NBA D-League All-Star Game
All-Star Weekend | Feb. 16, 2008
 Fort Wayne’s Jeremy Richardson, a two-time D-League-to-NBA Call-Up this season, led six players in double figures with 22
points, as the Blue Team defeated the Red Team 117-99 in the second annual
D-League All-Star Game, which took place on Center
Court at NBA Jam Session, at the Ernest N. Morial
Convention Center in New Orleans.
Richardson, who was waived by the Miami Heat during training camp, and
has spent time this season with the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio
Spurs, shot 9-for-15 from the field and added four rebounds on his way
to capturing MVP honors.
“It feels good to win something like this, coming from where I come
from,” said Richardson. “If it wasn't for the D-League, I probably would
have never gotten a chance from an NBA team. I have to give a lot of
credit to the D-League. It helped me out and that is the case for a lot
of players out here. Everybody out here is talented and has a chance to
make it to the NBA. There's a lot of competition out here.”
Morris Almond of the Utah Flash, currently on assignment from the Utah
Jazz, added 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting for the Blue Team. Almond,
who was selected by the Utah Jazz in the first round (25th overall) of
the 2007 NBA Draft, set the D-League regular season record with 53
points on Jan. 30 against the Bakersfield Jam.
Kyrylo Fesenko of the Utah Flash, also on assignment from the Utah Jazz,
and Sean Banks of the Los Angeles D-Fenders each scored 14 points for
the Blue Team, which shot 51 percent from the field, as compared to 40
percent for the Red Team. Fesenko, the 38th overall pick of the 2007 NBA
Draft, was grateful for the opportunity to soak up the experience in New
Orleans this weekend.
“After this game, we’re all going to a hospital to talk to kids, and for
me it’s not part of my job it’s something I always do, and I’m in a good
mood, because if we don’t have children, why are we here?” Fesenko said.
“We are stars because of them, and we need to help them and show them
that we care about them.”
Colorado’s Elton Brown, a 2006-07 All-D-League First Team selection,
paced the Red Team with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Iowa’s Dwayne
Mitchell added 17 points for the Red Team, which was without Tulsa’s
Nick Fazekas, who was recently summoned back to the NBA by the Dallas
Mavericks, who made Fazekas the 34th overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft.
PREVIEW: D-LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME
Feb. 14, 2008
Thirteen players with NBA experience highlight the rosters for the second annual D-League All-Star Game presented by Spalding. The game will be held Feb. 16, on Center Court at NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas and will tip off at 2 p.m. CST and will be shown live on NBA TV.
The two 10-man rosters were selected by a combination of fan balloting on D-LEAGUE.com and voting of the league’s 14 head coaches. The Red Team will be the home team, while the Blue Team will be the visitors.
D-League-to-NBA Call-Ups Eddie Gill and Billy Thomas highlight the Red Team roster. Gill, selected first in the 2007 D-League draft by the Colorado 14ers, earned the season’s first call-up Nov. 15, when he signed with the New Jersey Nets. He ranks among D-League leaders with 7.9 assists per game and 2.5 steals per game. Thomas, Gill’s teammate in Colorado, earned a Dec. 24 call-up by the Nets and is among league leaders with 2.5 steals per game.
Reigning D-League Most Valuable Player Randy Livingston joins the Red Team, as does Dallas Mavericks assignee Nick Fazekas. Fazekas is averaging 18.9 points for the Tulsa 66ers while Livingston sits atop the league’s leader board with 11.3 assists per game for the Idaho Stampede.
NBA-assigned players Morris Almond, Kyrylo Fesenko and Ian Mahinmi headline the Blue Team. Almond and Fesenko, teammates on the Utah Jazz and their D-League affiliate Utah Flash, have both seen multiple assignments during the season. Almond most recently joined the squad on Jan. 25, while Fesenko headed to Orem on Dec. 13. Mahinmi is in his second stint with the Austin Toros from the Spurs. Almond is second in the league with 26.4 points per game, while Fesenko is averaging 10.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Mahinmi ranks among the league’s best, shooting .639 (163-255).
