Why wasn Nique in the 1992 Dream Team?

[Wurider05]

Was he hurt that year??

[HawkItus]

Yep he was hurt. Achilles ftw.

[Dnice]

I may be wrong, but I thought they selected the team before Nique got hurt. It 's dissapointing for not for him to be on that team with his all-star peers.

[T21]

I may be wrong, but I thought they selected the team before Nique got hurt. It 's dissapointing for not for him to be on that team with his all-star peers.

I don't think the roster was completed at the time that Nique got hurt... As far as I can recall, several roster spots were up for grabs...

P.S. Even worse "Political decision" was leavin' Nique off the list of 50 Greatest... He should have made it hands down!

[Guest]

I may be wrong, but I thought they selected the team before Nique got hurt. It 's dissapointing for not for him to be on that team with his all-star peers.

The first 10 on the Dream Team were all selected in September 1991:

So Jordan joins what the NBA is calling its ``Dream Team,`` the first 10 of whom were announced officially Saturday on national TV. They are: Jordan and Scottie Pippen of the Bulls, Karl Malone and John Stockton of the Utah Jazz, Charles Barkley of the Philadelphia 76ers, Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers, Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, Ewing of the New York Knicks, Mullin of the Golden State Warriors and David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs.

Two more players are to be named, including at least one collegian, probably next spring. And then the team will compete in the Americas qualifying tournament in Portland, Ore., next June for the right to play in the Olympics in Barcelona next July.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-09-22/sports/9103120312_1_bulls-star-michael-jordan-olympics-magic-johnson

Dominique didn't blow out his Achilles until February 1992:

http://books.google.com/books?id=TcIDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA50&lpg=PA50&dq=dominique+wilkins+achilles&source=bl&ots=OqDVvU1MBw&sig=UGEZlYFmbRIEvUxUEN3-L7eXbYc&hl=en&ei=7MxmTMveCMOclgeAyeifBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CD4Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=dominique%20wilkins%20achilles&f=false

And then in May of 1992 Drexler and Laettner joined the team:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I7UxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OuIFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5497,8535804&dq=drexler-laettner-join&hl=en

At the time of the first selection, they claimed the biggest snubs were Isiah and then Clyde. Dominique wasn't really in the discussion, which was a shame. Its also funny to read that Laettner beat out Shaq, Jim Jackson, and Harold Minor to be the lone collegian on the Dream Team.

[niremetal]

The first 10 on the Dream Team were all selected in September 1991:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-09-22/sports/9103120312_1_bulls-star-michael-jordan-olympics-magic-johnson

Dominique didn't blow out his Achilles until February 1992:

http://books.google.com/books?id=TcIDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA50&lpg=PA50&dq=dominique+wilkins+achilles&source=bl&ots=OqDVvU1MBw&sig=UGEZlYFmbRIEvUxUEN3-L7eXbYc&hl=en&ei=7MxmTMveCMOclgeAyeifBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CD4Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=dominique%20wilkins%20achilles&f=false

And then in May of 1992 Drexler and Laettner joined the team:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I7UxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OuIFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5497,8535804&dq=drexler-laettner-join&hl=en

At the time of the first selection, they claimed the biggest snubs were Isiah and then Clyde. Dominique wasn't really in the discussion, which was a shame. Its also funny to read that Laettner beat out Shaq, Jim Jackson, and Harold Minor to be the lone collegian on the Dream Team.

Knowing Daly's style as a coach, it's not surprising that Nique got left off. As exciting as Dominique was to watch, he was a poor defender and passer for his position and he wasn't the world's most efficient scorer either. The forwards who made the team ahead of him all seemed more like Daly's type of players.

[capstone21]

Knowing Daly's style as a coach, it's not surprising that Nique got left off. As exciting as Dominique was to watch, he was a poor defender and passer for his position and he wasn't the world's most efficient scorer either. The forwards who made the team ahead of him all seemed more like Daly's type of players.

They went with Chris Mullin instead .... shooter

He was also playing for Nelson

[Guest]

Knowing Daly's style as a coach, it's not surprising that Nique got left off. As exciting as Dominique was to watch, he was a poor defender and passer for his position and he wasn't the world's most efficient scorer either. The forwards who made the team ahead of him all seemed more like Daly's type of players.

But Daly didn't have any vote or say as to who was on the team. If he did, then Isaiah would have made it.

[Endy9]

There was no excuse for leaving Dom off the 92 dream team or the top 50 list. And they still are missing his best dunk. Playing Boston. Bird and McHale are mugging him under the basket. Leaning on him at the edge of the three point line, i thought they were going to push him out of bounds. Instead Dom does a fake then using his incredible strength, three feet under the backboard. Goes up and moves both Bird and McHale as they hang on him...no foul called of course..and dunks with both of them hacking and hanging on him. Best physical play I ever saw in the NBA.

Edited August 14, 2010 by Endy9

[Dsinner]

Nique should have been on it and despite what you think about L8, he deserved it as well.

[NineOhTheRino]

Nique had the nimbers but didn't add much each. Sorry Nique fans but your guy was a 1-dimensional player.

[coachx]

Nique had the nimbers but didn't add much each. Sorry Nique fans but your guy was a 1-dimensional player.

Yep, that is why Scottie Pippen made the team before him. Scottie was the ultimate complimentary player. He was the perfect fit. Team chemistry needed a guy like him more then another scorer. He was easily the best and most versatile defender in the game. He could lock down a HOF PG with full court pressure as well as guard the best scorer on the other team. Plus Pippens ball handling was unmatched at the SF position then.

The Dream Team was not about getting the 12 best players. It was about building the best team. That team needed a defensive specialist and team player like Pippen and a pure shooter like Mullin more then another SF who was used to being the #1 scoring option who played 1 on 1.

Now if the stupid rule of having to have 1 college player was not there then there would be a great debate over who was next.

Edited August 19, 2010 by coachx

[AHF]

Nique should have been on it and despite what you think about L8, he deserved it as well.

If you assume that they are picking a college player and you assume that college player is being picked not based on an ability but on the strength of his college career, Laettner deserved to make the team over Shaq, Nique and Isiah.

[Dsinner]

If you assume that they are picking a college player and you assume that college player is being picked not based on an ability but on the strength of his college career, Laettner deserved to make the team over Shaq, Nique and Isiah.

If a college player had to be picked then L8 had to be the guy. Sometimes I wonder if anyone watched college ball that year and just saw the names in the draft years later. Laettner dominated college ball that year and was even better than the big Shamrock.

[Endy9]

If a college player had to be picked then L8 had to be the guy. Sometimes I wonder if anyone watched college ball that year and just saw the names in the draft years later. Laettner dominated college ball that year and was even better than the big Shamrock.

Plus Laettner ate Shaq alive when they played head to head in college.

[AHF]

If a college player had to be picked then L8 had to be the guy. Sometimes I wonder if anyone watched college ball that year and just saw the names in the draft years later. Laettner dominated college ball that year and was even better than the big Shamrock.

I watched Laettner's career closely. He dominated on teams with multiple lottery picks like Grant Hill playing supporting roles. He was the third big man picked in the draft that year and he wasn't close to the others because he obviously wasn't as talented. He was the biggest symbol of a college winner, though. He did things the right way by going to a good school and graduating after a full 4 years and won big doing it.

Laettner was a solid 20 ppg scorer his last two seasons but he averaged 7.9 rpg, 2.0 apg, and a huge .9 bpg his senior season.

That same year, Mourning averaged 10.7 rpg and 5 bpg while Shaq averaged 14 rpg and 5 bpg.

Laettner wasn't close on the talent scale or productivity scale that year. Why he was picked was because he was the poster boy for a great college team that won multiple championships (Zo and Shaq didn't sniff college championships). He was around to waive the towel and be a symbol for retaining the innocence of amateur participation. Who was better for that than the All-American white center from Duke? Had they picked based on talent, they would have made the same decision the NBA scouts did when the draft was made: Shaq.

With that talent of the Dream Team and the level of international competition, though, and the addition of abandoning the tradition of amateur rosters they didn't need to pick for talent and could afford a poster boy.

[Endy9]

I watched Laettner's career closely. He dominated on teams with multiple lottery picks like Grant Hill playing supporting roles. He was the third big man picked in the draft that year and he wasn't close to the others because he obviously wasn't as talented. He was the biggest symbol of a college winner, though. He did things the right way by going to a good school and graduating after a full 4 years and won big doing it.

Laettner was a solid 20 ppg scorer his last two seasons but he averaged 7.9 rpg, 2.0 apg, and a huge .9 bpg his senior season.

That same year, Mourning averaged 10.7 rpg and 5 bpg while Shaq averaged 14 rpg and 5 bpg.

