Better USA Olympic B-Ball Squad - 1996 or 2008

[Larry Lambo]

Obviously the 92 Dream Team is the consensus GOAT, but both the '96 and '08 teams were loaded.

Who you got?

'96 Line-up
Charles Barkley (96 NBA Stats - 23 pts, 12 rebs)
Penny Hardaway (96 NBA Stats - 22 pts, 7 assts, 6 rebs)
Grant Hill (96 NBA Stats - 20 pts, 10 rebs, 7 assts)
Karl Malone (96 NBA Stats - 26 pts, 10 rebs)
Reggie Miller (96 NBA Stats - 21 pts, 41% from 3)
Hakeem Olajuwon (96 NBA Stats - 27pts, 11 rebs, 3 blks)
Shaquille O'Neal (96 NBA Stats - 27 pts, 11 rebs, 2 blks)
Gary Payton (96 NBA Stats - 19 pts, 8 assts, 3 stls)
Scottie Pippen (96 NBA Stats - 19 pts, 6 rebs, 6 assts, 2 stls)
Mitch Richmond (96 NBA Stats - 23 pts, 44% from 3)
David Robinson (96 NBA Stats - 25 pts, 12 rebs, 3 blks)
John Stockton (96 NBA Stats - 15 pts, 11 assts, 2 stls)

'96 Results

• USA beats Argentina, 96–68
• USA beats Angola, 87–54
• USA beats Lithuania, 104–82
• USA beats China, 133–70
• USA beats Croatia, 102–71
• USA beats Brazil, 98–75 (Quarterfinals)
• USA beats Australia, 101–73 (Semifinals)
• USA beats Yugoslavia, 95–69 (Gold medal game)

'08 Line-Up
LeBron James (08 NBA Stats - 30 pts, 8 rebs, 7 assts)
Kobe Bryant (08 NBA Stats - 28 pts, 6 rebs, 5 assts)
Dwyane Wade (08 NBA Stats - 25 pts, 7 assts, 2 stls)
Dwight Howard (08 NBA Stats - 21 pts, 14 rebs, 2 blks)
Carmelo Anthony (08 NBA Stats - 26 pts, 7 rebs)
Chris Paul (08 NBA Stats - 21 pts, 12 assts, 3 stls)
Chris Bosh (08 NBA Stats - 22 pts, 9 rebs)
Jason Kidd (08 NBA Stats - 11 pts, 10 assts, 7 rebs)
Deron Williams (08 NBA Stats - 19 pts, 11 assts)
Michael Redd (08 NBA Stats - 23 pts, 4 rebs)
Tayshaun Prince (08 NBA Stats - 13 pts, 5 rebs)
Carlos Boozer (08 NBA Stats - 21 pts, 10 rebs)


'08 Results

• • USA beats China, 101-70
  • USA beats Angola, 97-76
  • USA beats Greece, 92-69
  • USA beats Spain, 119-82
  • USA beats Germany, 106-57
  • USA beats Australia, 116-85 (Quarterfinals)
  • USA beats Argentina, 101–81 (Semifinals)
  • USA beats Spain, 118-107 (Gold medal game)

The '96 team is deeper and had more guys with HOF careers. But having prime Kobe, and Bron/Wade/Melo/Dwight at their peak athleticism would be tough to handle. I give the edge to '96 because of having Reggie and Mitch as their shooters. The '08 team was lacking severely in that category and relied on overpowering athleticism to dominate.

 

[jerniebert]

08 team struggled in that gold medal game. Had me . Had me rooting for Kobe.

96 easy.

 

[CantStop]

08

Kobe carried that squad

 

[Qwelz]

The bigs on the 96 squad murder the 08 squad. 08 squad is better on the perimeter and have prime Bron/Kobe.

Tough call, might have to rock with Shaq and Dream though.

 

[DlAMONDZ]

08 Wade, Kobe and Bron

Toss up for me

I'll take the 2012 team over both doe

 

[Jplaya2023]

96 rapes every dreamteams except 92.

 

[dh86]

1992 dream team is only consensus anything because of 1992 competition. 96 and 08 is a toss up and 2012 beats all of them

 

[TheGreatShowtime]

96 had Penny. Enough said

 

[C-Styles]

Any team that has BOOZER gets the automatic

it was a toss up till i read BOOZER




and by defaulllttttttt, 96!!

 

[superunknown23]

96 and it's not even close.
Shaq, Hakeem, DRobinson, Malone, Barkley would be making layups all day

 

[Tunez]

Jason Kidd's last Olympic run

 

[JackRoss]

08 team struggled in that gold medal game. Had me . Had me rooting for Kobe.

96 easy.

shyt really had me thinking the world was really catching up... Lithuania or some shyt was giving them problem.... I agree with your comment 100%.... shyt was almost like playoff games against equals


I didn't think the US was getting gold in 08... I was nervous af for them nikkas

 

[JackRoss]

08

Kobe carried that squad

 

[JackRoss]

1992 dream team is only consensus anything because of 1992 competition. 96 and 08 is a toss up and 2012 beats all of them

does 92 have to do with choosing between the '96 and '08 squad??? Why the fukk can't you just answer the question without bringing up shyt that wasn't brought up in the OP??? You wanna talk about the '92 All Star team too??

 

[JackRoss]

Legit thought Spain would end up beating them.... shyt 08 I wasn't sure if they would make it to the Gold with the way they were getting played... I take 96... I wanted to say disregard Shaq but the team just seemed more legit (yall not fukkin with us) back then