pop slots free chips_free slots with bonus and free spins http://www.ebooksnet.com/tag/olympics/ www.ebooksnet.com is your 1 stop shop for everything basketball! Sun, 11 Aug 2024 02:04:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 USA Olympic Gold: Where It Started! http://www.ebooksnet.com/usa-olympic-gold-where-it-started/ http://www.ebooksnet.com/usa-olympic-gold-where-it-started/#comments Sun, 11 Aug 2024 02:04:32 +0000 http://www.ebooksnet.com/?p=276018 The Eval Lessons From All 12!

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Now that Team USA has won Olympic gold for the fifth consecutive time with a thrilling 98-87 over host France in Paris, we take a look at the background of each player from his high school days.
Nobody would have guessed back in high school Steph Curry would thrill the world by making four incredible 3-pointers in the final 2:43 of the Gold Medal game to close out the victory in dramatic fashion. Curry finished with 24 points and went 17-of-27 from 3-point range in Team USA’s final two victories.

The performance by Curry sealed his legacy as the best range shooter of all-time and as one of the game’s all-time greats. Nobody would have predicted a performance and career like the one Curry has had even from an all-time great high school player, but certainly not from the Golden State Warriors superstar.

Nobody.

Before the Gold Medal game, we talked about what could be done to help the developmental process of USA Basketball as it relates to choosing Olympians and branding future stars and now that USA has won gold, we take a look at where each of the 13 players started from. All 13 players (Kawhi Leonard was selected but unable play) were certainly not elite high school players or All-Americans and each has a unique path to professional and Olympic success.

Below is a break down of Team USA's roster by our first and lasting impressions of them during their time in high school. Behind each impression is an important lesson that we still apply and use when evaluating up-and-coming players today. We will apply these lessons in the years to come as well.

Bam Adebayo, High Point Christian Academy (High Point, N.C.) 2016
Always worked so hard every time we evaluated him and had a terrific senior campaign to finish No. 7 in the HOOP SCOOP’s final rankings for 2016. He is a great example of knowing your role and maximizing it to carve out a terrific career.

Devin Booker, Moss Point (Miss.) 2014
The son of a CBA player who was highly regarded in college (Missouri’s Melvin Booker), Devin got great insight from his father on how not to rely on athleticism and to be a complete player using both his mind and physical attributes. Booker had a McDonald’s All-American talent level, but what struck us was how under control and poised he was as a high school prospect. This from our Mississippi correspondent Lavel Johnson: “He had the look of a high major prospect after seeing him the first game of his tenth grade year. I had alot of people mad around here because I said he I felt he had a higher ceiling than Malik Newman."

Stephen Curry, Charlotte Christian (Charlotte, N.C.) 2006
We saw Curry at the 2005 NBPA Top 100 Camp and he was there as a "legacy pick” as the son of a former NBA player. He wasn’t an elite prospect and even his father’s alma mater (Virginia Tech where Dell Curry played) didn’t have a scholarship to give him coming out of high school. Would the Hokies have loved him as a preferred walk-on? Sure. But Davidson turned out to be a great fit, he got physically stronger and better and most importantly, he went where he got the opportunity to play right away. In this era of NIL, playing right away is even a bigger factor for incoming freshmen. Back that it was perhaps not as important, but Curry used the scholarship snub it as motivation and kept honing his craft to become an all-time great. Curry’s story goes to show that development never stops and proves the point how the stars of USA Basketball’s youth programs won’t necessarily be the stars on the big Olympic stage.

Anthony Davis, Perspectives Charter (Chicago) 2011
Similar to Steph Curry, Davis was an ultimate late bloomer, but his blossom occurred while he was still in high school and not after he accepted a scholarship offer. For Davis, a growth spurt of 7-8 inches over a two-year period fueled his rise at a small charter school in the Chicago Public League. Prior to spring 2010, few outside of Chicago knew who Davis was, but by the first session of Nike EYBL at Boo Williams Sports Complex in Virginia for Meanstreets, Davis' name was quickly spreading across the country. He went from national obscurity in March 2010 to "he's a Top 5 national prospect" at the Bill Hensley Memorial Run-n-Slam All-Star Classic in Indiana in early May and ended as the best long term prospect in the class. He is now part of the NBA’s Top 75 all-time player list.

