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via Getty

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There are heated debates about the best ever in basketball. The other day, a brash ex-NBA player, Gilbert Arenas, dared to call the famous ?Redeem Team? a bunch of trash. This daring assertion has triggered quite a number of responses among basketball fans and experts who still cannot agree. However, what lies beneath Arenas? inflammatory statement, and what else do we see here?

Arenas Labels the ‘Redeem Team’ as ‘Trash’ in Ongoing Team Debate

As mentioned earlier, Arena has never been shy of speaking up. These were just some of his recent comments regarding the comparative analysis made between The ?Dream Team? (1992), and The Redeem Team?s Olympic Games.

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He stated that the 2008 team of LeBron James, Kobe Byrant, and Chris Paul should be labeled ?trash? when contrasted with previous generations.

Arenas stated that the Redeem Team is way behind the lineup of Dream Team stars such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird among others. He argued, for instance, that there were less effective players like Grant Hill, Reggie Miller, and Mitch Richmond, compared to the team members of the 2008 squad.

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As Arenas saw it, some of those players would not even have been second-unit members in 2008 let alone challenging players like Kobe and LeBron for a starting position.

Arenas Elevates Charles Barkley in Discussion of Basketball Greatness

However, the most interesting thing in Arenas? statements is that he points out Charles Barkley in the midst of this dialogue. Barkley, who in the 1992 Dream Team, was one of the best NBA players, has turned out to be an acerbic critic of today?s players. At first, it appeared that Arenas would agree with Barkley that the players of his era were rougher and more intense than their peers in earlier eras.

It has sparked a heated discussion about the development of basketball and whether the legends of the past surpass the present players? exploits. While many fans, perhaps, have defenders like LeBron James and the Redeem Team, other sports enthusiasts will be contemplating the significance of the Dream Team?s legacy.

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Finally, Gilbert Arenas? inflammatory comments show that basketball discussions are thriving and there is the possibility of subjectivity in the assessment of the sport?s history. Whether you agree with him or not, one thing is for sure: Legends and heroes will still be discussed, debated, and celebrated in the basketball world into the future.