You think Kobe Bryant has backed off his widely discussed and controversial belief that the current U.S. Olympic hoops team would beat the 1992 Dream Team? Think again. After all, this is Kobe Bryant we’re talking about.
The debate that seemingly doesn’t want to go away was revived again on Saturday in Spain when Kobe was asked if he’s reconsidered his stance.
Nope.
“People who think we can’t beat that team for one game, they’re crazy,” Bryant told reporters. “To sit there and say we can’t, it’s ludicrous.”
He was then asked if he plans to bring this up with Michael Jordan, who led the Dream Team, the next time the two legendary players (and trash talkers) come face to face.
“He knows,” Kobe said. “They got beaten by a college select team once. Doesn’t mean we’re a better team than them, but s***, we can beat them one time.”
Kobe is referencing the once-closely held secret that the Dream Team lost a scrimmage to a team of college stars prior to the 1992 Olympics, a story was that exposed in detail in NBA TV’s Dream Team documentary last month.
Since Kobe’s initial remarks, he’s received plenty of flak from nearly every single Dream Team member, particularly Jordan, Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen.
But I side with Kobe here. Not a seven-game series, or even a three-game series. One game. Anything can happen. Example: Brazil almost eeked out a win over Team USA last week. Oh wait, that really doesn’t help Kobe’s case.
Note: This post also appeared on Fox Sports’s Medal Detector blog.
H/T Real GM
Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE
