Michael Jordan: No way 2012 USA squad would beat 1992 Dream Team

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant(L) and Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan(R) talk during a free-throw attempt during the fourth quarter 17 December at the United Center in Chicago. / VINCENT LAFORET/AFP/Getty Images

(CBS/AP) CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Michael Jordan said there's no way Kobe Bryant and this year's USA Olympic basketball team could've beaten the 1992 Dream Team.

Jordan told The Associated Press Thursday that he laughed — "I absolutely laughed" — when hearing Bryant's comments that the squad training in Las Vegas could take Jordan and company.

Jordan said there's "no comparison" which team is better.

"For him to compare those two teams is not one of the smarter things he ever could have done," Jordan said prior playing in a celebrity golf tournament in Charlotte.

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Portraits of Team USA 2012

Jordan said the 1992 team, which included 11 future Hall of Famers and won its six Olympic games by an average of more than 43 points en route to capturing the gold medal, was a better overall team largely because of the experience it put on the floor.

"I heard Kobe say we were not athletic," said a smiling Jordan as he sat in a golf cart puffing on his cigar while waiting to tee off. "But we were smart. He said we were too old, but I was 29 and in the prime of my career. Pip (Scottie Pippen) was 26 or 27, (Charles) Barkley was 29, Patrick (Ewing) was 29 and Chris Mullin was 29. Almost everybody was still in their twenties."

Jordan's response came after Bryant told reporters in Las Vegas that this year's team could pull out a win against the Dream Team if they faced each other in their primes. Bryant said this year's team has a bunch of racehorses, players who are incredibly athletic while the Dream Team consisted mainly of players at the tail end of their careers.

Bryant's comments received immediate and sharp rebuttal from some members of the Dream Team, including Barkley.

"I just started laughing," Barkley told Philadelphia radio station 97.5 The Fanatic on Wednesday. "How old is Kobe Bryant, 36? He's 34? And he's calling us old? At the time, we were only like 28, 29. ... Michael Jordan and me were the same age. We were both 29."

Barkley said the Dream Team would have no trouble beating the 2012 squad by double digits.

"That's no disrespect," Barkley said. "I ain't got to badmouth them. ... Their point guards weren't going to beat us. That's a no-brainer."

Jordan joined in on Thursday.

"Most of us were in the prime of our careers, at a point where athleticism doesn't really matter," said Jordan, the owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. "You have to know how to play the game."

Jordan shook his head when asked why he thinks Bryant made the comments.

"I imagine he's trying to say it to legitimize his own Dream Team," Jordan said. "But to me it's not even a question what team is better."

Jordan said Bryant is certainly entitled to his opinion — even though he said it's just plain wrong.

"For him to make that comparison, it's one of those things where it creates conversation," Jordan said. "I guess we'll never know. I'd like to think that we had 11 Hall of Famers on that team and whenever they get 11 Hall of Famers you call and ask me who had the better Dream Team. Remember now, they learned from us. We didn't learn from them."

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Classic Olympic moments

London 2012: Summer Olympics

[EricB_727]

I tend to disagree with the comments here. Athletes have been evolving rapidly. I'm sure many would disagree, but with progression of athletic ability, training and competition, most on the 1992 dream team would hardly make current all-star rosters. Sad but true. Jordan and Magic Johnson and possibly Larry Bird would still be reasonable successes... but in my opinion the rest of the squad would have trouble even starting in today's game, that is even at the top of their "game".

[dman6015]

Has Mr. Bryant been sniffing glue lately? Add Magic Johnson and Larry Bird to the list of players in the article and you have to be half crazy to believe this year's team could beat them. There's a mild possibility that this year's team is as mediocre as the 2004 team.

[sweetcakesmaria]

The thing is, this years U.S. Olympic team hasn't beaten anyone yet. In the 1992 Olympics, other Countries knew that they were going to take a butt whipping before they even played the games. It was never a matter of who would win, the only question was by how much the dream team was going to beat them. Kobe just can't seem to stop comparing himself to MJ which if you look at the stats, there's no comparsion.

[CallMeKimo]

I don't think anyone gives Kobe's words legitimacy. But I wonder what Mike Krzyzewski, has to say about it. He was assistant coach in 92 and head coach this year.

[fantomas4]

He said on ESPN Radio that he thought this year's team has more talent and youth.

[myopinionpal]

One thing for sure we will never know if Kobe Bryant was right, but I would have to say that the 1992 team would trash the 2012 team really bad!!!