Who would've made the 1988 Dream Team and would they have been better than '92?

[Im Still Ballin]

Jordan
Bird
Magic
Barkley
McHale
Isiah

Can't be bothered looking up names & stats. I assume Malone and Stockton may have just broken out. Ewing, too. Dominique? Hakeem wasn't on '92, so he won't be on '88. James Worthy? How about Robert Parish? Kareem was kind of done by then, wasn't he?

[Kblaze8855]

Same team but Dominique instead of Mullin who wasn’t ready, Isiah for Pippen who was a rookie, and give Danny Manning the college spot though I’d take David from the Navy on top of it. And yes they would be better. David and Clyde would presumably be a little worse but having a real bird magic and Isiah along with a still peak Jordan would make up for it

[SouBeachTalents]

They would've likely picked the players a year prior, so this would really be based off the '87 season, so I don't think Malone or Stockton make it. Those 6 you listed are the obvious locks, I think Wilkins & Moses are very safe bets, so that leaves 4 more.

They would've needed another center, and if Hakeem's not in the running, that's actually a pretty weak position at the time. They probably do go with Kareem, maybe Parish.

The last 2 spots after the college one are honestly anybody's guess, it could've gone to a number of players.

[Nowoco]

Hakeem wasn't on '92, so he won't be on '88.

Hakeem didnt get US citizenship until 1993 so was ineligible until then.

[John8204]

C - Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, David Robinson
PF - Kevin McHale, Dominique Wilkins
SF - Larry Bird, Alex English
SG -Michael Jordan, Julius Erving
PG - Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas

Dr J and Bill Walton would have been the "Larry Birds" of the team who were out there for 5 minutes and the photos.

The "Laetner" of the team would have been Mitch Richmond or David Robinson

I think they would pick Wilkins and English over Worthy and Barkley

[Nowoco]

They would've likely picked the players a year prior, so this would really be based off the '87 season, so I don't think Malone or Stockton make it. Those 6 you listed are the obvious locks, I think Wilkins & Moses are very safe bets, so that leaves 4 more.

Jordan
Bird
Magic
Barkley
McHale
Isiah
Dominique
Ewing
Drexler
Alex English
Karl Malone (2nd team All-NBA in 1988) or Dale Ellis if they wanted some shooting.

Then the final spot would be a college player so it would have to be David Robinson. I mean he was on the 1988 team.

[L.Kizzle]

The only 3 locks are of course Bird, Magic and Jordan.
Only reason I don't have Thomas as a lock is the comments he made in the 87 playoffs as this team would be built in 87.
Kareem would make is as an elder stateman.

After thats its up in the air.

Julius Erving is a wildcard just like Magic was in 92. He was retired from the NBA.

Stockton and Malone had yet to be all stars by 87.
Barkley and Wilkins were twice and Drexler once.

Adrian Dantley, Alex English and Sidney Moncrief have high shots of making this team

Centers
Kareem; Moses; Parish

Forwards
Bird; Erving; Wilkins; English;


Guards
Magic; Jordan; Thomas

Wildcard
Drexler

If a Collegiate player is being used, David Robinson. Drexler was the last pick selected in 92, and he'll be the last selected here. It was down with Clyde and Moncrief for me.

[John8204]

You also have to consider race as the first dream team wasn't going to be all-black and Larry. We still have the Soviet Union at this point and their propaganda was America's athletic programs was built on slaves.

So they would have either had Bill Walton as the bench big or Dan Majerle as backup PG

[Kblaze8855]

They would've likely picked the players a year prior, so this would really be based off the '87 season, so I don't think Malone or Stockton make it. Those 6 you listed are the obvious locks, I think Wilkins & Moses are very safe bets, so that leaves 4 more.

They would've needed another center, and if Hakeem's not in the running, that's actually a pretty weak position at the time. They probably do go with Kareem, maybe Parish.

The last 2 spots after the college one are honestly anybody's guess, it could've gone to a number of players.

yeah, coming off 87 they definitely would’ve taken Mchale and Barkley. Maybe Worthy as well.

[L.Kizzle]

You also have to consider race as the first dream team wasn't going to be all-black and Larry. We still have the Soviet Union at this point and their propaganda was America's athletic programs was built on slaves.

So they would have either had Bill Walton as the bench big or Dan Majerle as backup PG

I don't see why not. The All-NBA Teams were Larry and everyone else Black.

[1987_Lakers]

I have said in the past that 1988 was probably peak NBA in terms of the top tier talent it had.

C - Ewing | D-Rob (Not in NBA, but he played in the '88 Olympics for USA)
PF - Barkley | K. Malone | McHale
SF - Bird | Dominique
SG - MJ | Drexler
PG - Magic | Isiah | Stockton

Probably too many point guards, but Stockton is probably necessary considering he adds some shooting and defense. Thought about Moses, but I can see him being a liability on this team with his lack of defense & black hole ways, McHale in his place gives you better defense and is a more willing passer.

Hakeem didn't become a U.S. citizen until 1993, but for argument sakes if he would have been eligible, I'm putting him on the team and maybe deduct Stockton.

Also feel like Worthy would have gotten a lot of buzz to make the team considering he was coming off a FMVP and a monster game 7 vs Detroit. He might have been selected over Stockton.

[1987_Lakers]

The only 3 locks are of course Bird, Magic and Jordan.
Only reason I don't have Thomas as a lock is the comments he made in the 87 playoffs as this team would be built in 87.
Kareem would make is as an elder stateman.

After thats its up in the air.

Julius Erving is a wildcard just like Magic was in 92. He was retired from the NBA.

Stockton and Malone had yet to be all stars by 87.
Barkley and Wilkins were twice and Drexler once.

Adrian Dantley, Alex English and Sidney Moncrief have high shots of making this team

Centers
Kareem; Moses; Parish

Forwards
Bird; Erving; Wilkins; English;


Guards
Magic; Jordan; Thomas

Wildcard
Drexler

If a Collegiate player is being used, David Robinson. Drexler was the last pick selected in 92, and he'll be the last selected here. It was down with Clyde and Moncrief for me.

Your McHale hate is insane.

You have a retired Dr. J making the team over him.

They would've likely picked the players a year prior, so this would really be based off the '87 season

If that's the case, sub Stockton for Worthy.

[John8204]

I don't see why not. The All-NBA Teams were Larry and everyone else Black.

Because in one situation you are competing against each other and the other is a nation exploiting another continent to beat people of the same ethnicity.

[L.Kizzle]

Your McHale hate is insane.

You have a retired Dr. J making the team over him.



If that's the case, sub Stockton for Worthy.

Lol, this has nothing to do with McHale. I didn't add Malone or Barkley or Worthy either. Stockton and Malone weren't even All-Stars yet. Mo Cheeks was a more established PG at the time. I almost had Sidney on the team as well.

And yes, a retired Dr J is in this team. Magic was retired when the 92 team hit the floor as well.