Larry Bird On Dream Team Debate: 2012 Olympic Team Would Beat Us, We’re Really Old
Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Charles Barkley have all issued statements after Kobe Bryant said that the 2012 Olympic team would beat the Dream Team. Michael, Magic, and Barkley all agreed that the comment was ridiculous. Larry Bird, however, has a different take.
The legendary three-point shooter said that it would be a tough match but the 2012 Olympic Team would probably pull it off. After all, it’s been twenty years since Bird played professional basketball and the Dream Team players are all pretty old now.
Bird said: They probably could. I haven’t played in 20 years and we’re all old now.
The hypothetical debate started earlier this week when Bryant said that the 2012 USA Men’s Basketball Team could beat the Dream Team. Bryant took a small step back from his bold claim later on, saying that he meant that his team could beat the Dream Team in one game. A 7-game series was another question.
Bryant said:
“The fact is, they have [Patrick] Ewing and [David] Robinson and those big guys, it’s tough. If you’re asking me, ‘Can you beat them one game?’ Hell yeah, we can beat them in one game. You didn’t ask me if we could beat them in a 7-game series. In one game, we can beat them. No question about it.”
Jordan, Johnson, and Barkley all laughed off Kobe’s claim.
Johnson said:
Our ’92 team had too many winners, were too smart & too competitive to lose to Kobe & the 2012 team. I am excited to watch them though.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) July 12, 2012
Our ’92 team had too many winners, were too smart & too competitive to lose to Kobe & the 2012 team. I am excited to watch them though.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) July 12, 2012
It’s a question without answer, but I have to ask: Who would win? The Dream Team or the 2012 USA Men’s Basketball Team?
