size:

Centers: Shaquille O'Neal (7'1) and Alonzo Mourning (6'10)

Power Forwards: Tom Chambers (6'10), Otis Thorpe (6'9), Danny Manning (6'11), and Shawn Kemp (6'10)

Swing Forward: Dennis Rodman (6'8)

Small Forward: James Worthy (6'9)

Shooting Guards/Small Forwards: Reggie Miller (6'7) and Reggie Lewis (6'7)

Point Guards: Isiah Thomas (5'11) and Joe Dumars ( 6'3)

PG could also include as alternates any combo of two of the following: Gary Payton (6'4), Kevin Johnson (6'2), Mark Price (6'1), Terry Porter (6'3), Mookie Blaylock (6'0), Terrell Brandon (5'11), Tyrone "Mugsy" Bogues (5'3), and Kenny Anderson (6'2)

Note: At the time, Kenny Anderson was living up to his star potential! Now he's one of the biggest under-achievers in NBA history.

SG could include as an alternative any combo of two of the following: Alex English (6'7), Hersey Hawkins (6'3), Mitch Richmond (6'5), Ricky Pierce (6'7), Dan Majerle (6'6), Rex Chapman (6'4), Chuck Person (6'8), Dale Ellis (6'7), John Starks (6'5), Dell Curry (6'4)

SF could include as an alternate: Larry Johnson (6'6)

PF could also include as an alternative any combo of he following: Charles Oakley (6'9), Larry Nance (6'10), Cliff Robinson (6'11)

Centers could include as an alternate: Brad Dougherty (7'0)

Now...let's look at the 2012 team.

The only legitimate members are

Kobe Bryant
Lebron James
Kevin Durant
Deron Williams
Chris Paul
Kevin Love
Carmelo Anthony

The following would not be on the team if not for injuries, etc.; so they're cutbait, for the purposes of this discussion.

Blake Griffin (undeveloped, can only dunk, Shawn Kemp without the additional talents/skills)
James Harden (too inexperienced, not as skilled as the other 2G's)
Tyson Chandler (one-dimensional - defender - and sometimes not great at that)
Andre Iguodala (great athlete, odd choice over Rudy Gay)
Russell Westbrook (he's not a true PG; no need for four 2G's)

Instead, these five people would be on the team:

Dwight Howard
Dwayne Wade
Derrick Rose
Andrew Bynum/LaMarcus Aldridge
Brandon Roy*

*B-Roy is the third-best 2G in the NBA being Kobe and D-Wade, and would certainly have been on this team had he been healthy enough to endure the training schedule over the past two years.

Yet, even if the 2012 team looked like this...

Deron Williams
Chris Paul
Derrick Rose
Dwayne Wade
Brandon Roy
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Kevin Love
Carmelo Anthony
Dwight Howard
Andrew Bynum/LaMarcus Aldridge

...it still wouldn't be good enough to beat that alternate team I proposed:

Isiah Thomas
Joe Dumars
Reggie Miller
Reggie Lewis
James Worthy
Dennis Rodman
Tom Chambers
Otis Thorpe
Danny Manning
Shawn Kemp
Shaquille O'Neal
Alonzo Mourning

So how in the name of satan can Kobe fix his lips to say that the 2012 team could beat the1992 team?

In 1992, Shaq and Mourning would have just been drafted into the NBA; yet they still would have been too much for the 2012 bigs to handle. That alternate team would have had two things the 2012 team now sorely lacks (actually THREE): a pure, deadeye shooter, bigs who can consistently rebound as well as score big numbers, and a kick-ass enforcer (like a Dennis Rodman, a Charles Oakley, or an Otis Thorpe).

U FORGOT ABOUT DOMINIQUE WILKINS

Kobe's out of his mind. Ego got the best of him. 92' team in five.

This 2012 team couldn't beat a sixties dream team either. Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson (Played on an Olympic team that prevented their opponent from bringing the ball into the front court for a whole half) Havlacek and Baylor. What kind of Kool-aid has Kobe been drinking. Magic, Bird and MJ etc. The 60's dream team and the Dream team played defense. 2012 are a bunch of softies on D.

I'm half way with you. I think the current group easily beats the 60's era squads. I think the game has evolved to a higher level and they'd be outmatched. The '92 squad, not so much. All 92 has to do is put it in the paint and Ewing and Robinson control the game. The other hall of famer's while great, would be role players since the middle is outmatched.