Kevin Durant, Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) 2006
One of the NBA’s all-time greatest scorers is a terrific example of hindsight. A great example of making bold statements after the fact. It was easy to say Portland royally screwed up by drafting Greg Oden before KD as the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. In reality, in real time and without the benefit of hindsight, Oden was a terrific prospect. It was a close call to keep the big man as the No. 1 player in the national class of 2006, but the HOOP SCOOP’s Clark Francis pointed out then at the end of the 2006 cycle that Durant had a chance to be an all-time great because of his work ethic and desire to be great. We questioned that logic just a bit at that time; we knew Durant was going to be a fine player, but Francis ended up being right. Durant has the necessary size and athleticism, but it was his work ethic that put him over the top. You can’t always measure or define work ethic is what he take from Durant’s remarkable career.

Anthony Edwards, Holy Spirit Prep (Atlanta, Ga.) 2019
Ant Man has always been a great soundbite and a great prospect. It was evident right away within the first half of his first game at the 2018 Pangos All-American Camp that he was the best prospect there and had a chance to be a terrific NBA player. He eventually re-classed to the 2019 class and went on to be the first pick of the 2020 NBA Draft. Will he be the leader of the 2028 US Olympic team?

Joel Embiid, The Rock School (Gainesville, Fla.) 2013
The big man was discovered at the 2011 Basketball Without Borders (BWB) event in South Africa and was guided to attend Montverde Academy in Florida for the 2011-12 high school season. He didn’t play much meaningful minutes for the No. 9 team in the FAB 50 that lost in overtime to Findlay Prep in the Chipotle Nationals (then NHSI) title game. Embiid made the decision to leave Montverde and he blossomed into a second team All-American Elite team choice as a senior. Had Embiid been part of the American high school and grassroots system earlier, he might of earned even more honors and been ranked higher than No. 6 by ESPN and No. 13 by 247Sports.com. Who know what happens if he never attends the BWB event or leaves MVA to get more guaranteed playing time at The Rock School. Since Embiid developed into a NBA MVP, his story speaks to the global expansion of the game and how making a sound decision on what high school to attend is paramount.

Tyrese Haliburton, Oshkosh North (Oshkosh, Wis.) 2018
We first saw this combo guard at the 2015 Pangos All-Midwest Frosh/Soph Camp. He was a good prospect, but not considered one of the better performers at the event. The camp for rising ninth and tenth-graders was dominated by names such as Tyler Herro, Talen Horton-Tucker, Patrick McCaffery and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. At the end of the day, Haliburton wasn’t chosen for either one of the camp’s All-Star Games. What is an oversight? Perhaps, but the lessons here is one camp setting is never the end-all to a final evaluation, players don’t have to be discouraged by how scouts feel in a camp setting if they are getting better and what players take from a camp. Haliburton later thanked camp director Dinos Trigonis for the motivation in not selecting him, as he used that motivation to keep betting better and now is a two-time NBA All-Star and Olympic Gold Medalist.

Jrue Holiday, Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.) 2008
He came from an athletic family, and looked like a future big timer right away in his high school career. What he did was get better every season and developed into the Gatorade National Player of the Year and a top three national recruit. What Holiday possessed was probably the best body control of any guard we have evaluated in the last 30 years. He fits his role perfectly on winning teams and may be a shoo-in for the NBA Hall of Fame one day.

LeBron James, St. Vincent-St Mary (Akron, Ohio) 2003
James has become exactly what we thought in real time; an all-time great. It was evident right from the beginning as he was a great youth player on the national AAU level and our national freshman of the year. James’ public image has take some slight dings in his time with the Lakers, but he’s been a terrific ambassador and a great role model for over 20 years.

