We have seen several great U.S. Olympic Basketball teams but no team in the olympic sports’ history has been comparable to the Dream Team or Redeem Team. Both teams have some of the greatest players in NBA history and dominated their ways to gold medals. But if these two historically great teams faced each other who would end victorious?
Point Guards:
Dream Team: Magic Johnson and John Stockton
Redeem Team: Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Jason Kidd
The Redeem Team had a great combo of Chris Paul and Deron Williams who worked together masterfully but the Dream Team simply had the two greatest point guards in NBA history.
Edge: Dream Team
Shooting Guards:
Dream Team: Michael Jordan and Clyde Drexler
Redeem Team: Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, and Michael Redd
The Dream Team has the greatest shooting guard of All-Time in Michael Jordan but he didn’t play as good in the olympics as we were used to. Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant both averaged more PPG in their Olympic gold medal run than Michael Jordan or Clyde Drexler.
Edge: Redeem Team
Small Forwards:
Dream Team: Scottie Pippen, Larry Bird, and Chris Mullin
Redeem Team: LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Tayshaun Prince
Larry Bird’s last season was in 1992 so his impact for his team was not great. A young Carmelo Anthony would score easily on an older Larry Bird and LeBron James could score on anyone, including one of the greatest perimeter defenders of All-Time Scottie Pippen.
Edge: Redeem Team
Power Forwards:
Dream Team: Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Christian Laettner
Redeem Team: Carlos Boozer
Karl Malone and Charles Barkley are two of the greatest power forwards in NBA History. Carlos Boozer would be helpless trying to defend either one of these two star forwards.
Edge: Dream Team
Centers:
Dream Team: David Robinson, and Patrick Ewing
Redeem Team: Dwight Howard, and Chris Bosh
Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh were two young centers with great scoring ability and Dwight Howard had fantastic defense. But again, they were facing two of the greatest players in NBA history at their position. David Robinson and Patrick Ewing were fantastic all-around players who would have ultimately dominated Bosh and Howard.
Edge: Dream Team
Overall the Dream Team have more advantages, but the Redeem Team was a determined team who had great shooting ability and younger legs. The outcome of the game would be determined by which play style would work better. The Redeem Team was more about shooting while the Dream Team would attempt to take advantage of their size and star power in the paint. Most people, including myself, would put their money on the Dream Team.