NAME ONE PLAYER ON THE 2012 THAT GOT MORE RINGS THEN BILL RUSSELL OR SCORED MORE THEN WILT CHAMBERLAIN. JERRY WEST THEN IS BETTER THEN CRIS PAUL.THE 92 SQUAD WOULDN'T NEED EWING OR ROBINSON, STILL SCORE.

Everyone on the original dream team except Laitner is in the HOF. Which means that those players earned their credentials playing in a league with many other HOF members. To think that someone playing today would replace a player on the original dream team is absurd. The majority of the 2012 team will not make the HOF. The numbers put up by Kobe and LeBron would have been greatly diminished if they were playing against members of the 92 team and others mentioned above (like Rodman, et al) who were not on the Dream Team on a nightly basis. And, by the way, Chris Paul on his best day couldn't carry Isaih Thomas' jockstrap. I would like to add that if today's team were playing back in 92 they would have had to actually learn to play the game at some point. All they want to do today is throw the ball toward the rim and let someone else go up and dunk over an inferior player or into an undefended goal. Most of the success of the 2012 team comes from a tweaking of the rules to allow a player with less skill to score more. I know this is going to sound funny but Carmelo Anthony's game is better suited for the 92 team than anyone else on the 2012 team. He is a terrific outside shooter with old school post moves. That game would work anywhere, anytime. He would get killed on defense though, but so would LeBron and the rest of this year's team.

THAT WAS FUNNY

Out of all the posts so far you actually made the two best points.

1. Rule changes to cover up the dramitic drop in talent as baby boomers retired in droves gives the illusion of "superior athleticism" and better play for todays players. In reality there is nobody on this 2012 roster that is superior to Drexler, Jordan, Robinson or Malone.To put this in perspective the LEAGUE scoring avg. in 92 was 105 pts. a game while only 3 teams (Den., OKC, S.A.) averaged over 100 per in 2012 and the highest scoring team, Denver, didn't hit the league average 20 years ago.

2. Melo- That is correct. People bash the guy, but he's the only 2k player that maintains the offensive grit that seperated U.S. players from the rest of the world. Even Lebron(so called greatest specimen) has spent the bulk of his career playing what we used to call euro trash.

The only way Kobe has an argument is if he meant if they played now and I mean NOW --without the Dream Team being able to practice.

I can't believe I'm saying this. I agree with Charles Barkley. First time for everything I suppose. I think Ewing and Robinson are what makes '92 stronger as the article points out. I could argue Jordan and the others as being better than their counterparts, but it really comes down to the big guys. Jordan vs. Kobe or such would be fun, just not what would decide the game. Barkley does make a good point about the guards as well.

This 2012 team must have forgotten that they all got their game from watching their idols on the dream team. Dnt you remember Kobe when you used to stick your tounge out while driving to rim or Lebron wearing number 23 in highschool and most of his nba career. MJ has more "hardware" on his mantle than this whole 2012 team put together. Show some respect.

I actually signed up for an account just to post a comment on this. All I can say is some of you young bloods need to go check out some footage. 2012 Olympic team beating the Dream Team is the most absurd, idiotic, and delusional thing I have heard in a long long time. aahmed04, bro you can be over like 24 or 25. Chris Paul against Magic? Magic would torch CP on both ends of the court, Magic was 6'10"!!!!!!!!!!! He would have smothered CP everytime down the court and on offensive end CP would have looked like a child guarding a man!!!!!! Thats just one matchup!!!! Kobe wouldnt have a prayer of success against Michael, either end of the floor, period!! These 2012 players are panzies compared to the dream team. The dream team was big, very physical, and their defensive intensity would have the 2012 players crying for their mommas before the 1st quarter was over. Go back and watch some footage of the Dream Team, they didnt just win every game convincingly, they were winning by like 50 some nights. The blasted everyone out of the gym, I mean they looked like the Harlem Globetrotters out there!! You will never see a more dominant set of performances in any sport any time!! So young bloods, please study some history of the games you say you love, because you just look like morons when you speak on this. Dream team by 30 every game, even if they played 1000 times, they would still win by 30 every night.

You tell Charles!!! No contest!!

