Team USA Tournament: 1996 vs. 2008
Shaq in Dime #38This year marks the fifth time USA Basketball has put a team of NBA stars on the court for the Olympics. Since there’s no question that the original ‘92 Dream Team is the best unit ever assembled in any sport — not just basketball — the better question is, “Who’s the next-best U.S. squad?” From 1996 to 2000 to 2004 to 2008, we’re pitting the Team USA Olympic rosters against each other in a hypothetical one-and-done tournament.
We’re going international rules for this one, and remember to consider each player as they were at the time (rosters and ages posted after the jump). Our first matchup is 1996 versus 2008, the gold-medal winning team from the Atlanta Games against this year’s Beijing Games group. Tell us who you think will win in the comments section:
1996 U.S. Olympic Team
Gary Payton (PG, 28)
Reggie Miller (SG, 30)
Scottie Pippen (SF, 30)
Charles Barkley (PF, 33)
David Robinson (C, 30)
Hakeem Olajuwon (C, 33)
Penny Hardaway (PG, 24)
Grant Hill (SF, 23)
Karl Malone (PF, 33)
Shaquille O’Neal (C, 24)
Mitch Richmond (SG, 31)
John Stockton (PG, 34)
COACH: Lenny Wilkens
2008 U.S. Olympic Team
Jason Kidd (PG, 35)
Kobe Bryant (SG, 29)
Carmelo Anthony (SF, 24)
LeBron James (SF, 23)
Dwight Howard (C, 22)
Chris Paul (PG, 23)
Dwyane Wade (SG, 26)
Chris Bosh (PF, 24)
Deron Williams (PG, 23)
Carlos Boozer (PF, 26)
Michael Redd (SG, 28)
Tayshaun Prince (SF, 28)
COACH: Mike Krzyzewski
June 30th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Ron says:
Gotta go with 1996 on that one.
I would seriously give up a testicle to watch that game.
June 30th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
johnsacrimoni says:
The ‘08 team is quicker and more athletic but Stockton and Payton would keep the PGs in check. ‘96 wins because they would dominate down low. Three of the best centers of all time.
June 30th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
JoeMoe says:
The 1996 post players kill the 2008 bigs. They have 5 hall of famers. ‘96 Penny and Hill were pretty much the Lebron and Melo of their era. In my opinion the 1996 squad would beat the 2008 team.
June 30th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Celts Fan, "Kobe, Tell me how my @$$ tastes" says:
agreed w/ all above. ‘96
The bigs got the edge, Scottie and GP make life miserable on defense, taking turns trying to slow down Kobe and funnel him towards Shaq and Hakeem, and Reggie rains down 3balls, Hakeem makes Dwight look foolish with the Dream Shake, and Shaq breaks CB4s arm cramming one home in full-on MDE.
June 30th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Meica says:
Surprise, surprise. On paper, the 2008 team is the better team. Most of ‘96 best players are past their prime (in fact, many of their best players were on that ultimate ‘92 Dream Team), but the important aspect of the ‘96 team compared to the ‘08 team (and why ‘96 won the gold and why it won’t be so easy for the ‘08 team to win) is size. Look at Barkley, Shaq, Olajuwon, Robinson, Malone, even Reggie Miller and Pippin, they have all got size—they’re tall, they’re big, in short, they’re bruisers. No European team can push them around and they still can’t outrun them either.
While I love the NBAs transition to a faster paced game this clearly highlights what we’re losing: athletic big men that can clog up the paint and destroy any fast paced team because it eliminates their ability to penetrate forcing the opponent to become a jump shot team which we all know sometimes works, but inevitably fails when the team has a bad shooting night.
I guess, all in all, the ‘08 team has better players, but the ‘96 team is a more dominant team. Hakeem, David Robinson, and Shaq all in their primes in a pretty much unstoppable force—I know I wouldn’t want to get in their way.
