Obama predicts U.S. basketball gold

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WASHINGTON, July 17 (UPI) -- President Obama predicted the U.S. basketball team, led by LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, will win a gold medal at the London Summer Olympics.

And, he said, he had to go with the 1992 so-called Dream Team with Michael Jordan as being better than the 2012 Olympic men's basketball team, The Washington Post reported.

"This is a generational thing. I was around in '92. I was a Bulls fan so I've got to go with original Dream Team," Obama told ESPN during an interview Monday at halftime of the U.S.-Brazil men's exhibition game at the Verizon Center.

But the 2012 team has "unbelievable talent," the hoopster in chief said.

"There's no reason we shouldn't bring home the gold," said Obama, who attended the men's and women's games with first lady Michelle Obama.

And the women's Olympic basketball team will be "as dominant, if not more dominant" than the men, Obama said.

It wasn't the court action Monday that drew the most buzz. The crowd expressed its displeasure with the first couple after the first lady lightheartedly stopped Obama's advances when they were on the "Kiss Cam. The Obamas did share a couple of public smooches, one of which drew cheers and chants of "four more years!"

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have their second chance at a kiss. UPI/Leslie E. Kossoff/Pool

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The opening ceremony for the London games is July 27.