Obama sides with Dream Team in U.S. Olympic basketball debate

Barack Obama sips a beer while watching the U.S. beat Brazil 80-69 in an exhibition.

Alex Brandon/AP

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Add President Barack Obama to the list of people who disagree with Kobe Bryant's boast that this year's USA Olympic basketball team could beat the Dream Team of 1992.

"This is a generational thing," Obama said during a halftime interview with ESPN2 as it broadcast an exhibition game Monday night with Brazil at Washington's Verizon Center. "I was around in '92, I was a Bulls fan, so I've got to go with the original Dream Team."

Bryant said recently that this team - deep and athletic with the likes of Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Durant - would even beat the 1992 lineup. Its members included Hall of Fame players Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen and Chris Mullin.

"I suspect that Michael and `Sir Charles' and others would point out they were probably never down at any point in any of their games," Obama said. "But this is a great team, unbelievable talent."

The president added: "You know, Kobe's a competitor, so you expect him to do a little trash talking whenever the opportunity arises."

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