June 30th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
hahns says:
96 would KILL.
gp would lock down any 08 pg. stockton would keep up w/ all of them while givin em all elbows to the mouth.
hakeem admiral and shaq daddy would all DOMINATE chris bosh. dho wouldnt be able to keep up w/ hakeem’s dream shake and shaq can bang w/ him.
and for a reminder about how good penny and grant hill….look up some you tube vids. they were just silly before injuries. not to say they’re better than wade kobe bron and melo, but its not like they definitely right there w/ them.
June 30th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Jim says:
‘96 3rd team center is Shaquille O’Neal.
‘08 3rd team center is…well, if this were college football they would be like, well, Tayshaun took some tips in high school, so he’s our emergency 3rd string center.
June 30th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
D says:
96 far and away. 08 team has no size inside and therefore 96 team would dominate on that alone. The 08 wings are debatably better (emphasis on debatably), but all around, 96 team spreads the floor, has the inside/outside game on lock and dominates the 08 team.
June 30th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Prof. TX says:
‘96, easy
June 30th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Yoooo says:
Grant Hill was DEFINITELY better than Wade pre injuries.
This isn’t even close. 96 has brain AND braun to go with actual skill and knowledge and selflessness. I miss the good ol days…
And how were the people on that team past there primes? Robinson hadn’t yet won his chip, Pippen won 2 more after 96 , so on and so forth.
June 30th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
big steve says:
Man I actually think this would be a crazy game. But like everyone else is sayin the bigs on the 96 team is to much to handle. But bron bron would work out most definitely
June 30th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Icy says:
Unless the 08 team can hit perimeter shots they would be doomed. Stockton and Penny would just keep feeding Shaq, Hakeem, The Admiral, Malone, etc down low. Game.
June 30th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
philly says:
cp3 vs the glove would be a disgusting pg match-up, gotta give it to payton but paul would have all the highlights
‘96 by far
June 30th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
dukesman2000 says:
1996 hands down. Even now that I’ve seen that Kobe is mortal. If Team ‘96 played Team ‘08 in a best of seven it would be Team ‘96 in 5 games.
June 30th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
C-Rob says:
no one on the ‘08 team could guard Shaq or Olajuwon. ‘96 would roll.
June 30th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
BALLZ says:
96 would fucking romp. Daddy, Dream and Admiral combine for 55 & 35, Pip makes Kobe & or Bron miserable, Rock and Reggie combine to hit 9 threes, GP gets in CP3’s ears, Stockton knees DWill in the balls, Barkley outplays Melo, and the Mailman puts 18 stitches above Boozer’s eye.
June 30th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
The better question is would 96 beat 92?
I know there’s no MJ Magic or Bird, but some of those dudes were past their prime too.
I think Shaq Dream and Admiral make it a toss up
08 doesn’t compete w either one IMO
June 30th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Mo says:
Not that it matters much but I think Deron Williams is 24 now.
June 30th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Brown says:
‘08 would get eaten alive. My biggest issue with basketball now compared to back then is how the big-man game is played. They started encouraging PFs to become more “versatile” and be able to play outside the paint more. That’s all well and good, but it takes away from your ability to bang and rebound. The league has lost a lot of toughness in the paint over the past decade. I’d rather a PF who can play tough, rebound and has post moves instead of one who can shoot the ball outside of 15-18 feet and/or put the ball on the floor. You look at the teams who’ve won championships the last 10 years, and they all have big men who can play in the post on both ends of the floor.
The Lakers had soft, “versatile” big men this year, and look what happened to them. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.
June 30th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
fattyacids says:
no love for The Rock! Best 2 guard out there besides jordan at the time. Coach K cant handle NBA talent neither
June 30th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
shake&bake says:
‘08 has one big man and one streaky shooter. ‘96 has 3 domninant big men and two great shooters. The pg’s and slashers pretty much cancel each other out. 96 would roll.
June 30th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
karan says:
1996 takes it
June 30th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
BlazeMcHerbs says:
The ‘96 team looks like a bunch of bullies compared the 2008 team.
There is nothing the ‘08 can do inside to the 96 team, they would get crushed so bad its not even funny…
June 30th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Ray says:
‘96, hands down
June 30th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
DaPro says:
08 would ahve to push the tempo every possesion to stop the 96 bigs from going to work. That’s the only shot they have at winning. 96 has to much size
92 “Dream Team” beats anybody hands down so what’s the point of this???
