NATCHEZ — Jason Bruce is in the minority when it comes to local basketball fans.

Bruce happens to think this year’s U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team would beat the 1992 “Dream Team” — an opinion that isn’t shared by many.

“They’re so athletic. They’re so gifted with talent,” said Bruce.

And Bruce said that athleticism would give this year’s U.S. team an advantage over a ’92 team that had a much bigger inside presence.

“Right now, they’re just running up and down the floor,” Bruce said. “It’s just a run-and-shoot game with them. I think that’s how they’re putting up so many points: getting down the court and hitting buckets, and deflecting on defense.”

But Bruce is in the minority of local basketball fans, as most Miss-Lou residents that follow the sport believe the 1992 team would beat this year’s team.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant got the discussion going in early July when he said this year’s U.S. men’s team would beat the 1992 team in a close game.

Natchez resident Jason Jones said it was hard to bet against a team with so many hall of fame players in the Dream Team.

“I think the only player on that team that wasn’t a hall of famer was Christian Laettner,” Jones said. “It’s hard to go against a team where virtually everyone’s a hall of famer.”

Jones also said the 1992 team’s size advantage could possibly give this year’s team problems.

“This year’s team doesn’t have a lot of big men,” Jones said. “A team with big men in the low-post area would give them trouble.”

Even so, Jones admitted that the athleticism of this year’s team could possibly make things tough on the Dream Team.

“The game is a little different now,” Jones said. “Back then, the focus was on big men. Now, you need more athletic point guards and you’re more geared toward offense.”

Natchez resident Jerry Williams said the Dream Team’s experience would have enabled them to beat a much more athletic squad.

“Everyone has a weakness, and (the ’92 team) would have found it and exploited it,” Williams said.

Williams also said the Dream Team’s group of players were a better fit for one another.

“This year’s team doesn’t have the chemistry; they’re just living off of athleticism,” Williams said.

Bruce disagreed, saying the chemistry of this year’s team was very good.

“They’re playing as a team,” Bruce said. “A lot of people thought they wouldn’t be able to do that, because there are too many superstars. Everyone has put their egos aside and are playing as one.”

While many locals think it’s clear that the Dream Team would beat the 2012 team, Natchez High School boys basketball coach Mike Martin said it wasn’t a given either way.

“Toss a coin,” Martin said.

Since no one’s invented a time machine, Martin said a computer estimation is the only way anyone could get an idea of who would win in a matchup.

“What they would have to do is put all the stats, all the facts and information into a computer and have it generate a winner,” Martin said.

Though the world will never truly know which team would win, Martin said it would be a show for the ages.

“I’d love to see it — who wouldn’t,” Martin said. It would be one of the greatest things to watch.”