Kawhi Leonard, ML King (Riverside, Calif.) 2009
He was a part-time starter as a sophomore at Canyon Springs (Moreno Valley, Calif.), but by halfway through his senior year it was clear he was the best player in California and a top 15 national prospect. It was too late to make him a McDonald’s All-American and too late from some of the big-time schools that wanted to get in on him late, as he stayed loyal to the San Diego State staff. Not making an early judgement on a prospect is the lesson here. Players do get better.

Jayson Tatum, Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) 2016
HOOP SCOOP ranked him No. 4 in the national class and he was third in the Mr. Basketball USA voting behind honoree Lonzo Ball and Josh Jackson. He was a steady prospect and we thought he would have been the wiser choice for the Lakers at No. 2 in the 2017 NBA Draft. Los Angeles went for the hometown star from UCLA and Celtics fans couldn’t be happier.

Derrick White, Legend (Parker, Col.) 2012
He was lightly recruited out of high school and was an honorable mention all-state choice. We don’t recall him off hand at any major grassroots events or being in consideration for any of our honors based teams. Not only was he not in consideration for any All-American honors, but he wasn’t even in the rather large pool of players considered. There are tons of players that aspire to play at the next level, but only one NAIA school (Johnson & Wales University in Denver) took a serious look at White and even then it was a non-scholarship institution. White got a break when its head coach, Jeff Culver, took a job at Colorado–Colorado Springs, a D2 program, and offered him a stipend to attend. The non-scholarship player got a shot and what Culver did know was White was likely to keep growing and fill out and that’s exactly what happened. White keep growing even as his high school career was finishing, and he became an immediate freshman D2 starter. He eventually became UCCS’s all-time leading scorer and transferred to Colorado for his final season of eligibility. White is another clear example of why accurately projecting where a player will end up down the line is so vital to the recruiting process and needing only one coach to believe in you and give you a shot is reality. White got that one shot and had that one coach and took full advantage.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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2024 USA Women's 3x3 Olympic roster is set: ?Brink, Burdick, Howard, Van Lith http://www.ebooksnet.com/2024-usa-womens-3x3-olympic-roster-is-set-brink-burdick-howard-van-lith/ http://www.ebooksnet.com/2024-usa-womens-3x3-olympic-roster-is-set-brink-burdick-howard-van-lith/#respond Mon, 10 Jun 2024 19:41:19 +0000 http://www.ebooksnet.com/?p=275551 The 2024 3x3 Olympic Women's Basketball roster will feature Cameron Brink, Cierra Burdick, Rhyne Howard, and Hailey Van Lith

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The 2024 3x3 Olympic roster will feature Cameron Brink, Cierra Burdick, Rhyne Howard, and Hailey Van Lith.

(Photo by Andrea Kareth /SEPA.Media /Getty Images)

USA Basketball has announced it's starting 2024 Women's National 3x3 team. Headlined by Cameron Brink, the roster will include Rhyne Howard, Hailey Van Lith, and Cierra Burdick. Selected by the committee, the Olympic Games will take place in Paris. And what a complete, dominant, and versatile roster this will be.

One year ago, Brink, Van Lith, and Burdick led USA to a gold medal in the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup. With a combination of veteran and youthful leadership, the chemistry will only improve. For Van Lith and Burdick, they've shared the court since the 2022 World Cup.

And watching the player's reactions to their calling was a deeply emotional experience on social media.

Brink, 22, was selected second overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2024 WNBA Draft. A four-year player out of Stanford, Brink is averaging 8.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals in her rookie year. Known for her defensive prowess, Brink has certainly not disappointed at the pro level. Second in the WNBA in total blocks (21), No. 22 leads all rookies in that category and ranks third in rebounds among rookies. Brink is one of the most elite rim protectors in the league, leading the pack in defensive rebounds per game. Averaging 2.6 blocks per game, Brink's defense will be critical, especially in a 3x3 type play.