I was kinda sluggish when I got in my office this morning. I am so happy that I decided to read some of these posts because they REALLY woke me up. HILARIOUS!!! I'm hoping that these posts were made by guys over the age of 50 or 55. I'm 40 years old, and I've but one question to ask: has any of you seen the type of athleticism these guys in the NBA have today? Really? And probably more importantly, the guys that made the dream team were arguably the best the NBA had to offer during that time. Aside from Kobe, Mello, Lebron and Durant, the remainders could have been easily replaced. If you add a healthy Dwight Howard, or even Andrew Bynum to the current team they murderize the dream team. Who checks Chris Paul? Russel Westbrook? And the other guy.....um oh yea LEBRON FREAKING JAMES. All in All if we select 12 of today's greatest players and pit them against the dream time....hey I'm sorry but these kids these days are just too strong too fast too athletic and just too freaking good. I enjoyed the dream team but if you add the players i mentioned plus a Wade, Rose, and maybe a Bynum or whatnot.....come on folks. Don't let your dislike for the lifesyles these guys in the league display these days cloud your minds on what's what!!!!

@jjb133: Dude! No disrespect....but you need to actually read the posts listed above by Blackprince, Bheinz, gee dragon and many others. It would not even be close. You must not have played the game, or you would know that there were too many multi-faceted, complete players on the Dream Team that this current team could not match up to!!!
This current team just has too many one dimensional players, period. Other than LeBron and CP3, I don't see players that can do it all, like were on the Dream Team. And I played the game and am not awed by their "athleticism" as you call it! Dream team in a rout!!! Easily!

No doubt the current roster is full of athletes but basketball is a game that requires skill. Skill is honed through many hours in the gym practicing. Dream team members were all complete players and on the offensive end could make athletes look silly using skill. A few current players are complete but the bigs would eat the current bigs alive.

THERE STILL NO MJ

Let the 2012 team play against the 92 DT in the 90"s and you would see Kobe and LeBron whining every time time the REFS didn't give them those superstar calls they rely on now. The game has changed and the only way the players of today can beat the greats from 92 DT is if the REFS do it for them, the same way the refs decided a couple of the playoff games this year!!!

The refs had their picks back then too. I don't care what your status is, rookie or superstar, everyone should get the same calls, no matter what.

I'm 41 and I said the same thing about the athleticism and the quickness of the guys playing now. I think it would be a very close game, not the blowout that other people on this post are talking about.

Come on, man! Who checks Chris Paul? John Stockton all-time leader (by far) in steals and assists, and in the prime of his HOF career. Russel Westbrook? With Jordan, if you actually plan on taking Kobe out of the game. Lebron? I can cover James with Pippen, and I'd leave Malone on Durant to beat the living snot out of him. Can James get around Pippen? Yes. Westbrookaround Jordan? No. And KD can get around Malone and Barkley, but when any of these guys drive they have to deal with Ewing and Robinson. Your athletic team has a bunch of dribble/drivers, who currently play in a league with almost no dominant centers.

On offense, there is NO answer for Magic on the post-up (10" and 80 pounds on Paul!), Larry Bird anywhere on the court or Stockton on the screen. People got hurt just running into Malone's screens! Malone and Barkley would run through James. Chandler would be in foul trouble by the end of the 1st quarter leaving Ewing and Robinson free, and the game unravels from there.

I don't know what Kobe is smoking. The Dream Team would have rolled over them just like everyone else they played. The 2012 team is lacking height. The should be ok but might have a problem when the meet up with Spain.

I think you forget that Bird and Magic barely played. Barkley and Jordan were both in their prime and Barkely led this team in scoring. 1992 was a much better defensive team with Stocton, Malone, Pippen, Robinson, Ewing, Jordan than the 2012 team. It's a great debate, but at 40 you probably forget how great these guys were....10 of 12 are in the top 50 of all time and all 11 NBA vets on that roster are in the Hall of Fame, I don't think the 2012 team will be able to say the same thing. It's OK to be wrong, and you are. Let's not forget that these guys haven't played a single game yet. I'm kind of hoping that they fall flat on their faces.

I agree with most bloggers.. Kobe has a serious drug problem!!! lol the Dream Team would be the Globetrotters and the 2012 team would be the Washington Generals..Please Kobe, get some help quick!!!

If Barkley had access to a buffet during the Olympics, he couldn't have played on the Dream Team either. An opposing player would have gone for a steal and started dribbling Charles' tummy.