Red Auerbach said the Dream Team would struggle against his hypothetical squad - "Up front, we'd be much better"

While the 2024 USA men's basketball team has tested this belief, many still view the 1992 Dream Team as the greatest roster of all time. Their legendary status is so powerful that they are often seen as unbeatable, even against a hypothetical team made up of any player selection.

This very idea was once explored by Red Auerbach . The legendary head coach handpicked both current and past stars in November 1992 to create a team he thought could take on the Dream Team.

"I've said this before. You talk about the Dream Team — great team. From my era—and believe me, I don't live in the past, I live in the future — I could put together a team that could beat the Dream Team 50 percent, 60 percent of the time," stated Auerbach, per Sports Illustrated.

Backcourt

The 1992 Dream Team 's outstanding backcourt started with two all-time greats: L.A. Lakers legend Magic Johnson and, for many, the GOAT himself, Michael Jordan. 'His Airness' mostly played shooting guard for Team USA in Barcelona. Off the bench came Clyde Drexler and John Stockton, the NBA's all-time leader in assists and steals. However, 'Stock' in particular, was seen as somewhat expandable by Auerbach, who was confident in his option to replace the former 6'1" playmaker.

"[Bob] Cousy is the same size as John Stockton. Who'd you rather have? Cousy or Stockton? I'd take Cousy," he remarked.

In addition to his former Celtics player, Auerbach selected Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and John Havlicek for the backcourt of his hypothetical team. While this exclusive Hall of Famers lineup is certainly impressive, Red himself admitted that "The Dream Team would have a little edge in the backcourt with Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan."

Related: Jeff Teague says Celtics fans should thank USA basketball: "Now you tell he is the worst player out of all the elites"

Frontcourt

The 1992 U.S. Olympic basketball team featured a dominant frontcourt of Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, and Patrick Ewing, backed by Chris Mullin, Scottie Pippen, Christian Laettner, Karl Malone, and David Robinson. However, Auerbach believed he could assemble an even stronger frontcourt, stating, "Up front, we'd be much better. We're bigger, better rebounders, and we'll block more shots."

The late New Yorker, who passed away in 2006, selected Elgin Baylor, Bob Pettit, Dolph Schayes, and Julius Erving for his frontcourt. This choice was already impressive, but the four big men he picked would surely stand out. Either Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Nate Thurmond would come off the bench. At the same time, the starting center duo featured the iconic pair of Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.

"I'm not taking anything away from David Robinson or these other current guys, but [Bill] Russell was superior. And you have nobody today who could handle the power of [Wilt] Chamberlain," the 1965 COY explained.

In summary, two outstanding duos are responsible for the comparison, which results in a fair draw: the Dream Team earns the point for a stronger backcourt, thanks to Magic and MJ, while Auerbach's team takes the point for a better frontcourt, thanks to Wilt and Whiskers.

Related: Danny Ainge shares how Red Auerbach was excited when the Celtics' players got into a fight: "He wanted to take me out to dinner and throw a party"