Scoring a career-high 21 points against the Fever last week, the Stanford alum was named the 2023 3x3 FIBA World Cup MVP after leading her team to a Gold Medal. Additionally, she was a member of the 2018 FIBA U17 and 2019 U19 Women's World Cup teams. In bringing dexterity on the offensive end, Brink is a floor spacer who can not only shoot beyond the perimeter but post-up opponents as well. The x-factor will be her ability of grab the offensive boards.

Jennifer Rizzotti, President of the Connecticut Sun, is set to coach the 2024 USA 3x3 Women's Basketball team. This week, Rizzotti expressed her excitement in a press release:

“I say this all the time but there is no greater privilege than to represent the USA at the Olympics,” said Rizzotti. “We understand that challenge in front of us as we face tremendous talent and experienced 3x3 teams. I am confident this roster gives us what we need to compete for another gold medal with experience, versatility and a commitment to USA Basketball excellence. I cannot wait to get started.”

For Van Lith, it's been a wavering year for the guard. Having spent her first three years with Louisville, the Washington native took her talents to Baton Rouge to chase a National Championship under coach Kim Mulkey. Unfortunately, the LSU Tigers fell short of that goal against Iowa in the Elite 8, and Van Lith experienced playing a position outside her comfort zone. Surrounded by Angel Reese, Aneesah Morrow, Flau'jae Johnson, Mikaylah Williams, Van Lith took on a less prominent role.

Now, with one year left of eligibility, Van Lith officially declared her transfer to TCU for her final collegiate season. A remarkable scorer, the guard averaged 19.7 points per game, which ranked her no. 24 in the nation in 2022-2023 with Louisville. Named All-ACC player at Lousiville, Van-Lith has a total of five gold medals between 5-on-5 and 3x3 games. Suitable for 3x3, Van Lith has the ability to score in a multitude of ways.

Howard, selected No. 1 overall in the 2022 WNBA is now in her third season with the Atlanta Dream. One of the more dominant guards in the league, Howards been a two-way force, and will leave opponents checking their ankles. A two-time All-Star, the 6 foot 2 guard is just 24 years old. Having taken place in training camp earlier this year, the Dream guard shined in Belgium. Out of the entire roster, Howard has the most versatility, both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Howard is coming off a double-double, and five-steal performance, against the Chicago Sky on Saturday.

No stranger to USA Basketball, Burdick has been part of USA Women's Basketball since 2009. The former Tennessee Lady Vol played 56 professional games played in the WNBA, as a member of the six teams. A mix of veteran leadership and skills, Burdick has won three gold medals throughout her illustrious USA Olympic career. With extensive experience in 3x3 basketball, Burdick was a member of the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup team, and a gold medalist in 2014.

According the USA Basketball, different than 5-on-5,?3x3 is played on a half-court with a 10-minute game clock and 12-second shot clock. Play is continuous, as teams "clear" the ball behind the 2-point line following a made basket, defensive rebound or steal. The first team to score 21 points via 1-point field goals or 2-pointers behind the arc is victorious; or if time expires then the team leading wins. It also helps, she has a longstanding relationship with coach Jen Rizzotti.

The 3x3 made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games back in 2021. An exciting yet challenging style of basketball, Rizzotti and company will make their Paris debut in late July, early August.

Stay tuned for more WNBA-related articles.?Click here

Sara Jane Gamelli is a full-time Sportswriter, Content Creator and Social Media Manager for Ballislife Bets.?She has a focus on the Women's Basketball and the NBA. Sara Jane currently resides in Connecticut/NYC area with her Cat and Dog. SJ has her undergraduate degree from the?University?of Connecticut in Economics, with a minor in business administration.