Los Angeles D-Fenders center Jelani McCoy, Austin Toros guard Keith Langford and Fort Wayne Mad Ants guard Jeremy Richardson, all Call-Ups this season, round out the Blue Team’s roster. McCoy, who earned a call-up from the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 29, is averaging 2.2 blocks, ranking him among the league’s best defenders, while Langford, who earned a call-up from the Spurs on Dec. 28, is averaging 24.1 points, ranking him among the league’s top five scorers. Richardson has twice been called up this season, first by the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 20, and then by the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 10. Richardson is averaging a league-high 28.2 points to go with 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 40.8 minutes in nine games for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
C.J. Watson, the 100th Call-Up in league history, and member of the Golden State Warriors, was selected to the Blue Team by the fans and coaches. Since he is with the Warriors, he will be replaced on the D-League All-Star roster by NBA veteran and Bakersfield Jam guard Andre Barrett.
Watson, who played 16 games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers before earning a call-up from the Warriors on Jan. 8, had his NBA contract renewed through the end of the 2007-08 season.
Nine additional D-League standouts will compete in the All-Star Game, including three D-League Player of the Month and D-League.com Performer of the Week honorees. The Red Team will include Lance Allred (Idaho), Elton Brown (Colorado), Kaniel Dickens (Colorado), Dwayne Mitchell (Iowa), Kasib Powell (Sioux Falls), and Cory Violette (Idaho). The Blue Team will include Sean Banks (Los Angeles), Rod Benson (Dakota) and Carlos Powell (Dakota).
The Red Team will be coached by Idaho Stampede (22-5, .814) head coach Bryan Gates and his assistant Ray Lopes, while the Blue Team will be helmed by Los Angeles D-Fenders (18-8, .692) head coach Dan Panaggio and his assistant Chucky Brown. Both coaches were selected based on their teams having the highest winning percentage by Jan. 31. Prior to the game, Gates and Panaggio will choose starting lineups for their respective teams.
NBA Legends Rick Barry and Lenny Wilkens will serve as honorary captains and will share basketball knowledge with the 20 D-League All-Stars. As honorary captains, and former players and coaches, Barry and Wilkens will be on hand to offer their hardwood wisdom throughout the game.
2007 D-LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME RECAP
On assignment from the Dallas Mavericks, Fort Worth Flyers forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu made the inaugural Gillette D-League All-Star Game in association with 24 Hour Fitness his personal showcase Saturday, leading the East to a 114-100 victory on Center Court at NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
The rookie from George Washington scored 30 points and collected seven rebounds on his way to being named Most Valuable Player. Mensah-Bonsu converted 11-of-13 field goal attempts as the East shot a blistering 55-percent from the floor.
"I tried to play as hard as I could, which is the only way I know how to play," said Mensah-Bonsu, who was the only player assigned from an NBA team in the game. "When they said I made the team, I was back with the Mavericks and I told them that I really wanted to play in this game. It wasn't about winning the MVP, it was about getting to be with these great players."
Mensah-Bonsu’s Fort Worth teammate Luke Schenscher came off the East bench to make 6-of-8 field goal attempts, score 15 points and grab six rebounds. Renaldo Major of Dakota had 14, Arkansas’ Clay Tucker 13 and Tulsa’s Alan Anderson scored 10 for the East.
Colorado center Elton Brown, one of four 14ers in the game, scored 16 and had six rebounds to lead the West. Los Angeles point guard Brian Chase contributed 15 points. Albuquerque’s Dijon Thompson and Pooh Jeter of Colorado each scored 14, while Rick Rickert of Colorado had 13 and Anaheim’s Jawad Williams 11 to round out double-figure scoring.
“It was a fun experience. As far as basketball, we just wanted to come out here and have fun,” Tulsa and East point guard Will Conroy said. “You don't get to prove much with the substitution patterns, you just want to keep the game sharp and make sure you sell some tickets for next year so the fans want to come back again.”
The D-League continues to develop talent from across all disciplines for the NBA’s 30 teams and the entire NBA umbrella. Designed to help grow the sport of basketball both domestically and internationally, the D-League also offers fun, family entertainment at affordable prices.
Fans discussed the game in this forum thread.
|
