In hindsight with the level of international competition there is now, does this change how you view the '92 Dream Team?

[Sedale Threatt]

The Dream Team being the best of all time and their competition completely sucking can both be true.

[SelfishPlayer]

I've seen people defend the greatness of the Dream Team by mentioning Larry Bird. It was over for him at that time and the same for Magic.

[SweaterBae]

I've seen people defend the greatness of the Dream Team by mentioning Larry Bird. It was over for him at that time and the same for Magic.

I think they played the fewest minutes aside from Laettner. Those 2 were washed, Jordan was ass offensively, and they averaged a 40 point win throughout. If anything that's not an indicment of the dream team as the best, quite the opposite.

[SelfishPlayer]

I've seen people defend the greatness of the Dream Team by mentioning Larry Bird. It was over for him at that time and the same for Magic.

I think they played the fewest minutes aside from Laettner.

Once you move those two names out of the way, you'll notice that the Barkley lovefest is what they hang their hat on, besides MJ of course... Barkley becomes Wilt Chamberlain or anyone that is ever mentioned in GOAT conversation when no one ever mentions Barkley as a GOAT normally.

[EmpireFalls]

The Dream Team were playing plumbers. I know that sounds like an exaggeration, it isn’t. It was akin to the Harlem Globetrotters. These other countries were way, way behind us back then, the game wasn’t global at all yet. It was beatdown after beatdown, autographs at halftime, teams knew they had no chance going in. It was barely competition.

It was more of a spectacle because it was the first time all the pros had teamed up on the big stage, and because at that time, the best American players were the best players, period. They had all the All-NBA players, whereas in 2024 we didn’t even have someone who finished top 3 in MVP voting.

It existed solely in its place and time and no further. The game evolves and will leave the 2024 team behind in time as well.

[ReddoverKobe]

I think its only far to judge something for the time it was in. It was revolutionary and helped basketball to become a global game.

But there is no question that team would not have been beating people by 40 today or the last few olympics.

[ReddoverKobe]

The Dream Team were playing plumbers. I know that sounds like an exaggeration, it isn’t. It was akin to the Harlem Globetrotters. These other countries were way, way behind us back then, the game wasn’t global at all yet. It was beatdown after beatdown, autographs at halftime, teams knew they had no chance going in. It was barely competition.

It was more of a spectacle because it was the first time all the pros had teamed up on the big stage, and because at that time, the best American players were the best players, period. They had all the All-NBA players, whereas in 2024 we didn’t even have someone who finished top 3 in MVP voting.

It existed solely in its place and time and no further. The game evolves and will leave the 2024 team behind in time as well.

Well said.

[Hellcrooner]

I would have loved to watch the 92 team play against YUGOSLAVIA or the SOVIET UNION.

But war and glasnost perestroika shennanigans avoided it.

[bdp31770]

International competition is better now, though the 92 Croatia team had Toni Kukoc, Drazen Petrovich, Dino Radja, and Zan Tabak who were either in the nba or close to it at that time.

[Rockazoids]

The Dream Team were playing plumbers. I know that sounds like an exaggeration, it isn’t. It was akin to the Harlem Globetrotters. These other countries were way, way behind us back then, the game wasn’t global at all yet. It was beatdown after beatdown, autographs at halftime, teams knew they had no chance going in. It was barely competition.

But couldn't you say the same thing about the Wilt Celtics playing against plumbers from the US?

[GregOden]

Jordan also played incredibly poorly on offense.

Didn't he average like 4.6 steals a game? I'm pretty sure he made it up with his defense.

[SweaterBae]

Jordan also played incredibly poorly on offense.

Didn't he average like 4.6 steals a game? I'm pretty sure he made it up with his defense.

Yep, 4.something steals per game. He was an absolute demon on defense, which is why I couched the statement.

[Wingy]

I've seen people defend the greatness of the Dream Team by mentioning Larry Bird. It was over for him at that time and the same for Magic.

