Charles Barkley would’ve been fine with Isiah Thomas being on the Dream Team
With tonight’s Dream Team documentary said to feature a large amount of Isiah Thomas controversy — namely, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and perhaps others allegedly lobbied to keep Isiah off the team — it’s nice to hear at least one person wasn’t fighting too hard against Isiah’s inclusion. Via Sports Radio Interviews, here’s Charles Barkley on Thomas from the Dan Patrick Show:
Whether it’s true that players didn’t want Isiah Thomas on the Dream Team in 1992:
“That’s not true. (Host: Oh I think that’s true. I don’t think Michael (Jordan) and Scottie (Pippen) wanted Isiah on that team.) They didn’t ask any of the other players about that. (Host: Did you want Isiah on the team.) Sure I didn’t care. I didn’t care who was on the team.”
Barkley also played on the 1996 Olympic team, which featured Piston Grant Hill. He doesn’t implicate Hill in any of this, but I found this comment pretty interesting:
What it was like playing Dream Team in 92:
“People forget I played on the second Dream Team. The second Dream Team really sucked. I have to tell you something and I’ve said this privately and a few times publicly, we had so much junk going on about playing time, who was starting on the second Dream Team and on the first Dream Team we never had any of that. I’m playing with the greatest team ever assembled and everybody got along well, did we try to kill each other in practice? Of course we did but we went back to the hotel and everybody got along well, everybody respected each other and it was really cool. Then when I played the second time in Atlanta man guys were arguing with Lenny Wilkens and talking about who should be starting. 1992 was like the greatest thing ever as far as camaraderie and everybody getting along. Then in ‘96 I was like ‘you guys are kidding me, I played with the greatest team ever, and you guys aren’t that good and you’re complaining about who is starting and who is getting playing time?’ You have to be kidding me. It was incredible.”
Leave a Reply
Jun 13, 2012 • 6:05 pm
by DoctorDaveT
The first dream team will always be special. America was tired of sending collegiates out to compete against other countries’ professionals. And with three of the greatest players ever to play the game (duh – Bird, Magic, Jordan), it was just… special.
By the way – Bird and Magic liked each other. Not “kiss on the cheek” like each other, but there was a real respect there. And does anyone remember the “Harry and Larry” show? Larry Bird clowning around with Patrick Ewing like they’re on Saturday Night Live?
They knew they were going to win by 40 points no matter who they played. Their opponents best players lined up to get autographs after the games. Come on!
It went downhill from there. ’96 couldn’t touch the ’92 team; the ’00 team – didn’t even send our best players that year. And we reached the bottom with the “I don’t have a dream team” in 2004. Ugh.
So, no doubt, Charles Barkley, that the ’96 team wasn’t what the ’92 team was. Never could be.
Jun 13, 2012 • 11:21 pm
by Travis H.
I actually participated in an ESPN chat with Clyde Drexler today, and he said that Isiah Thomas SHOULD have been on the team.
Here’s what he said exactly: “I do think he should have been on the team. He deserved to be on the team. I did not have a problem with him. Players should not be able to choose which players are on the team.”
Also, here’s a link to the chat: http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/44202/clyde-drexler-on-nba-finals
(it’s the question asked by me, Travis H.)
Jun 14, 2012 • 12:51 am
by frankie d
barkley had an even better interview with jim rome today.
he talked about zeke and he also talked about the bad boys. it was hilarious. he talked about the fact that the old bad boys would literally put opponents’ lives in danger if they came down the lane. check it out if you can find it on a podcast. it is well worth listening to…
Jun 14, 2012 • 8:05 am
by Jeremy
I bet Barkley wishes he was on those old Bad Boys teams. Imagine him hogging up half the post with Laimbeer killing the threes…
Jun 14, 2012 • 1:07 am
by ryan
Over the years Clyde Drexler and David Robinson look better and better as people. Charles Barkley does as well. Jordan and Pippen on the other hand continue to look like assholes. I did love Pippen’s all over the floor game though he was the perfect sidekick.
Jun 14, 2012 • 9:59 am
by jay_uno
yup, love his style of play, the postmoves and footwork are just unreal, watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tObgS6uUVjQ
Jun 14, 2012 • 2:40 pm
by Desolation Row
I didn’t watch the documentary, so maybe this was answered. But here’s my question: If Jordan and Pippen held such contempt for Isiah Thomas, why were they okay with Chuck Daly coaching them?