why would they need a young and raw shaq with david robinson and ewing in their primes?

Easy there. 19 year old Lebron, no Shaq, no Kobe, no KG. USA didn't send close to its best team that year.

You don't think Pippen could make life hard on both LeBron or Durant whomever he was asked to guard? I think he'd have no problems making KD's life hard.

to be fair, even a 16 year old lebron is a grown man. but i do agree, they had like 9 players from their 2003 squad who didn't show up, and the team was very young, but i doubt there was anyone in america before the olympics that year who thought they would turn out mediocre and not win gold.

i love how kobe thinks hed guard mj (or start) on an optimal '12 'dream team'.

paul/wade/durant/lebron/howard v magic/jordan/pippen/barkley/robinson is actually really really sick. problem is cp3 is a bit of a defensive liability due to size i think theyd have to stick him on old man magic and hope his quickness wud make up for lack of size. wade wud guard pippen, durant wud guard barkley, lebron wud guard jordan and howard robinson. '92 team wud have defensive issues of its own as both barkley/magic wud be huge liabilities. i think jordan wud guard wade, pippen wud guard lebron, robinson wud guard howard which wud leave magic on paul and barkley on durant both of which are nightmare matchups.

barkley vs durant would be really fun

I'm surprised the poll is so close.

Bird asked if current team beats the dream team..

"they probably would. i haven't played basketball in 20 years. were all old now."

Are we assuming Kobe will play? Then it's not close, MJ would totally destroy him and Kobe would refuse to quit and refuse to be subbed out and refuse to pass

POTT.

Laettner was better than Shaq when they played in college. 1992 Laettner > 1992 Shaq. It was only a year or two later when Shaq was better and then quickly far, far better but 1992 he wasn't there yet. Not that it matters as neither is getting on the court much with Ewing, Robinson, and Malone on the same team.

Laettner in 92- 21.5ppg, 8rpg, 2apg, .9 blocks per game FG%- 57 FT%- 81

Shaq in 92- 24 ppg, 14rpg, 1.5 apg, 5.2 blocks per game, FG%- 61 FT%- 52

I think it would be relatively close but the 92 team is clearly better IMO

Almost made this thread yesterday. If I had, there would have been a poll.

Thought about it for a long time when I first heard that Kobe said it and am still unsure of who would take it. Seems like '92 would completely control the boards, but I'm not sure how much of a wash that would be against drastically better guard play (notwithstanding Jordan). I mean I absolutely love Stockton, but RWB/CP3/DWill would destroy him, he simply could not see the court in that game. Really not sure if an on-his-way-out Magic would fare much better.

Still want to give the edge to '92, because I think it's far from certain that the '12 roster will even win the gold. (though a broken Rubio does help their cause )

92 dream team and it's not even a close decision...game wouldn't be a blowout but no way '12 beats '92