Jordan: 1992 Dream Team better than 2012 squad

Jordan told The Associated Press on Thursday that he laughed -- “I absolutely laughed” -- when hearing Bryant’s comments that the squad training in Las Vegas could take down Jordan and company. Jordan said there’s “no comparison” which team was better. “For him to compare those two teams is not one of the smarter things he ever could have done,” Jordan said at a celebrity golf tournament in Charlotte.

Jordan said the 1992 team, which included 11 future Hall of Famers and won its six Olympic games by an average of more than 43 points en route to capturing the gold medal, was a better overall team largely because of the experience it put on the floor.  “I heard Kobe say we were not athletic,” said a smiling Jordan as he sat in a golf cart puffing on his cigar while waiting to tee off. “But we were smart. He said we were too old, but I was 29 and in the prime of my career. Pip (Scottie Pippen) was 26 or 27, (Charles) Barkley was 29, Patrick (Ewing) was 29 and Chris Mullin was 29. Almost everybody was still in their twenties.” Jordan’s response came after Bryant said in Las Vegas that this year’s team could pull out a win against the Dream Team if they faced each other in their primes. Bryant said this year’s team has a bunch of racehorses, players who are incredibly athletic while the Dream Team consisted mainly of players at the tail end of their careers.”

Bryant’s comments received immediate and sharp rebuttal from some members of the Dream Team, including Barkley. Jordan joined in on Thursday. “Most of us were in the prime of our careers, at a point where athleticism doesn’t really matter,” said Jordan, the owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. Jordan shook his head when asked why he thinks Bryant made the comments. “I imagine he’s trying to say it to legitimize his own Dream Team,” Jordan said. “But to me it’s not even a question what team is better.”