Over and Back: Dreaming about Dream Teams

We decided to create mythical U.S. Olympic Dream Teams from 1968, 1980, 2004 and 2016 and compare them to the vaunted original Dream Team of 1992 led by Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen and Patrick Ewing. Jason Mann and Rich Kraetsch are joined by Adam Johnson of Basketball Pantheon on this episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA podcast. Each of us tried to create a perfect roster of professional players to match up with the formidable 1992 squad. For 1968, we debated how a team led by Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Rick Barry would match up. For 1980, we looked at a team that would include Bird, Magic, Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and George Gervin. For 2004, we considered a squad led by Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal and who would best fit alongside them. For 2016, we mulled over a talent-rich squad led by Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony. Which year would make the best team? Could any of them handle the 1992 Dream Team?