I think they played the fewest minutes aside from Laettner. Those 2 were washed, Jordan was ass offensively, and they averaged a 40 point win throughout. If anything that's not an indicment of the dream team as the best, quite the opposite.

Magic finished 2nd in MVP voting his last season before Dream Team…and won the award 3 of the 4 seasons prior to that.

That doesn’t seem particularly washed to me.

[zimpy27]

The slowest guy in the 100m sprint this year was faster than the winner at the 1992 Olympics..

Most of Phelps records are broken. Everyone everywhere has peaked higher, fast, stronger than 1992.

Everywhere.. except in basketball. This is the logic people would have you believe.

Teams can't be transported from the past and expect to be as good now, all you can do is judge teams in their era. Obviously basketball wasn't as big internationally but all that tells you is you can't compare this team to that team.

[Jabroni Lames]

The Dream Team being the best of all time and their competition completely sucking can both be true.

No it can’t.

[Jabroni Lames]

The Dream Team were playing plumbers. I know that sounds like an exaggeration, it isn’t. It was akin to the Harlem Globetrotters. These other countries were way, way behind us back then, the game wasn’t global at all yet. It was beatdown after beatdown, autographs at halftime, teams knew they had no chance going in. It was barely competition.

It was more of a spectacle because it was the first time all the pros had teamed up on the big stage, and because at that time, the best American players were the best players, period. They had all the All-NBA players, whereas in 2024 we didn’t even have someone who finished top 3 in MVP voting.

It existed solely in its place and time and no further. The game evolves and will leave the 2024 team behind in time as well.

Malnourished Communist plumbers who had to line up for 8 hours to get a loaf of bread and a roll of toilet paper.

[Bank Shot]

No, everyone knows the Dream Team didn't play anyone.

I don't think the current competition is all that either though. Jokic plus a solid role player isn't anything to write home about. France is a guy with 71 NBA games under his belt, an ancient Batum, and Fournier who may not play another game in the league. Both teams played the US tough, but I think that says more about the issues with this year's US squad than either team.

[homecourtloss]

The Dream Team were playing plumbers. I know that sounds like an exaggeration, it isn’t. It was akin to the Harlem Globetrotters. These other countries were way, way behind us back then, the game wasn’t global at all yet. It was beatdown after beatdown, autographs at halftime, teams knew they had no chance going in. It was barely competition.

It was more of a spectacle because it was the first time all the pros had teamed up on the big stage, and because at that time, the best American players were the best players, period. They had all the All-NBA players, whereas in 2024 we didn’t even have someone who finished top 3 in MVP voting.

It existed solely in its place and time and no further. The game evolves and will leave the 2024 team behind in time as well.

Malnourished Communist plumbers who had to line up for 8 hours to get a loaf of bread and a roll of toilet paper.

Jordan shot 49% TS against these malnourished plumbers.

[TheNG]

International competition is better now, though the 92 Croatia team had Toni Kukoc, Drazen Petrovich, Dino Radja, and Zan Tabak who were either in the nba or close to it at that time.

Honestly, which team is better: 92 Croatia team or 2024 French team?

[NZB2323]

I've seen people defend the greatness of the Dream Team by mentioning Larry Bird. It was over for him at that time and the same for Magic.

I think they played the fewest minutes aside from Laettner.

Once you move those two names out of the way, you'll notice that the Barkley lovefest is what they hang their hat on, besides MJ of course... Barkley becomes Wilt Chamberlain or anyone that is ever mentioned in GOAT conversation when no one ever mentions Barkley as a GOAT normally.

Congrats on defeating that stawman. I’ve never seen anyone claim that Barkley is the GOAT. He wasn’t the GOAT of his generation and he isn’t the GOAT of his position.

Magic finished 2nd in MVP voting in 1991 and led his team to the finals. He wasn’t cooked.

What I have heard people say is that the Dream Team had 6 MVPs.

If we go by ESPN’s top 75 player ranking the players on the Dream team ranked 1st, 4th, 7th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 32nd, 40th, and 53rd all time.