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At the Michael Jordan statue outside the United Center
How do you rank Michael Jordan’s career achievement list?
The answer: It’s nearly impossible.
The G.O.A.T., as he’s so often referred to (by those who never saw Wilt Chamberlain play) has done so much for the game that ranking his performances simply doesn’t do justice to his illustrious career.
Sheridan at Vilnius University, Sept, 2011
In the United States, there is only one Dream Team. It was the 1992 Olympic Team.
But here’s a little piece of trivia from someone old enough to remember. When Team USA played in the 1994 World Championship in Toronto, the team was branded “Dream Team II.” It wasn’t until after the Atlanta Olympics that USA Basketball realized there was no use in continuing that moniker.
There was one — and only one — Dream Team.
So that is the American view.
But not everyone is American.
As all knowledgable American basketball fans know, Lithuania is the country that has competed at a high level most consistently over the past six Olympics. Lithuania produced Arvydas Sabonis, Sarunas Marciulionis, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Linas Kleiza, Jonas Valenciunas, and Egle, among others.
And now a film has been made about the 1992 Lithuanian national team, entitled “The Other Dream Team.”
(RELATED: Hubbard: Memories of covering the 1992 Dream Team)
Here is the one sheet (cinema-speak for promotional poster). Pretty cool, eh?
Here is the trailer (cinema-speak for preview):
For more info on the film, visit the producers’ Facebook page.
The Olympics is fully underway, which means you’ll be reading plenty of news about NBA players involved in the special event for the foreseeable future. In today’s news, you’ll find LeBron James’ take on Kevin Durant’s role on a team full of superstars, Nicolas Batum’s thoughts on Team USA, Kobe Bryant’s trackback on Dream Team comment along with some player movements.
Kevin Durant has tried his best to not be a ball hog on a team full of dominant scorers, but LeBron James wants him to shoot as much as possible, according to Scott Fowler: “Kevin Durant, the scoring champ in question, has not played in an Olympics before. Like any newcomer, he wants to be liked. So time and again during the U.S. team’s brief time together this year, Durant has passed up the sort of open shots that he drills with the Oklahoma City Thunder. “I told KD (Durant) to just be himself,” LeBron James said Sunday after Durant led the U.S. with 22 points and added nine rebounds in a game that was only close for one quarter. “On a team like this you can kind of shy away because there are so many great players here. But KD’s on this team for a reason. He’s one of the best players the world has and he’s a three-time scoring champ. So we don’t want the KD that defers. We want the KD that he is in Oklahoma City.” James seemed determined to make that KD show up on Sunday. He threw the ball to Durant every time he could, passing up one open shot after another to get the ball to Durant. It was a bit ironic, considering that Durant and James went head-to-head in the NBA Finals this season when the Miami Heat defeated the Thunder.”
Despite suffering a blowout loss on Sunday, Nicolas Batum believes Team USA can be beaten by a number of teams, from Marc Berman: “Moments after Team USA’s men’s basketball team fried the French yesterday, 98-71, in its Olympic opener yesterday before 12,000 at Olympic Park’s basketball arena, Nicolas Batum wasn’t convinced. The Frenchman and rising NBA star said the American juggernaut can be beaten — not by only one Olympic club, but several. “You have to play a 40-minute game [to do it],’’ said Batum, who plays for the Trail Blazers. “Rebound, take care of the ball and play good defense. Some team can do it. I think some team can beat them, really. Spain, Argentina, Brazil. A lot of teams can beat them.’’
Andrei Kirilenko discussed why he felt the desire to return to the NBA, from The Associated Press: “Speaking to American media for the first time since signing his deal, Kirilenko said he felt refreshed after deciding to stay home during the grueling NBA season that was compacted by the lockout. He played last season with CSKA Moscow, and appears to have an extra bounce in his step after slowing down in the last of his 10 seasons in Utah. ”Last season in CSKA, I feel comfortable, I feel great at home,” Kirilenko said. “I feel I should play at the highest level possible. If I’m not going back to NBA, I would probably feel sorry for myself over the next four or five years. I got a call and it was a very, very interesting offer.”
Despite trade rumors, Andre Iguodala will stay put in Philadelphia, according to John Finger: “According to a source, a trade involving Iguodala “won’t happen” during the off-season. As a result of that, the Sixers’ off-season tinkering to their roster is complete and aside from a few free agents who get invitations to training camp, the team is set. Moreover, a report on HoopsWorld.com indicates that the Sixers are actually building the team around Iguodala and that if any move is to come regarding the Olympian, it would be in the distant future. As for London, Iguodala made his Olympic debut in the victory over France, scoring one point and missing the only shot from the field that he attempted. However, Iguodala had two assists, a steal and a block in 11 minutes off the bench as the team’s defensive stopper.”
Bryant was also caught without a shirt on in a recent photo during a party, from TMZ: “Kobe Bryant’s wife has some serious questions about his judgment after seeing pics of him partying with women last week — but that didn’t stop her from flying to London to watch him play in the Olympics. Sources close to Vanessa Bryant tell us she is “furious” and “embarrassed” over the photos — one of Kobe chatting up 2 women at an afterparty last week in Barcelona … the other showed him hanging with 2 different women in a nightclub. But we’re told Vanessa’s anger is NOT because she thinks Kobe cheated … instead she’s mad that he put himself in situations where the photos could be taken.”
