If the "Dream Team" concept debuted an Olympiad earlier, who's the roster?

(02-13-2016 04:53 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  If the "Dream Team" concept debuted an Olympiad earlier, who's the roster?

At least seven guys who were on the actual dream team 4 years later:
Jordan
Magic
Bird
Barkley
Karl Malone
Ewing
Drexler
Maybe Stockton (that would make 8 of the '92 team). But maybe Isiah instead? He was supposedly left off in 92 because nobody wanted to play with him. 4 years earlier he might have gotten more support from Magic at least.

The other center is hard to figure. Moses Malone or Kareem, I guess. Both were getting long in the tooth at that point but were still pretty effective.

One more power forward: McHale
Two more small forwards: 'Nique and either Worthy or Alex English

Dang, too many Celtics.

In 1988, the roster would have been made from this group below. Remember back then, the games were more position specific then now, so you won't see 4 small forwards, for example. Note that the team was selected a year before the games, so the decisions would have been based on performance as of the end of the 1987 season.


Even in 1987, the four biggest draws in the NBA at that time were Magic, Bird, Jordan, and Barkley (yes Barkley was that big of a deal even then). Those guys were absolute locks. After that, pick your poison. Assumes all were healthy, though age is factored in.

Point Guards 2
Magic Johnson (lock), Isiah Thomas (lock)

Shooting Guards 1-2*
Michael Jordan (lock), Fat Lever, Alvin Robertson, Mo Cheeks, Clyde Drexler

Small Forwards 2-3*
Larry Bird (lock), Dominique Wilkins, James Worthy, Alex English, Julius Irving (like Magic and Larry in 92, he was past his prime but would have been given an option as an ambassador to the game)

Power Forwards 2-3
Kevin McHale (lock), Charles Barkley (lock), Karl Malone, Tom Chambers

Center 2
Hakeem (lock), Patrick Ewing, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (see Julius Erving), Moses Malone (was still the best center in the east at this time, though age might be a factor)

College players 1-2 (replaces one of the above at their position)
David Robinson C (lock), Danny Manning C/PF, or Mitch Richmond SG

*Note that with the depth at the 3 and the relative lack thereof at the two, it is possible only Jordan is taken at shooting guards, and one of the small forwards plays the other two guard


In comparison to the 92 team, Magic, Jordan, Bird, and Barkley, would be the only locks, and if the tradition of keeping a college player was still in play, David Robinson was as much of a lock as you could get. Especially with selection taking place prior to Danny Manning willing his team to a national championship. As for the others:

Stockton - was not even a starter in Utah, and would not make an all-star game until a year after the Olympics

Drexler - Is in the conversation with several other guards, but had his big breakout the same year the Olympics take place, likely well after the team has been set. May or may not make it

Pippen - Was a rookie the year the team would be formed. Would not be on the team

Chris Mullin - His breakout year, and first all star game, would occur the winter AFTER these Olympics had been played. AND he plays the deepest position on this roster. He would not have made the cut.

Karl Malone - His breakout year, and first all star game, would occur in the 87-88 season, likely after the team was made. He would likely just miss the cut, but be a possible injury replacement

Patrick Ewing - Could very easily make the team. However too much competition for his spot to know for sure.

Christian Laettner - was still in HS.

Yeah, after looking again, I think you're right about McHale being more of a power forward lock than Malone. One year later Malone would have been the lock. Not sure Isiah would have been a lock (read about why he was left off the 92 team), but he was probably the #2 pg at the time (Stockton would be a year later).

But there's no way Hakeem would have been on the team. He wasn't (yet) a US citizen.

(02-15-2016 04:17 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  Yeah, after looking again, I think you're right about McHale being more of a power forward lock than Malone. One year later Malone would have been the lock. Not sure Isiah would have been a lock (read about why he was left off the 92 team), but he was probably the #2 pg at the time (Stockton would be a year later).

But there's no way Hakeem would have been on the team. He wasn't (yet) a US citizen.

The events that lead to Isiah being left off the dream team had yet to occur. He was a lock. Stockton was a few years away. It was another year before he was even a starter. Doc Rivers, Alvin Robertson, Mo Cheeks, or Fat Lever would have gotten the nod. Maybe Sleepy Floyd. But since those two were so entrenched, I just stopped there.

I forgot about Hakeem's citizenship status. Although the issue he had was not only that he was not a citizen, but that he had played in internationally for his home country recently, which was a problem as well, even without the citizen issue (they allow waivers for non-citizens, see Luol Deng and Serge Ibaka, though that could be a recent thing). That said, the center position is so deep, between Ewing, Malone, and Kareem, alongside the Admiral, it would have been covered.

The shooting guard position is the trouble. Some good candidates, but with the SF position so deep, I think one of them might have been pulled to play the two guard.

(02-15-2016 04:34 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  The shooting guard position is the trouble. Some good candidates, but with the SF position so deep, I think one of them might have been pulled to play the two guard.

One guy we both left off is Moncrief. He was kind of sg/pg but in 1986 he was playing at a really high level. Would certainly have been in the conversation.

I agree with your breakdown. The "Doctor" was someone I thought of as a "senior statesman" pick. Who's the college player as a sop to traditionalists? Manning?

Oh David Robinson without question. Consider he was so good, the Spurs drafted him number one overall, knowing they had to wait two years to get him. He was that good. That said, Manning may have gotten the Christian Laettner nod if the college player was announced AFTER the 1988 season. But being a serviceman, and the top college player, I don't see how Robinson would be left off.

Sorry to resurrect a 6 year old thread, but I found a YouTube video that gave his roster

Magic
Stockton
Isiah Thomas
MJ
Drexler
Bird
Wilkins
Barkley
Mailman
McHale
Jabbar
Moses

Who’s the coach? I’d guess Riley or K.C