Charles Barkley says Team USA too reliant on isolation players

[Briancuse]

Charles is always anxious to let you know about the Dream Team and how bad other teams look in comparison.

There will never be another team like that, you are talking about a team that had 3 of the best 10 players ever on its roster.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Barkley critical of Team USA's roster construction

I often don't agree with Barkley's opinions, but I think there is some truth to this. Could this team possibly be better if it had a few less talented role players. Like a Mike Dunleavy or Shawn Livingston, for instance. Cerebral players who won't make mistakes and will play within themselves.

Mike Dunleavy ? come on .

 

[JoeSU]

Charles Barkley firmly established himself as a complete moron through his commentary during the NCAA tourney the past few years.
Why anyone cares about his opinion is beyond me.

 

[Briancuse]

Charles Barkley firmly established himself as a complete moron through his commentary during the NCAA tourney the past few years.
Why anyone cares about his opinion is beyond me.

Thats because he spends zero minutes during the season watching college bball, he never should be doing the ncaa tourney in the first place.

 

[realorange]

There will never be another team like that, you are talking about a team that had 3 of the best 10 players ever on its roster.

I know that very well. It's just that Charles doesn't want anyone to forget it (and him).

 

[Newhouser]

I feel like "90s NBA guy" (which is my derogatory term for people from my generation who allow their nostalgia to fog their brain) would likely bring up Larry Bird in an argument about how great the original Dream Team was. When in reality, he was a shell of himself at that point and could barely practice at times due to his back.

That actually might have been a good thing - Bird didn't want or at that stage of his career knew he didn't need a lot of minutes. One thing that team did have was guys who liked to D up. Pippen, Jordan and Robinson (though they never needed to) could have stopped any threat from anyone playing in that Olympics. My point is still the same LeBron and Leonard on the squad and this year's team looks entirely different.

 

[Knicks411]

That actually might have been a good thing - Bird didn't want or at that stage of his career knew he didn't need a lot of minutes. One thing that team did have was guys who liked to D up. Pippen, Jordan and Robinson (though they never needed to) could have stopped any threat from anyone playing in that Olympics. My point is still the same LeBron and Leonard on the squad and this year's team looks entirely different.

This roster does have some defensive guys; George/Butler/Jordan/Green. But those guys aren't getting a ton of minutes.

The story in the dream team book about how much Jordan and Pippen wanted to shut down Kukoc and were fighting over who got to guard him is great.

 

[Newhouser]

This roster does have some defensive guys; George/Butler/Jordan/Green. But those guys aren't getting a ton of minutes.

The story in the dream team book about how much Jordan and Pippen wanted to shut down Kukoc and were fighting over who got to guard him is great.

That was great - as were the stories about Magic trying to be the man and Jordan not so subtly reminding him "not anymore".

 

[Eric15]

There will never be another team like that, you are talking about a team that had 3 of the best 10 players ever on its roster.

The 2012 Dream Team had two Top 10 all-time players (Kobe and Lebron) and one player with a solid chance of being Top 10: Durant.

 

[Knicks411]

The 2012 Dream Team had two Top 10 all-time players (Kobe and Lebron) and one player with a solid chance of being Top 10: Durant.

Yeah and Larry Bird in 1992 was not Larry Bird, one of the ten greatest players of all time, as we mentioned earlier. Either was Magic really.

 

[Eric15]

I wasn't sure whether to start a new thread or not with this, but this is a fun article.

Rio Olympics: Ranking the seven U.S. men's basketball teams of Dream Team era

Rio Olympics: Ranking the seven U.S. men's basketball teams of Dream Team era

 

[Knicks411]

I wasn't sure whether to start a new thread or not with this, but this is a fun article.

Rio Olympics: Ranking the seven U.S. men's basketball teams of Dream Team era

Rio Olympics: Ranking the seven U.S. men's basketball teams of Dream Team era

I was a little surprised at first glance to see the 96 dream team second. Looking at the roster...it's a pretty stacked roster.

2008 has an argument for the top spot I think. But the 92 team is the original and I think it's hard to objectively view them

 

[Eric15]

I was a little surprised at first glance to see the 96 dream team second. Looking at the roster...it's a pretty stacked roster.

This 1996 roster is unreal, with guys like Penny and Grant Hill pre-injury.

Position Height Weight Age Home Town Team/School
Charles Barkley 6' 6" 252 33 Leeds, Alabama Phoenix Suns
Penny Hardaway G 6' 7" 200 24 Memphis, Tennessee Orlando Magic
Grant Hill 6' 8" 225 23 Dallas, Texas Detroit Pistons
Karl Malone 6' 9" 255 33 Summerfield, Louisiana Utah Jazz
Reggie Miller G 6' 7" 190 30 Riverside, California Indiana Pacers
Hakeem Olajuwon C 7' 250 33 Sugar Land, Texas Houston Rockets
Shaquille O'Neal C 7' 1" 301 24 Newark, New Jersey Orlando Magic
Gary Payton G 6' 4" 190 28 Oakland, California Seattle SuperSonics
Scottie Pippen 6' 7" 225 30 Hamburg, Arkansas Chicago Bulls
Mitch Richmond G 6' 5" 215 31 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sacramento Kings
David Robinson C 7' 1" 235 30 Key West, Florida San Antonio Spurs
John Stockton G 6' 1" 175 34 Spokane, Washington Utah Jazz

 

[NineOneSeven]

I wasn't sure whether to start a new thread or not with this, but this is a fun article.

Rio Olympics: Ranking the seven U.S. men's basketball teams of Dream Team era

Rio Olympics: Ranking the seven U.S. men's basketball teams of Dream Team era

For a completely irrational reason, it pisses me off Laettner was on that team instead of Shaq (and even Thomas, tho I get the circumstances behind why he was left out).

Best team ever... and that still didn't include a potential top 10 player ever in Shaq!

 

[retro44]

How much do we really care about the Olympic basketball team? I know it's the off-season, but does anybody really put much stock or emotional investment in watching Team USA bball? I think it's obvious that the team hasn't been giving 100% effort on the court. I can't say I blame them really.

We only care if we lose...

 

[Cusefan0307]

"Charles says a lot of things. And, Listen, I love Charles. But if you look at his record, he's wrong about half the time. And he's definately wrong this time."- JAB

 

[Brooky03]

We only care if we lose...

I don't even care then

 

[orangefog]

I don't even care then

Then you are totally losing 'Murica points. If you don't at least have a gun and watch wrestling, you're dangerously close to being put on the wrong side of the wall when President Trump takes charge.