Whitlock - players picked for '92 Dream Team just because they were white

[StartOrien]

Not to validate his article in anyway, but it did always strike me as slightly unusual that Mullin made the team.

[Army_of_One_Nation]

ESPN should hire him and pair him with Skip Clueless. The name of the show would be Dumb and Dumber!

[317]

Not to validate his article in anyway, but it did always strike me as slightly unusual that Mullin made the team.

im to young to remember but Mullin was on the 1984 team well at St. Johns. maybe they saw something in how his game worked in international play then?

[33_Larry Legend_33]

I recognize some of you guys are too young to remember Chris Mullin, but he was a DEADLY shooter.  The "Run TMC" (with Tim Hardaway & Mitch Richmond) was lethal.  Remember: international basketball allowed ZONE defenses.  The NBA had not (at that time) so the team also needed some great shooters, of which Mullin was one of the best. 

For reference, Mullin shot 14-26 from 3 point range, and astounding .538 from outside the arc.  He shot just shy of 62% from the field, averaging a shade under 13 ppg.  Anyone who disputes Mullin's presence on that team is an abject fool...

[StartOrien]

I recognize some of you guys are too young to remember Chris Mullin, but he was a DEADLY shooter.  The "Run TMC" (with Tim Hardaway & Mitch Richmond) was lethal.  Remember: international basketball allowed ZONE defenses.  The NBA had not (at that time) so the team also needed some great shooters, of which Mullin was one of the best. 

For reference, Mullin shot 14-26 from 3 point range, and astounding .538 from outside the arc.  He shot just shy of 62% from the field, averaging a shade under 13 ppg.  Anyone who disputes Mullin's presence on that team is an abject fool...

I'm well aware of Mullin's accomplishments and skills, and I didn't mention the above to diminish them in any means. But there's a reason he sticks out in that lineup. The other guys on that team were unquestionably either the best or the second best at their position for an entire generation, without anyone else in the argument. Mullin didn't have that same pedigree.

[33_Larry Legend_33]

I recognize some of you guys are too young to remember Chris Mullin, but he was a DEADLY shooter.  The "Run TMC" (with Tim Hardaway & Mitch Richmond) was lethal.  Remember: international basketball allowed ZONE defenses.  The NBA had not (at that time) so the team also needed some great shooters, of which Mullin was one of the best. 

For reference, Mullin shot 14-26 from 3 point range, and astounding .538 from outside the arc.  He shot just shy of 62% from the field, averaging a shade under 13 ppg.  Anyone who disputes Mullin's presence on that team is an abject fool...

I'm well aware of Mullin's accomplishments and skills, and I didn't mention the above to diminish them in any means. But there's a reason he sticks out in that lineup. The other guys on that team were unquestionably either the best or the second best at their position for an entire generation, without anyone else in the argument. Mullin didn't have that same pedigree.

Um, Mullin was the THIRD leading scorer in the NBA during the 91-92 season (25.6 ppg), and the Warriors were the #3 seed in the Western Conference.  Can you tell us what we're missing here??  The myth he was this slow-afoot white guy that couldn't play or didn't deserve on that team is laughable, my friend...

[GreenFaith1819]

I recognize some of you guys are too young to remember Chris Mullin, but he was a DEADLY shooter.  The "Run TMC" (with Tim Hardaway & Mitch Richmond) was lethal.  Remember: international basketball allowed ZONE defenses.  The NBA had not (at that time) so the team also needed some great shooters, of which Mullin was one of the best. 

For reference, Mullin shot 14-26 from 3 point range, and astounding .538 from outside the arc.  He shot just shy of 62% from the field, averaging a shade under 13 ppg.  Anyone who disputes Mullin's presence on that team is an abject fool...

I'm well aware of Mullin's accomplishments and skills, and I didn't mention the above to diminish them in any means. But there's a reason he sticks out in that lineup. The other guys on that team were unquestionably either the best or the second best at their position for an entire generation, without anyone else in the argument. Mullin didn't have that same pedigree.

But see - that's the point - I don't think the 92 Dream Team NEEDED Chris Mullin to be either the 2nd or third best at his position during that time, but I tell you what that team DID need:

A great SHOOTER. Someone besides Larry, Stock (and maybe Michael) that could open things up from deep. Who else on that team was as great a shooter as Larry, Chris, Michael and perhaps Stockton?

I'd even argue that Michael wasn't as great a shooter as Larry, Chris and Stock. Chris' height (6'6") helped as well. He was a big guard that could get his shot off without much trouble because of it.

That team absolutely needed Chris, and his spot there was well-deserved.

[BballTim]

I recognize some of you guys are too young to remember Chris Mullin, but he was a DEADLY shooter.  The "Run TMC" (with Tim Hardaway & Mitch Richmond) was lethal.  Remember: international basketball allowed ZONE defenses.  The NBA had not (at that time) so the team also needed some great shooters, of which Mullin was one of the best. 