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http://www.ebooksnet.com/2024-usa-womens-3x3-olympic-roster-is-set-brink-burdick-howard-van-lith/feed/ 0 FIBA 3x3 World Cup VIENNA, AUSTRIA JUNE 4: The players of the USA celebrate victory during the women final match between the USA and France on Day 6 of the FIBA 3x3 World cup at Rathausplatz on June 4, 2023 in Vienna, Austria. (Photo by Andrea Kareth /SEPA.Media /Getty Images)
Best Plays from 2012 Team USA (LeBron, Durant, Kobe, Melo, Westbrook) http://www.ebooksnet.com/2012-team-usa-best-plays/ http://www.ebooksnet.com/2012-team-usa-best-plays/#respond Fri, 02 Aug 2013 10:25:06 +0000 https://bilcomprd.wpengine.com/?p=45680 The 2012 Team USA team dominated their competition while setting records on their journey to gold at the…

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The 2012 Team USA team dominated their competition while setting records on their journey to gold at the London Olympics last summer. ?Although the Dream Team vs 2012 Team USA arguments became very tiring and annoying, the highlights remain as exciting today as the day they happened.

Check out this mix from Kietasss of the best plays from LeBron, Kobe, Cp3, Durant, Melo, AD, Deron Williams, Iggy, Tyson and Love's lovely golden summer.

Also check out the records set against Nigeria in an 83 point blowout.

  • Olympic record – 71.1 field goal percentage ?James Harden, who also almost suffered an ankle injury after getting crossedover, was the only US player to shoot under 50%. Iggy & Davis both shot 100% and Westbrook & Deron Williams both only missed 1 shot.
  • Olympic record – 29 3-pointers on 63%?Surprisingly LeBron was 1 of the 3 players that did not make a 3. Chandler & Davis were the other two.
  • Olympic record -?83-point victory: ?The previous US record was 79 when US beat Cuba 136-57. ?US scored 49 in the 1st quarter and lead by 24.
  • Olympic record -?156 total points:?This broke Brazil’s record of 138 points against Egypt. The record was broke with 4:37 left in the game.
  • Team USA record -?37 points from Carmelo Anthony:? This is something you wont see in the NBA. Melo scoring 37 points on only 16 shot attempts! ?He broke the record of 31 previously held by Stephon Marbury against Spain in 2004.
  • Olympic record -?Melo hits 10 3-pointers: ?5 came in the first half and then 5 came during a 2 minute stretch in the 3rd quarter. ?Ironically, he missed the one 3 point attempt that he thought was going on so he pulled a Bird and started celebrating after shooting it.

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Team USA's Top 10 Plays From London Olympics! http://www.ebooksnet.com/team-usas-top-10-plays-from-london-olympics/ http://www.ebooksnet.com/team-usas-top-10-plays-from-london-olympics/#respond Wed, 15 Aug 2012 19:38:34 +0000 https://bilcomprd.wpengine.com/?p=18401 It's only a matter of time till NBC claims the video and YouTube takes it down so enjoy…

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It's only a matter of time till NBC claims the video and YouTube takes it down so enjoy it while it lasts!

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Kevin Durant And James Harden On Jimmy Fallon Last Night http://www.ebooksnet.com/kevin-durant-and-james-harden-on-jimmy-fallon-last-night/ http://www.ebooksnet.com/kevin-durant-and-james-harden-on-jimmy-fallon-last-night/#respond Tue, 14 Aug 2012 17:31:09 +0000 https://bilcomprd.wpengine.com/?p=18304 The post Kevin Durant And James Harden On Jimmy Fallon Last Night appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

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Kobe Bryant SICK Double Pump Reverse Dunk Against Argentina In Semi Finals! http://www.ebooksnet.com/kobe-bryant-sick-double-pump-reverse-dunk-against-argentina-in-semi-finals/ http://www.ebooksnet.com/kobe-bryant-sick-double-pump-reverse-dunk-against-argentina-in-semi-finals/#respond Fri, 10 Aug 2012 22:39:33 +0000 https://bilcomprd.wpengine.com/?p=18074 [jwplayer config="Auto-Play" mediaid="18075"] Even if it didn't go in clean this is still sick especially for a 16…

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[jwplayer config="Auto-Play" mediaid="18075"]

Even if it didn't go in clean this is still sick especially for a 16 year veteran.