June 30th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
CDiz says:
96′ stands in line after the game so Kobe can taste the ass of a winner again.
June 30th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Big Dutch from Chi says:
Kobe vs Scottie in his prime!!! If P-Squared gave him problems, Scottie CLAMPS him!!!
1996 is just too strong for them (Young Shaq, Dream, The Admiral, and Mailman vs. D-Howard, Boozer and Bosh).
June 30th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
yoda says:
only question here is how many times would ‘08 team cross half court line. on ‘08 roster only real defenders are kobe and prince, dwight is useful, while every player in ‘96 squad played above-average-to-great defense. oh, yeah, and ‘96 centers would make hamburger out of centaur, thats for sure
comparing players at every position, i think only kobe and maybe ‘bron have advantage against ‘96 counterparts. others, with all theirs potential, are not even close at this time.
June 30th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Eazy-Yi says:
Who could guard LeBron or Kobe?
The ‘96 centers would be unstoppable though
June 30th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
fiyaman says:
Pippen on Kobe Barkley on Lebron.. Lebron would be so scared he wouldnt want the ball and Kobe would try to over do it
June 30th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
blah says:
if yall dont remember, grant hill in 1996 was better than all of the 08 players on that roster. Lebron would be the only one close if he could shoot.
June 30th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Meica says:
Obviously ‘96 is going to put on a clinic, but will y’all stop brown nosin’ Grant Hill and Penny?! Yes, both were amazing players before injury, but better than Kobe? HA! I mean, what are you guys smokin? Honestly, Lebron might be debatable, but he fits more on team 96 than team 08; Lebron is BIG! In fact, he’s huge. Of course, Barkley, Malone, Pippen, etc etc could guard “King” James but Kobe is way better than Grant Hill. I mean, I really don’t like Kobe at all, but 81 points people, 81 points. Don’t tell me Grant Hill was ever better than Kobe. That be like saying Kobe was better than Jordan.
June 30th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Amar says:
08 would hafta go small, but seriously . . . the only way 08 wins is some sort of injury to, say, 3 or 4 guys on the 96 team.
The 96 team is just so smart, their BBALL IQ is much higher than the 08 team — a team filled with lots of young guys who are fast and athletic. The major weakness, as already discussed, is inside. Dwight figures to be the best bigman on the 08 squad, and he has all of zero post moves. Even at that stage Shaq had developed a drop step, a jump hook and some other stuff to compliment his physical abilities in the paint.
Pippen spent his career playing against Jordan in practice, i’m sure he’ll be able to handle a few guys who want to ‘be like mike’. Pip had to play against the real mike. Big difference. Likewise, Stockton had to play against guys like Magic and Isiah, I’m sure he could handle Deron and CP3.
It all ends up being which team can control the pace of the game. If it’s an up and down game the 96 team wouldn’t be able to establish the huge inside advantage they have — but i’m sure that GP, Stock, Penny, Hill and Pip would make sure that it’s a grind it out game that favors post play, exicution, screens, and getting guys like Reggie and Mitch great open looks while Hakeem, David, Shaq, Karl and Charles work two skinny dudes and one guy who plays no defense (Boozer).
June 30th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
matthew says:
1996 in a blood bath. A lot of marketing stars on the ‘08 team, a lot of incredible basketball players on the ‘96 squad. A lot of incredible defenders.
June 30th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
smitface says:
Lets be honest did anyone watch the 2008 playoffs this year. I guess not because the 08 playoffs finally looked like nba bsketball again. The 2008 usa basketballl team has players that are in their prime and the majority of the 96 teams player were on theeir way out. The 2008 olympics are goin to look like the 92 olympics. High flying dunks and blowouts. Its a new age and all our sf and sg are phsyical like malone and barkley and play like mike. Penny and grant hill would get bulled by melo, bron, and kobe. The only guy that would gave chance is pippen. So what happens when lebron is running the point like magic with kobe, melo, bosh, and howard on the floor. What does payton aka the glove do know. 96 team cant match up with that line up. REgardless if the try to use size because the wont be able to keep up.
