It's show and tell time to see if the US basketball team (seen here in practice) can back up Kobe Bryant (#10) and LeBron James boast that the 2012 US Olympic team can beat the 1992 US Dream team. France with who have six NBA players on their roster will be their first test - Tim Shelby from Arlington, VA, USA photo

SPORTS NOTES EXTRA - KOBE BRYANT DREAMS 2012 USA OLYMPIC TEAM IS BETTER THAN 1992 USA DREAM TEAM

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

Bryant's claim that this team could run the Dream team into the ground could be interpreted as being absurd. 1992 Dream teammates Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley were quick to disagree as would common sense. Since Bryant's claim teammate and league MVP LeBron James agrees that this 2012 team is better.

Sunday July 29, 2012

SAY WHAT!!! WHAT'S IN THAT LAKER WATER?

When the LA Lakers and current USA Olympic team member Kobe Bryant made the statement that this 2012 USA Olympic team could defeat the USA 1992 US Dream Team the basketball world almost stood still. The gravity in his statement was this team is younger that the 1992 team which produced 11 NBA Hall of Fame players and their coach Chuck Daly also received that honor.

"Well, just from a basketball standpoint, they obviously have a lot more size than we do -- you know, with (David) Robinson and (Patrick) Ewing and (Karl) Malone and those guys," Bryant told Yahoo! Sports. "But they were also -- some of those wing players -- were also a lot older, at kind of the end of their careers. We have just a bunch of young racehorses, guys that are eager to compete."

Bryant's claim that this team could run the Dream team into the ground could be interpreted as being absurd. 1992 Dream teammates Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley were quick to disagree as would common sense. Since Bryant's claim teammate and league MVP LeBron James agrees that this 2012 team is better.

"Well, just from a basketball standpoint, they obviously have a lot more size than we do -- you know, with (David) Robinson and (Patrick) Ewing and (Karl) Malone and those guys," Bryant told Yahoo! Sports. "But they were also -- some of those wing players -- were also a lot older, at kind of the end of their careers. We have just a bunch of young racehorses, guys that are eager to compete.

In an interview on The Mike Missanelli Show on 97.5 The Fanatic Philadelphia, Dream Team member Charles Barkley said his squad would win by double digits.

"Oh yeah, that's no disrespect," Barkley said. "I ain't got to badmouth them. But like I said, their point guards weren't going to beat us. That's a no-brainer."

Barkley also brushed aside Bryant's comments about the Dream Team's age. "I just started laughing," Barkley said. "How old is Kobe Bryant? He's 34? And he's calling us old? At the time, we were only like 28, 29. Michael Jordan and me were the same age. We were both 29. ... "Other than Kobe, LeBron (James) and Kevin Durant, I don't think anybody else on that team makes our team."

Jordan has his say on the matter, "I heard Kobe say we were not athletic, but we were smart. He (Kobe) 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 20s."

The NBA and International game has come a long way since the 1992 team competed and won their games by an average of 43 points. A record 38 current NBA players and 16 former NBA players will be competing in the Olympics this year. That is a huge increase since 1992. When we first reported on International players in the NBA there were very few. Since that time the competition is tougher and International talent in the league has increased. This USA side will have a tougher time than the 92 Dream team but Bryant's point is this team is better. A look at the rosters defies that claim. How many players have the talent to qualify for the NBA Hall of Fame?

As the smoke has cleared on the issue Bryant has toned down his claim and now says the 2012 team could defeat the 1992 in ONE GAME. AGREED… now this makes sense as any team of quality talent can defeat another on a given day as in one day you're hot on another day you're not.

NOTES: Current USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski was an assistant on the 1992 Dream team.

The USA first game will be today against France who have six NBA players on their side which includes Nicolas Batum Portland Trail Blazers, Nando de Colo San Antonio Spurs, Boris Diaw Charlotte Bobcats, Tony Parker San Antonio Spurs, Kevin Seraphin Washington Wizards and Ronny Turiaf Miami Heat