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James Harden Gets His Ankles BROKEN Vs Nigeria! Someone Call A Medic! http://www.ebooksnet.com/james-harden-gets-his-ankles-broken-vs-nigeria-someone-call-a-medic/ http://www.ebooksnet.com/james-harden-gets-his-ankles-broken-vs-nigeria-someone-call-a-medic/#respond Thu, 02 Aug 2012 23:02:15 +0000 https://bilcomprd.wpengine.com/?p=17503 Team USA won this game by 83 points but suffered a major casualty during the first half as…

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Team USA won this game by 83 points but suffered a major casualty during the first half as James Harden was on the receiving end of this NASTY ankle breaker. It's alright James, happens to the best of them!

Check out James Harden making a defender sit on his a$$ at the end of this video:

 

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Rainn Wilson Lures Blake Griffin Into His Van (Metaphysical Milkshake) http://www.ebooksnet.com/rainn-wilson-lures-blake-griffin-into-his-van-metaphysical-milkshake/ http://www.ebooksnet.com/rainn-wilson-lures-blake-griffin-into-his-van-metaphysical-milkshake/#respond Tue, 24 Jul 2012 17:03:54 +0000 https://bilcomprd.wpengine.com/?p=16976 Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers joins Rainn Wilson in the back of his van to talk…

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Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers joins Rainn Wilson in the back of his van to talk about the Olympics, basketball, knee surgery, and life's big questions.

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The Mixtape: Team USA Defeats Brazil In Olympic Exhibition! Ft. LeBron James, Chris Paul & Kevin Durant! http://www.ebooksnet.com/team-usa-defeats-brazil-in-olympic-exhibition-ft-lebron-james-chris-paul-kevin-durant/ http://www.ebooksnet.com/team-usa-defeats-brazil-in-olympic-exhibition-ft-lebron-james-chris-paul-kevin-durant/#respond Tue, 17 Jul 2012 23:08:20 +0000 https://bilcomprd.wpengine.com/?p=16703 Via our friends over at The Mars Reel. Game recap of Monday night's USA vs Brazil exhibition game…

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Via our friends over at The Mars Reel.
Game recap of Monday night's USA vs Brazil exhibition game which took place in front of a sell out crowd including President Obama at the Verizon Center in D.C. LeBron James earned Player Of The Game as he lead team USA with 30 points. Kevin Durant added 11 points while Chris Paul scored 10. The final score of this game was 80-69.

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Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen & Charles Barkley React to Kobe's Team USA Comments http://www.ebooksnet.com/michael-jordan-scottie-pippen-charles-barkley-react-to-kobes-team-usa-comments/ http://www.ebooksnet.com/michael-jordan-scottie-pippen-charles-barkley-react-to-kobes-team-usa-comments/#respond Thu, 12 Jul 2012 23:00:48 +0000 https://bilcomprd.wpengine.com/?p=16438 Kobe Bryant went on record a couple of days ago and said that he thinks the 2012 Team…

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Kobe Bryant went on record a couple of days ago and said that he thinks the 2012 Team USA team could have a chance to beat the 1992 Dream Team. It's garnered a lot of debate and reactions from all across the internet and the media world. However I personally do not have anything against Kobe's statement for a number of reason. First and foremost, Kobe has been the most competitive player in the league for quite some time now and to expect him to say otherwise would be even more surprising. 2nd, he didn't say the current USA team would definitely beat the Dream Team, he just said he thinks they have a chance, which they do. The 1992 Dream Team lost to a bunch of college players which means just like every great team that has ever been assembled, they are beatable. In a series of 10 games, the Dream Team would probably win 7/10 against the current USA team meaning they are by far the better team but at the same time the current team would be able to get a few wins against them.

Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Charles Barkley, all players from the original Dream Team have come out and expressed their opinions about the matter and here's what each of them had to say.

Michael Jordan:

Jordan's "we didn't learn from them, they learned from us" comment isn't really a valid argument and really means nothing besides a cop-out. Also it's safe to say that at least 8 of the guys will eventually go down as Hall of Fame players.

Scottie Pippen:

Scottie keeping it respectable, not much to say.

Charles Barkley:

"Oh yeah, that's no disrespect," Barkley said. "I ain't got to badmouth them. But like I said, their point guards weren't going to beat us. That's a no-brainer. "

Barkley also brushed aside Bryant's comments about the Dream Team's age.

"I just started laughing," Barkley said. "How old is Kobe Bryant? 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. ...

"Other than Kobe, LeBron (James) and Kevin Durant, I don't think anybody else on that team makes our team."

First of all Barkley is crazy to say that the point guards on the current team weren't going to beat them. After our 3 spot, the point guard position is where we would give them the most trouble. Could you imagine John Stockton and a retired Magic Johnson trying to keep up with CP3, Westbrook and Deron?

READ ANOTHER DREAM TEAM VS TEAM USA ARGUMENT BY ANOTHER BALLISLIFE MEMBER HERE

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Carmelo Anthony Helps Blake Griffin Add To His Arsenal http://www.ebooksnet.com/carmelo-anthony-helps-blake-griffin-add-to-his-arsenal/ http://www.ebooksnet.com/carmelo-anthony-helps-blake-griffin-add-to-his-arsenal/#respond Wed, 11 Jul 2012 18:33:34 +0000 https://bilcomprd.wpengine.com/?p=16398 Check out one of the 3 best scorers in the league, Carmelo Anthony teaching Blake Griffin how to…

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Check out one of the 3 best scorers in the league, Carmelo Anthony teaching Blake Griffin how to incorporate a step-back and a pull up jumper to his game during USA Basketball's practice in Las Vegas.

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Dream Team vs. Hypothetical 2012 Olympic Team: Who You Got? #WhatIfWednesday http://www.ebooksnet.com/dream-team-vs-hypothetical-2012-olympic-team-who-you-got-whatifwednesday/ Wed, 13 Jun 2012 20:14:42 +0000 https://bilcomprd.wpengine.com/?p=15158 What if Wednesday! What if the 1992 Original Dream Team played against the 2012 Olympic Team if the…

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What if Wednesday! What if the 1992 Original Dream Team played against the 2012 Olympic Team if the 2012 team had no injuries?

1992 Dream Team Roster
: Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Patrick Ewing, Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Chris Mullin, David Robinson, John Stockton, and Christian Laettner.

2012 Hypothetical Olympic Team barring injuries: Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Love, Tyson Chandler, Deron Williams, and Chris Bosh.

The Dream Team Documentary commemorating its 20th anniversary will be shown today on NBATV. With it coming out, it got me thinking about this year’s team and what could have been. I know the easy comparison to do would have been the 2008 Redeem Team vs. the Original Dream Team, but I think if everyone was injury free for the 2012 Olympics, this year’s team is much better than the Redeem Team. Basically, you remove Carlos Boozer, Jason Kidd, Tayshaun Prince, and Michael Redd, and you add Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, and Tyson Chandler. There’s no way you can say that is not an upgrade, but back to my original argument. This year’s 2012 Olympic Team could have been a team for the ages and could have been a great matchup against the original Dream Team.

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I know I’ll get a lot of hate, but I truly believe this year’s 2012 Olympic Team (barring injuries) could have given the Dream Team a run for their money. Yeah, I know the Dream Team is known as the greatest team ever assembled and won by an average margin of 40-plus points. And yeah, they not only had the best player ever (MJ who was in his respective prime), but also two Top 10 players ever (Larry Bird and Magic Johnson), and ten of their 12 players made the NBA’s “50 Greatest Players in NBA History” in 1996.

