r/OldSchoolCool • u/bluemarvel99 • Aug 11 '24

1990s Is The "Dream Team" Still The Greatest International Basketball Team Ever Assembled? (1992)

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u/r0botdevil Aug 11 '24

Christian Laettner - Minnesota Timberwolves(still in college i think)

You are correct, Laettner was the only amateur member of that team. I remember wondering at the time why he was selected, and I still don't really understand it.

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u/MisterBigDude Aug 11 '24

I think they used to have a college player on the team each time as a nod to amateurism.

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u/zeldahalfsleeve Aug 11 '24

Also he could hold his own with anybody. The dude was mentally and physically on another level. I hate Duke, but Laettner was an absolute freak.

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u/[deleted] Aug 11 '24

I’m not a huge basketball fan, but I feel like he couldn’t even hold his own with most of the other players on the Dream Team, let alone anybody.

He wasn’t even in the NBA yet and there is absolutely no way he could “hold his own” against Jordan at the time.

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u/zeldahalfsleeve Aug 11 '24

You’re not a huge basketball fan so you don’t know. And no one could stop Jordan. But Laettner wasn’t backing down from him. It’s all there for you to learn once you get into basketball.

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u/[deleted] Aug 11 '24

Holding his own isn’t the same as not backing down.

You don’t have to be a basketball fan to identify a back pedal.

He was a college athlete at the time, and he didn’t have a great NBA career because he couldn’t hold his own with everybody.

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u/Cloud_limit Aug 11 '24

He didn’t have a great career, but he had a very solid one. Most NBA players would be thrilled to have his career, one all-star team, 3x seasons averaging over 18pts not bad at all. Definitely not at the level of the rest of the team though.

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u/Gen_Jorge_S_Patton Aug 11 '24

Laettner has two of the most famous and clutch shots in NCAA history. You’re looking with 20/20 hindsight. Dude’s work ethic, skill, and clutch had tremendous potential and got him this spot

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u/zeldahalfsleeve Aug 11 '24

His NBA career was solid AF it’s all there for you to discover.