June 30th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Dagomar says:
The ‘08 team has a huge advantage in terms of swingmen. Pippin was still good back then but Lebron and Kobe are Lebron and Kobe, arguably the two best players on either team (considering ages). The Glove was still in his prime, and while Stockton was old he was still going strong. All the same, I think Kidd, Paul and Williams have the combination skills, athleticism and knowhow to win that matchup.
The reason the ‘96 team could and probably would win lies in its combination of bigs. Even though he was a few years from his prime Shaq would go to work on anyone and everyone, Hakeem was slowing down at this point but there’d still be no answer to him, and ditto for Robinson.
Still, I think this would be real close if the ‘08 team is able to run. They’ve got an advantage in speed and stamina and their bigs are quicker. In a seven game series, I think the ‘96 team wins in six or seven.
June 30th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Dagomar says:
Here’s something to think about, though: which team wins using the FIBA rules? Because those limit big man play down low, if I’m not mistaken.
June 30th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
the real marcus says:
did anyone notice this…
j-kidd could’ve been a shoo-in to the ‘92 team, too… heck, grant hill was there, and j-kidd was probably a payton or stockton injury away (unlikely though) from making the team…
just shows how long my main man’s been playin’… and, at the top of his game since, too…
June 30th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Big V says:
Prince, Redd, Boozer, and Bosh would get crushed. The bottom of the lineup for 2008 can’t compete at that level.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Ding Dong We Got Danilo Gallinari? says:
Boozer, Howard and Bosh would know how Shaq’s @ss tastes.
1996, without a doubt.
Lebron would not give the 1996 team trouble. He would be forced to take jumpshots and ill advised 3s and we know how that will turn out.
Check out the difference in swagger on these teams. There is no way that the players in the 92 team which carried onto the 96 team would allow themselves to lose to the 2008 team.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
rodnets says:
96 all the way
June 30th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
BmoreRvensFan says:
96 too much size. The glove back before he became “old gumbo” was a lock down defender, he would give j kidd and even cp3 problems. Reggie can light it up, kobe and bron would have their hands full with grant and penny and there is still scottie to neutralize melo with his length. That leaves the centaur dwight howard to battle with the dream, the admiral, and the big aristotle…i like 96’s chances.
July 1st, 2008 at 12:35 am
indian says:
The bigs on the 96 team would score at will. The frontline on the 08 team is thin thin thin. The dream and shaq would make Dwight look like pau gasol. They would out muscle and bewilder him. And don’t even get me started on Chris bosh. How would that rail thin sucka guard shaq and hakeem. We are talking about two of the greatest centers of all time.
Barkley would just beat the hell out of Carmelo untill carmelo fought him (oops i mean throw and punch and run.) The rest of the players are more evenly matched. Kobe got bottled up by the celtics but he was also playing with a bunch of soft underacheivers. In the end there is no way in hell that the 08 team wins cause the frontline for the 96 team is too strong
July 1st, 2008 at 3:04 am
Arno says:
I clearly remember this 96 Team being being 6 or 8 points behind Yugoslavia after 2Q, after what, with two injured centers, the Yugos were killed inside. The bigs looked slow and went charging while trying to use their physical dominance (Shaq, but especially Sir Charles and Malone). The BB IQ or the chemistry of that team was quite low, despite Stockton, who didn’t play that much. And don’t forget that there’s only one big on the court at the same time.
Like every sport, basketball is improving. The athletes just jump higher, run faster, are better prepared. The rules changes help NBA players better adapt to international rules. So I think the team with the best chemistry would win. The team training being much more developped nowadays, I would stick, against everyone, with the 08 team.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:36 am
jim says:
no no no…96 team would kill it………..just absolutely kill it
July 1st, 2008 at 5:32 am
Marian says:
96 mos def!