But, Larry Bird and Magic were both way past their primes with Magic coming out of his retirement and Larry’s back almost ready to give out. You can’t take into consideration the average margin of victory at 40-plus points as a strong point because the competition was so much weaker back then, and the other teams were more in awe than anything when playing them. Also, supposedly, there is a blemish on the Dream Team’s undefeated record with a loss to the US Select Team (even though the Dream Team beat them the next scrimmage) which featured college superstars at the time such as Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway, and Chris Webber. However, Coach K, who was an assistant at the time, said Chuck Daly barely used MJ and basically fixed the game to prove a point to the Dream Team that they could lose. But still.. I think the Dream Team should have been able to beat the college team without MJ.

Anyways, let’s compare the matchups at each position.
Point Guards
Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Deron Williams vs. Magic Johnson, John Stockton
Magic Johnson was still Magic Johnson, but he was on the backside of his career, and John Stockton was his consistent self. But, could Magic Johnson and John Stockton guard Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, and Deron Williams who are in their primes (or in Derrick Rose’s case, still has potential to improve)? It would be a tough guard for both teams with Magic's size/ability to see the floor and John Stockton's craftiness versus Chris Paul's IQ, Derrick Rose's athleticism, and Deron Williams' combination of strength and speed.

Shooting Guards
Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade vs. Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler
Michael Jordan is the best player to ever play the game, and he was in his athletic prime. There’s no question he would win the matchup between an older Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, but you know Kobe and Dwyane wouldn’t back down and if anything fight harder to prove they belong. Clyde, who doesn’t get much love from younger fans, had a great NBA career and at the time of the 92 Olympics was averaging 25 points, 7 boards, and 7 assists for the TrailBlazers. I would take MJ over Kobe and Wade, but I'd take them over Clyde still.

Small Forwards
LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony vs. Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, Chris Mullin
Between LeBron, KD, and Melo, there’s a lot of offensive firepower coming from the small forward position. They would all drop buckets easily on Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, and Chris Mullin. Scottie Pippen was the defensive stopper for the team and would have had a handful guarding any of those three guys.

Power Forwards/ Centers
Dwight Howard, Tyson Chandler, Chris Bosh, Kevin Love vs. Karl Malone, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Christian Laettner
The bigs for the 2012 Olympic Team would be the weakest link. Dwight and Tyson provide strong defense and rebounding but not much offense while Chris Bosh and K Love are able to spread the floor and knock down open 3’s. Karl Malone, David Robinson, and Patrick Ewing were perennial all-stars and provided solid defense and strong offense. The game today is way different than the 90’s when physical basketball ruled. Even though the Dream Team bigs would have brought force to the paint, the 2012 bigs would have spread the floor and created mismatches outside.

Overall, I think the 2012 Hypothetical Team and the 1992 Dream Team would have been a great game. Imagine these matchups: LeBron vs. Magic? Two 6’8 facilitators that see the game unlike any other. MJ vs. Kobe? The two most competitive players ever guarding each other! KD vs. Scottie Pippen? The top scorer of today versus the best defender of the 90’s. Dwight vs. D Rob? Two of the most freakishly built centers in the game. Although this is all hypothetical and will never happen (unless we invent a time machine and were able to turn injuries off like 2k), I think it would be a closer game than most would think.

What you think? Dream Team vs Hypothetical 2012 Olympic Team?

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Dream Team vs. Hypothetical 2012 Olympic Team: Who You Got? #WhatIfWednesday - www.ebooksnet.com What if Wednesday! What if the 1992 Original Dream Team played against the 2012 Olympic Team if the 2012 team had no injuries? 1992 Dream Team Roster: Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Patrick Ewing, Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Chris Mullin, David R basketball,bird,dream team,durant,feature,jordan,kobe,lebron,magic,mj,olympics,redeem team,usa,what if wednesday Dream-vs-ReDream