USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

[Sarah]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

Why was this even suggested.... No one can beat the 92 team.

Dream Team 3

David Robinson
Reggie Miller
Gary Payton
Shaq "oh my" Neal
Grant Hill
Mitch Richmond
Penny Hardaway
Hakeem Olajuwon


I did not include Stockton, Malone, Barkley and Pippen eventhough they are also in the 3rd dream team. I did not say Dream Team 3 can beat the original team, but they are the only team with a high probability of defeating the original team.

[MassNole]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

Ya know the more I think about this, if we are going to compare the 2006 team when they reach their prime to what the 1992 team was at the time, this may not be run away most of us believe. Dwyane Wade and Lebron James have such an upside that it isn't even funny. Wade has proven at a young age he can carry a team to a title, it took Jordan much longer to learn this and carry his team. James has the pure talent to become what Jordan was, as much as people don't want to believe that. Dwight Howard also has the potential if he keeps developing to become a consistent 20/20 guy, which would be overall superior to what Karl Malone would offer. Chris Paul would give John Stockton fits, and is a great pure PG. Down low there would still be no real competition for Ewing or Robinson, especially if contested under FIBA rules. However under NBA rules, Miller would serve to draw them away from the hoop which would open up the rebounding that much more for Howard and Brand. IMO, Carmelo Anthony could bring a lot of the same things to the table as Scottie Pippen did and his overall game could very well evolve into that. I also don't know how much outside shooting outside of Chris Mullin that team USA had at the time, especially if we consider Larry Bird was starting to become washed up with injuries. Joe Johnson could very well neutralize that.

Don't get me wrong, if this could magically be contested I'd take the 1992 team under FIBA rules, but this team once these kids reach their prime it would be very, very close compared to what was there in 1992. Now, looking forward to 2008 and the players who could be added, I really think it may start to become a toss up, especially if Greg Oden is as good as advertised, as he is very well the next version of Patrick Ewing.

[23]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

I think you're delusional. You're comparing unproven's and potentials to all time greats, and you have no base to place this on.

[MassNole]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

I think you're delusional. You're comparing unproven's and potentials to all time greats, and you have no base to place this on.

As was the original purpose of this thread. I don't think other than Greg Oden you can say I placed an unreasonable expectation on any player I mentioned. Sure a career ending injury could happen, but with the advancements in sports medicine that becomes increasingly unlikely as the years go by. And yes, some of them were all time greats, but Larry Bird's injuries had really gotten the best of him by that point and Magic Johnson had become out of shape after retiring. Add to that, there is no way Chris Mullin can even begin to defend the current crop of SF's or run the court with them (not that he really had any business on this team over Isaiah Thomas or Nique).

[23]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

If you're going to compare healthy potentials to injured almost at their end stars then it makes no sense.

All you can do realistically is compare how players stacked up to their peers in their era's and its too early and unfair to do so, especially with the different rules.

Too many variables are discounted in this scenario and the thread starter didnt think much before he started it.

[Air23]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

I wonder who are the three people who voted for '06? Seriously.

Bottom line, you can NEVER tell how a player is gonna turn out. My biggest gripe with today's players, especially Lebron, who I otherwise kinda like, is many people give them a pass, talking about their "potential" and "upswing". Guys like Ralph Sampson and Chris Washburn had a lot of "upswing" and look how they turned out.

"Potential" is why GMs and owners get stuck with huge contracts for players who never or rarely live up to it. Not saying Bron won't be great, but why give him a pass when he hasn't accomplished anything yet? As much as I like D-Wade, how can you compare him to MJ, talking about how D-Wade led his team to a championship in his 3rd year? You see what MJ had to go through to get his (Detroit, Boston, LA, etc.)? You see that MJ didn't have anyone of Shaq's calibur for years? There is a LOT less competition in the NBA today.

[23]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

LOL, Dwade is so far from MJ its not even funny.

Only people who didnt watch Jordan or know what he accomplished could even bother talking in that manner.

Dickey Simpkins won a ring before Wade did, does that make him elite supreme?...lol, that viewpoint always kills me

Forget it, this thread was silly when it started, and its silly now

[motorcrossman1]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

of course the polls don't shock me becuase the Dream Team played at a time when the comp wasn't high, and anyway 06 team is better, actually watch them play and you can easily tell. the Dream Team barely beat a not so good Yugo sqaud

[Cebby]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

of course the polls don't shock me becuase the Dream Team played at a time when the comp wasn't high, and anyway 06 team is better, actually watch them play and you can easily tell. the Dream Team barely beat a not so good Yugo sqaud

Yugoslavia didn't even participate in 1992...

[23]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

LOL

You can tell the one's who don't know anything about what they're talking about.

[Air23]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

LOL

You can tell the one's who don't know anything about what they're talking about.

That's the damn truth. We know who the 4th person is who voted for the '06 team now.

Oh, and seeing how the current team barely beat Italy today, that post is ironic.

[motorcrossman1]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

To be honest I vote for 06, but 92 WOULD CRUSH THEM

[motorcrossman1]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

Yugoslavia didn't even participate in 1992...

lol, USSR or one of them East Euro country I meant.... but yea I vote for 06 just becuase I knew they where going to lose by alot

[jLp_vAkEr0]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

Any questions?

[Jistic]

Re: USA Basketball '92 vs '06 (in their prime)

To the 4 people that picked '06, SEEK COUNSELING.