July 1st, 2008 at 10:15 am
chaos rob says:
96 team would win but it would be competitive as hell. the bigs would not be able to hang at all. dwight, booz and bosh would foul out trying to guard the dream (best post moves of the 90s, 2 time dpy), the admiral (former mvp, offensive and physical beast), and the diesel (and at this point in his career, he was the diesel and superman before dwight). and barkley would be throwing people in the stands. even the the 08 squad is super athletic, the 96 squad could Prolly run people off the court. sir charles, scottie, the admiral, the dream, gp are just as athletic but smarter. plus the glove and stockton are dirtier than d-will, cp3, and Jkidd and would frustrate the hell out of them. and if kobe had a hard time chasing ray around, then mitch and reggie would have a field day. plus who says kobe won’t go into gunner when 08 team is down?
July 1st, 2008 at 10:22 am
Adi23 says:
The ‘08 backcourt is pretty tight but the ‘96 big men are an elite force. Unless the ‘08 team taps into a whole new level of athleticism, that game goes to ‘96.
I’d so watch that game.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:42 am
mrparker says:
I am dumbfounded by anyone who thinks the U.S.A has a chance of losing. This team going to make it look like Phoenix has been playing in slow motion the past few seasons. They are going to dictate to everyone with the best 3 point guards running the show, and the best two big men rebounding. The midcourt is going to be hell because you know we are going to press everyone.
With the exception of Argentina if they are full strength, non team is going to come closer than 20 points during this tournament.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:41 pm
liukz says:
Easy-1996
1.they were athletic but they UNDERSTOOD basketball
2.their defense was stupidly better
3.their bigs
4.except for micheal jordan, i dont know who the hell would score against an Olajuwon(center),Robinson(pf) Barkley(sf),Pippen(sg),Payton(pg) lineup playing strong defense in crunchtime
5.all of their great defenders were capable of scoring big time
6.Free throw shooting
7.discipline
8.Carmelo is our better player in the last couples of tournaments,he is also a captain. he wont even been invited to try out for the 96 squad
July 1st, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Dave says:
1996
Their bigs would destroy this group.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:43 pm
drewstar says:
1996 in a heartbeat.
i honestly think the 1996 team is one of the most underrated teams in history.
the guys on the original 1992 dream team are obviously many of the greatest players after, but what many ppl dont realize is that many were past their prime (eg. bird, magic). the team was mostly due to their household name status, and couple that with really poor international teams and you get blowouts like no tomorrow.
96 teams has everything you would want in a team..bigs, true point guards, defenders (WOW can this team ever lock down the opposition), shooters (reggie, richmond, etc), swingmen (pippen, hill).
July 1st, 2008 at 7:55 pm
johnny says:
Athletic size kills and 1996 you are talking about a front line of a young shaq and the admiral and the dream talk about fouling out and getting beasted wow this would be a sleeper I think 20-40 point blowout 1996 over 2008
July 1st, 2008 at 9:03 pm
doc says:
08 all the way!
July 1st, 2008 at 9:24 pm
AL says:
it’s easy to pick 96 to win it all
but what would you guys do if you are 08’s coach?
I would have LBJ or Melo play PF and hv as many as ISOs for them. Barkley and Malone aint very good defender (comparing to the whole 96)
also go small (they r small anyway), hv 3 guards (CP3, Dwade and Kobe) on the floor most of the time.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Bank says:
LOL @ everyone that thinks team usa is a lock at this years olympics. Please go take a nap.
July 2nd, 2008 at 5:34 pm
New School says:
I am going with ‘08. Everyone keeps saying the old school would dominate because they have 3 bigs but that doesn’t matter because they would only play one at a time. If the ‘08 team played Bosh or Howard at the 5, with Lebron, ‘Melo, Kobe and CP3 they could completely dictate the tempo of the game. I know Pippen could slow down Kobe or Lebron but who is playing the other one? I like that group against, for example, GP, Miller, Hill, Pippen (they would have to play these two at the forwards to match up)and any of the centers.
July 2nd, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Smooth says:
96 all day
July 4th, 2008 at 3:35 am
spiderweb says:
Everything that can be said, has been said. My opinion is 96. Who picked this 2008 team anyway, globetrotter/and1 scouts. Where is the defense? this is a “show-team’ all the way I predict an embarassing 3rd place finish again. I think Marcus Camby should be on this roster. who else is missing? Anyone?