In a recent interview, Yao Ming said he was glad the Knicks declined to match Houston’s offer for Jeremy Lin, from Berman: “Yao Ming doesn’t give many interviews anymore, but he stopped long enough yesterday as he entered the Olympic Park’s basketball arena to give a thumbs up to Jeremy Lin leaving the Knicks and joining his former club, the Rockets. The 7-foot-6 Yao is doing Olympic commentary for Chinese TV and worked Spain’s 97-81 victory over China. When asked what he thought of Lin joining the Rockets, Yao told The Post, “It will be good for both of them, Jeremy and Houston.’’
Guess what folks? We have an update on Dwight Howard (surprise!), and the news is not good if you were hoping to see a trade this summer. According to a source, the Howard saga may drag on until next summer as the Orlando Magic continue to search for the absolute best scenario. If there is one good news to take from this, it’s the fact that we no longer have to expect a trade to happen on a daily basis. See the latest on the situation, along with other NBA transactions in today’s news below:
Rob Hennigan is willing to go through another year of turmoil by keeping Dwight Howard on the team when the season starts, from our Mark Heisler: “A source told Sheridan Hoops that trade talks involving Howard, which the Orlando Magic just put on hold, could go on all summer – of 2013. The Magic seemed ready to take the best current offer – such as the Brooklyn Nets’ package headed by Brook Lopez – but are now determined to draw out the process in hope of getting better offers. ESPN’s Chris Broussard reported Tuesday that the Magic has told teams it will not move Howard now. Our source said new GM Rob Hennigan has decided that getting the best deal is the priority. That includes the possibility of bringing back Howard for a second season-long distraction, this time without the illusory hope of keeping him and further alienating their already dismayed fan base.”The Brooklyn Nets and Deron Williams will try their best to acquire forward Andrei Kirilenko, according to Marc Stein: The Brooklyn Nets are making a hard to push to bring Andrei Kirilenko back to the NBA despite their limited salary-cap flexibility, according to sources close to the situation. After spending well over $300 million in guaranteed contracts this offseason, Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is trying to convince his countryman to join the Nets now that Kirilenko has announced in Russia that he wants to return to the NBA after a successful season with CSKA Moscow. Sources close to the process told ESPN.com that Team USA guard Deron Williams, though abroad on national team duty, is part of the recruiting effort on Kirilenko, his former Utah Jazzteammate.”
Kevin Ding explains how Kobe Bryant will still be the “loud lead dog” despite the arrival of Steve Nash: “Don’t misunderstand what Bryant’s role was on the Shaq-less title teams: Lamar Odom played guard; Bryant played on the wing. It was the same sort of way Jackson’s triangle offense had Scottie Pippen at guard so Jordan could be closer to the basket and score without having to barge through the entire defense.The extra good news for Bryant is that just like Pippen, Nash is a star player and brilliant facilitator who doesn’t need to challenge for alpha-male status (the way Paul actually would have if acquired by the Lakers for Odom and Gasol). Nash’s arrival does not prevent Bryant from still being the loud lead dog he isn’t nearly prepared to cease being.”A.J. Price will join the Wizards to backup John Wall, according to Michael Lee:
Randy Foye will be joining the Utah Jazz for one season, from Brian T. Smith: ”The Utah Jazz have signed veteran shooting guard Randy Foye to a one-year deal, a league source informed The Salt Lake Tribune late Monday. A message left for Utah General Manager Kevin O’Connor was not immediately returned late Monday. Foye, 28, averaged 11 points and 2.2 assists in 65 games (48 starts) for the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2011-12 season, playing alongside newly acquired Utah point guard Mo Williams. Foye shot 39.8 percent from the field last season and 38.6 percent behind the 3-point line, helping guide Los Angeles to the Western Conference semifinals.”
Delonte West will return to the Dallas Mavericks, reported by Marc Stein and written by Jeff Caplan: “The 6-foot-3 guard signed with Dallas in December and showed up to his first practice in a pair of beaten-up high-tops and with no money to rent a place to live. He quickly won over the organization from top to bottom with his feisty defense, solid mid-range game and quirky, disarming personality. A month ago he even campaigned directly to Deron Williamsvia Twitter, urging the Brooklyn Nets star to come home and play with the Mavericks even though it surely would have meant the end of West’s stay. ESPN.com’s Marc Stein is reporting that West has agreed to return to the Mavs. Terms of the deal are not yet known. Dallas used the remainder of its cap space to sign guard O.J. Mayo last week, but still had at its disposal a $2.5 million “room” exception and veteran minimum contracts.”Jeremy Lin let Linsanity get to his head
Tweet of the Day goes to HoopsHype for quoting Marc Gasol’s thoughts on the debate of The Dream Team versus today’s USA Team. As you can see from the quote, he wasn’t shy in stating his opinion about just how much better the Dream Team was. There has been a number of different reactions since Kobe Bryant made his infamous claim that his current team could beat the best team ever assembled, from Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley laughing at him, to Scottie Pippen claiming the current team would lose by 25 points. Gasol, being a big man himself, is likely emphasizing the importance of the size difference between the two teams. If this is indeed his mindset, he may feel pretty good about his team’s chances of beating Team USA when they collide for an exhibition game on Tuesday. After struggling to contain Luis Scola against Argentina, Team USA will have its hands full trying to contain the likes of Pau and Marc Gasol, along with Serge Ibaka.
Manu Ginobili’s Tweet of the Day