For reference, Mullin shot 14-26 from 3 point range, and astounding .538 from outside the arc.  He shot just shy of 62% from the field, averaging a shade under 13 ppg.  Anyone who disputes Mullin's presence on that team is an abject fool...

I'm well aware of Mullin's accomplishments and skills, and I didn't mention the above to diminish them in any means. But there's a reason he sticks out in that lineup. The other guys on that team were unquestionably either the best or the second best at their position for an entire generation, without anyone else in the argument. Mullin didn't have that same pedigree.

But see - that's the point - I don't think the 92 Dream Team NEEDED Chris Mullin to be either the 2nd or third best at his position during that time, but I tell you what that team DID need:

A great SHOOTER. Someone besides Larry, Stock (and maybe Michael) that could open things up from deep. Who else on that team was as great a shooter as Larry, Chris, Michael and perhaps Stockton?

I'd even argue that Michael wasn't as great a shooter as Larry, Chris and Stock. Chris' height (6'6") helped as well. He was a big guard that could get his shot off without much trouble because of it.

That team absolutely needed Chris, and his spot there was well-deserved.

  I could have taken Mullin's spot on the roster and the team still would have won every game. You can argue that he deserved his spot, not that he was absolutely needed.

[Eja117]

Whitlock is the sharpton of "journalists"

That's a really mean thing to say about Sharpton. At least Sharpton has SOME talent and hasn't flushed EVERYTHING he had down a toilet.

[GreenFaith1819]

I recognize some of you guys are too young to remember Chris Mullin, but he was a DEADLY shooter.  The "Run TMC" (with Tim Hardaway & Mitch Richmond) was lethal.  Remember: international basketball allowed ZONE defenses.  The NBA had not (at that time) so the team also needed some great shooters, of which Mullin was one of the best. 

For reference, Mullin shot 14-26 from 3 point range, and astounding .538 from outside the arc.  He shot just shy of 62% from the field, averaging a shade under 13 ppg.  Anyone who disputes Mullin's presence on that team is an abject fool...

I'm well aware of Mullin's accomplishments and skills, and I didn't mention the above to diminish them in any means. But there's a reason he sticks out in that lineup. The other guys on that team were unquestionably either the best or the second best at their position for an entire generation, without anyone else in the argument. Mullin didn't have that same pedigree.

But see - that's the point - I don't think the 92 Dream Team NEEDED Chris Mullin to be either the 2nd or third best at his position during that time, but I tell you what that team DID need:

A great SHOOTER. Someone besides Larry, Stock (and maybe Michael) that could open things up from deep. Who else on that team was as great a shooter as Larry, Chris, Michael and perhaps Stockton?

I'd even argue that Michael wasn't as great a shooter as Larry, Chris and Stock. Chris' height (6'6") helped as well. He was a big guard that could get his shot off without much trouble because of it.

That team absolutely needed Chris, and his spot there was well-deserved.

  I could have taken Mullin's spot on the roster and the team still would have won every game. You can argue that he deserved his spot, not that he was absolutely needed.

Well, could someone name me another late 80's big guard, around 6'6", that could shoot LIGHTS OUT and was a team player willing to play just his role?

Someone other than Chris Mullin?

I'm sorry - Dominique Wilkins, James Worthy, Isiah Thomas - all better all-around players than Chris Mullins - sure.

But none of them could shoot nearly as well as Chris.

Chris Mullins filled a role for that team.

Ray Allen and Reggie Miller didn't play until a few years later.

Who else could we have filled into Chris' spot (I know - besides you BBall ) that could've filled that role for The Dream Team?

[Roy H.]

Not to validate his article in anyway, but it did always strike me as slightly unusual that Mullin made the team.

Why?  All-NBA 2nd team in 1991, All-NBA 1st team in 1992.  4th in NBA in scoring in '91, 3rd in '92.  He belonged.

[Donoghus]

Mullin was L-E-G-I-T in the late 80s/early 90s. He could shoot the rock with the best of them.  Easily a top 10 player plus he had international experience from his stint in the '84 Olympics.  Even with the Dream Team, it didn't hurt having a few guys with that.  Especially the way international basketball is played.

The guy belonged. 

[GreenFaith1819]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7mQ9jHSGAE

Chris Mullin was a winner in college AND in the NBA...I remember those days in the 80's...the (Then) ST John's Redmen vs Patrick Ewing's Hoya Paranoia.

At the time, I also couldn't see why Chris Mullin was picked for that team. But I'm a bit wiser now.

That team needed Chris.

I know, BBall - the way that that team dominated you could call into question the need of many of the players on that team. But the message they sent to the world was evident.

[the_Bird]

You also saw with some of the later Team USA squads (like the '04 Olympics squad) how the lack of pure shooters hurt them in the international game.  The '04 squad didn't really have a player who you absolutely worried about behind the arc; its scorers were mostly slashers; that team needed a guy like Ray Allen (who I think might have been hurt).

And yeah...  in '92 it might not have mattered, but Mullin's game was very well suited for international play.

[Frontierboy]

Isn't this the dude that got fined for saying stuff about Jeremy Lin?