Laettner wasn't close on the talent scale or productivity scale that year. Why he was picked was because he was the poster boy for a great college team that won multiple championships (Zo and Shaq didn't sniff college championships). He was around to waive the towel and be a symbol for retaining the innocence of amateur participation. Who was better for that than the All-American white center from Duke? Had they picked based on talent, they would have made the same decision the NBA scouts did when the draft was made: Shaq.

With that talent of the Dream Team and the level of international competition, though, and the addition of abandoning the tradition of amateur rosters they didn't need to pick for talent and could afford a poster boy.

The reason Laettner wasn't drafted higher in the NBA is because they play a different and much more boring game in the NBA. It's a 2 man game where the big man pushes, shoves, elbows, leans and forces his way to the basket with no fouls called. In college Shaq couldn't do that and Laettner made him look like a fool in head to head match ups. In the NBA it was all Shaq cause body weight and muscle and big name status are all that matter. No finesse players wanted.

[AHF]

Shaw doubled Laettner's rebounding, outscored Laettner and had more than 5 times as many blocks at a younger age. Laettner was a more mature player with a coach and system that was 10x better than what was at LSU. Does anyone really think if you switched their teams Duke wouldn't have been championship caliber with Hurley, Grant Hill and Shaq or that LSU would have been championship caliber with Laettner? Shaq was just more talented. I'll readily concede he didn't match up well with Laettner who was a more mobile and polished PF but had they faced off in a 7 game series there is no way Laettner could hold Shaq in check without a ton of help.

[Dsinner]

I watched Laettner's career closely. He dominated on teams with multiple lottery picks like Grant Hill playing supporting roles. He was the third big man picked in the draft that year and he wasn't close to the others because he obviously wasn't as talented. He was the biggest symbol of a college winner, though. He did things the right way by going to a good school and graduating after a full 4 years and won big doing it.

Laettner was a solid 20 ppg scorer his last two seasons but he averaged 7.9 rpg, 2.0 apg, and a huge .9 bpg his senior season.

That same year, Mourning averaged 10.7 rpg and 5 bpg while Shaq averaged 14 rpg and 5 bpg.

Laettner wasn't close on the talent scale or productivity scale that year. Why he was picked was because he was the poster boy for a great college team that won multiple championships (Zo and Shaq didn't sniff college championships). He was around to waive the towel and be a symbol for retaining the innocence of amateur participation. Who was better for that than the All-American white center from Duke? Had they picked based on talent, they would have made the same decision the NBA scouts did when the draft was made: Shaq.

With that talent of the Dream Team and the level of international competition, though, and the addition of abandoning the tradition of amateur rosters they didn't need to pick for talent and could afford a poster boy.

That wasn't really aimed at you but you do know he was college player of the year that year right? THAT's why he was picked. Head to head vs Shaq and Zo he held his own. He was the college player picked because he was the best player in college tha year, arguably ever. That's right, he is seen by many as the greatest college player ever. I'm a huge Duke fan and I would tend to disagree but the fact he is even mentioned deserves a little respect. I don't think Shaq or Zo are even in that conversation.

[AHF]

That wasn't really aimed at you but you do know he was college player of the year that year right? THAT's why he was picked. Head to head vs Shaq and Zo he held his own. He was the college player picked because he was the best player in college tha year, arguably ever. That's right, he is seen by many as the greatest college player ever. I'm a huge Duke fan and I would tend to disagree but the fact he is even mentioned deserves a little respect. I don't think Shaq or Zo are even in that conversation.

The fact that he played on a media friendly team that won two championships and the fact that he hit arguably the single biggest shot in college basketball history (based on the drama of the game and the high profile nature of the participants) is what made his career, IMO.

I don't think any serious basketball fan mentions Laettner in a conversation about greatest college player ever except Duke fans anymore. When he was at the height of his hype you heard that, but as time and perspective come to fruition most people recognize that a player averaging 16 points and 7.7 rpg is not worthy of being in that conversation.

BTW - Laettner didn't hold up too well against Zo in their junior year meeting:

Laettner 5-22, 14 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks, 0 steals

Mourning 8-12, 22 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 steals

IMO, Laettner's hype was influenced primarily by three things:

(1) Team success;

(2) Media spotlight; and

(3) An outstanding college career.

Whereas Lew Alcinder is a legend whereever he plays, Laettner would not be held in such high regard as a college player had he played for LSU, Richmond, etc.

From my perspective, every NBA talent evaluator knew that Laettner was the inferior player to Zo and Shaq but the better short-term PR move for the Dream Team.