According to Rodman, Zeke would’ve helped the Dream Team more than Bird.
While the original Dream Team is still regarded as the greatest basketball squad ever assembled, discussions about its player selections still stir controversies. One of the most notable debates centered around the omission of Isiah Thomas.
It was understandably difficult to trim down the list to just 12 players, given the enormous amount available for the 1992 squad. And while many NBA All-Stars were left out, former Detroit Pistons “Bad Boy” Dennis Rodman argued that Zeke should have replaced the aging and injured Larry Bird.
“I think that the fact that, even though a lot of people will try to deny it or try to correct me when I’m wrong, he should’ve been there instead of Larry Bird. Because Larry Bird was hurt, injured, he could barely play, and he was on that last leg of his career,” Rodman told Sirius XM’s “NBA Today” via CBS Sports in 2015.
“I understand, again, the presidential treatment because he did so much for the game, but I just think for Isiah, I think they should’ve put him on that team without Larry Bird, and that’s my opinion,” he added.
Isiah deserved it. Period.
Rodman’s argument was centered on Thomas’ unparalleled skill and competitive spirit. As former teammates, “The Worm” knew firsthand that Zeke had the aptitude for elevating his teammates’ performance, which would’ve made him a great addition to the Dream Team.
Regardless of Bird’s situation and the apparent drama between Isiah and other NBA legends, Rodman firmly believed that Thomas’ absence from the elite roster was questionable.
“I just think the fact that—I don’t know the issues of Michael (Jordan) and Magic (Johnson) and whoever, (Charles) Barkley, and stuff like that—if they didn’t like Isiah. But for me, I felt Isiah should’ve been on that team because he deserved it,” Dennis said.
Pippen doesn’t see Zeke fitting in
Even without Thomas, the Dream Team dominated the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and changed the landscape of basketball globally. Unlike Rodman, Scottie Pippen said it was only right that Thomas was not on Team USA at the time.
According to the legendary Chicago Bulls forward, Zeke was an exceptional player, but his playing style would disrupt the team’s chemistry.
“Looking at his numbers, it would be difficult to argue Isiah wasn’t deserving,” Pippen wrote in his book, “Unguarded.” “Putting a basketball team together is about more than numbers. It is about chemistry, and with Isiah on the Dream Team, the chemistry would have been horrible.”
Rodman and Pippen may have conflicting views on Thomas’ exclusion from the Dream Team, but that doesn’t diminish Zeke’s greatness as a player. Isiah may have never represented his country on the international stage, but it’s safe to say his legacy as one of the greatest point guards of all time remains intact.