Dream Team Showdown!! (Plus Spain)

Paullin July 13, 2012 Daily Read, Hoops, Latest, The Association, The Roots

Thank you Kobe Bryant, thank you. I never thought I would ever utter those words, but thank you Kobe. In a calculated act of hubris, you claimed that this year’s Olympic squad could beat the fabled “Dream Team.” Sports writers, talk show hosts, and personalities alike all simultaneously popped mini-chubbies in excitement of all the debate this would generate. Who would win? LeBron versus Barkeley, Kobe versus Jordan, Pippen versus Durant, Malone versus Love? It would be amazing! So after some discussion, I realized, why should we stop at just 2012 versus 1992? There have been some great USA teams throughout the ages. How would they compare? The possibilities are endless. So Speak Easy decided to settle this (not really, but just for fun).
Let the debate begin:

Speak Easy’s The International Tournament of Champions

Before we begin, there are a few things to address. First, we at the Easy have managed to clone every player involved right at the time they were playing for their team. So Jordan is 29 years old, 1 championship (not 6) and not the greatest player of all time. Also, each team has their own version of each player. So 2008 Kobe would absolutely abuse 2012 Kobe. Second, we threw in an International team just to make it interesting. We did not want to include the 1998 strike team, which featured Trajan Langdon and Brad Miller. Third, it will be an 8-team bracket, first round or quarters are best of three, semis are best of 5 and the finals are a 7-game series. Finally, seeding is determined by in-depth research and analysis, based on wining, players, players who turned it down, age of players, and coaching.

1. The Dream Team (1992 Barcelona Olympics)

First Name	Last Name	Position	Height	Weight	Age
Christian	Laettner	PF	6’11	235	22
David	Robinson	C	7’1	235	26
Patrick	Ewing	C	7′	240	29
Larry	Bird	SF	6’9	220	35
Scottie	Pippen	SF	6’7	210	26
Michael	Jordan	SG	6’6	200	29
Clyde	Drexler	SG	6’7	220	30
Karl	Malone	PF	6’9	255	28
John	Stockton	PG	6’1	175	30
Chris	Mullin	SF	6’7	215	28
Charles	Barkley	PF	6’6	250	29
Magic	Johnson	PG	6’9	220	32

2. The Re-Deem Team (2008 Bejing Olympics)

First Name	Last Name	Position	Height	Weight	Age
Carlos	Boozer	F/C	6’9	266	26
Jason	Kidd	PG	6’4	210	35
LeBron	James	SF	6’8	260	23
Deron	Williams	PG	6’3	210	24
Michael	Redd	SG	6’6	215	28
Dwyane	Wade	SG	6’4	216	25
Kobe	Bryant	SG	6’6	220	29
Dwight	Howard	C	6’11	265	22
Chris	Bosh	F/C	6’10	230	23
Chris	Paul	PG	6′	175	23
Tayshaun	Prince	SF	6’9	216	28
Carmelo	Anthony	SF	6’8	230	24

3. The Dream Team 20th Anniversary Remix (2012 London Olympics)

First Name	Last Name	Position	Height	Weight	Age
Carmelo	Anthony	Forward	6’8	230	28
Kobe	Bryant	Guard	6’6	205	33
Tyson	Chandler	Center	7’1	240	29
Kevin	Durant	Guard	6’9	235	23
Blake	Griffin	Forward	6’10	251	23
James	Harden	Guard	6’5	220	22
Andre	Iguodala	Forward	6’6	207	28
LeBron	James	Forward	6’8	250	27
Kevin	Love	Forward	6’10	260	23
Chris	Paul	Guard	6′	183	27
Russell	Westbrook	Guard	6’3	187	23
Deron	Williams	Guard	6’3	209	28

4. The Dream Team 2 (1996 Atlanta Olympics)

First Name	Last Name	Position	Height	Weight	Age
Charles	Barkley	F	6’6	252	33
Anfernee	Hardaway	G	6’7	200	24
Grant	Hill	F	6’8	225	23
Karl	Malone	F	6’9	255	33
Reggie	Miller	G	6’7	190	30
Hakeem	Olajuwon	C	7′	250	33
Shaquille	O’Neal	C	7’1	301	24
Gary	Payton	G	6’4	190	28
Scottie	Pippen	F	6’7	225	30
Mitch	Richmond	G	6’5	215	31
David	Robinson	C	7’1	235	30
John	Stockton	G	6’1	175	34

5. Spain (With a Healthy Rubio)

Had to give them a shot, so their current roster with a healthy Ricky Rubio

6. The B-Squad (2010 FIBA Championship Team)

First Name	Last Name	Position	Height	Weight	Age
Chauncey	Billups	G	6’3	191	33
Kevin	Durant	F	6’9	206	21
Derrick	Rose	G	6’3	191	21
Russell	Westbrook	G	6’3	191	21
Rudy	Gay	F	6’8	203	23
Andre	Iguodala	G	6’6	198	26
Danny	Granger	F	6’8	203	27
Stephen	Curry	G	6’3	191	22
Eric	Gordon	G	6’3	191	21
Kevin	Love	F	6’10	208	21
Lamar	Odom	F	6’10	208	30
Tyson	Chandler	C	7’1	216	27

7. The Vince Carter Dunked over a French Dude Team

First Name	Last Name	Position	Height	Age
Steve	Smith	SG	6’8	31
Jason	Kidd	PG	6’4	27
Allan	Houston	SG	6’6	29
Alonzo	Mourning	C	6’10	30
Tim	Hardaway	PG	6′	34
Vince	Carter	G/F	6’6	23
Kevin	Garnett	PF	6’11	24
Vin	Baker	F/C	6’11	28
Ray	Allen	SG	6’5	25
Antonio	McDyess	F/C	6’9	26
Gary	Payton	PG	6’4	32
Shareef	Abdur-Rahim	PF	6’9	23

8. The Nightmare Team (2004 Athens Olympics)

First Name	Last Name	Position	Height	Age
Allen	Iverson	G	6′	29
Stephon	Marbury	G	6’2	27
Dwyane	Wade	G	6’4	22
Carlos	Boozer	F	6’10	22
Carmelo	Anthony	F	6’9	20
LeBron	James	F	6’8	19
Emeka	Okafor	F/C	6’9	21
Shawn	Marion	F	6’7	26
Amar’e	Stoudemire	C	6’10	24
Tim	Duncan	F/C	7′	28
Lamar	Odom	F	6’10	24
Richard	Jefferson	F	6’8	24