Amare Named to Sophomre All Star Team

[George O'Brien]

NBA.COM

Stoudemire Named to Sophomore Roster for Rookie Challenge


NEW YORK, January 27 – Phoenix Suns forward Amaré Stoudemire, the 2002-03 got milk? Rookie of the Year, was one of 18 players selected to play in the 2004 got milk? Rookie Challenge on Friday, February 13 in Los Angeles’ STAPLES Center.
The participants in the got milk? Rookie Challenge were selected by a panel of 11 former NBA players and coaches who currently work as broadcasters covering the league, including the Suns’ UPN 45 color analyst Eddie Johnson.

The got milk? Rookie Challenge, which will be broadcast live nationally at 9 p.m. EST by TNT, Rogers Sportsnet and NBA on ESPN Radio, features this year’s top rookies against the league’s best second-year players. Last year, the Sophomores defeated the Rookies, 132-112, with Gilbert Arenas of the Golden State Warriors earning the Most Valuable Player award, while Stoudemire finished with 18 points and seven rebounds.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, the first overall selection in the 2003 NBA Draft, is joined on the rookie team by Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets, Chris Bosh of the Toronto Raptors, Udonis Haslem of the Miami Heat, Jarvis Hayes of the Washington Wizards, Kirk Hinrich of the Chicago Bulls, Josh Howard of the Dallas Mavericks, Chris Kaman of the Los Angeles Clippers and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat.

Stoudemire will be joined on the Sophomore team by Carlos Boozer of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Mike Dunleavy of the Golden State Warriors, Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs, Marko Jaric of the Los Angeles Clippers, Ronald Murray of the Seattle SuperSonics, Nene of the Denver Nuggets, Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets and Tayshaun Prince of the Detroit Pistons.

If a rookie or second-year player is selected to play in the All-Star Game on Sunday, he will also play in the got milk? Rookie Challenge on Friday evening. This year’s game features four international players: Yao (China), Ginobili (Argentina), Jaric (Serbia-Montenegro) and Nene (Brazil).

The 11-member selection panel included Bill Walton and Greg Anthony from ESPN; Doug Collins from TNT; Doc Rivers from ABC; Jack Ramsay of ESPN Radio; Quinn Buckner of Fox Sports Net Midwest, Johnson of UPN 45, Johnny Kerr of Fox Sports Net Chicago, Stu Lantz of Fox Sports Net, Steve Mix of Sixers TV, Jim Petersen of FSN and WFTC-UPN29.

This is the fifth year under the current rookie versus sophomore format with the series knotted at two games a piece. The game will be played in two 20-minute halves, with each team allowed one full timeout and one 20-second timeout per half. Individual foul totals will be kept, but a player can not foul out. A team will be in the penalty situation after 10 team fouls or after the second foul in the final two minutes of each half. In the event of a tie game, there will be a two-minute overtime to determine the winner.

For the first time, NBA.com will provide basketball fans with the opportunity to have their vote count towards selecting the MVP of the got Milk? Rookie Challenge, as part of the site's exclusive NBA All-Star 2004 coverage.

Tickets to the got milk? Rookie Challenge are priced at $40, and are available at the STAPLES Center box office, Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com, NBA.com and 1-800-4NBA-TIX.

NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by America Online, featuring Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk, 989 Sports Skills Challenge and Radio Shack Shooting Stars will be broadcast live nationally at 8 p.m. EST by TNT and ESPN Radio. The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, February 15 will be broadcast live nationally on TNT, Rogers Sportsnet, ESPN Radio and audio in multiple languages on NBA.com, from the STAPLES Center at 8 p.m. EST.

The got milk? Milk Mustache campaign is sponsoring the NBA Rookie platform to highlight the importance of milk's bone-building calcium and eight other essential nutrients for active people, teens especially, who add about 15 percent of their height during these years. The platform includes the ‘got milk?’ Rookie Challenge, the ‘got milk ?’ Rookie of the Month awards, the ‘got milk?’ Rookie of the Year award and the ‘got milk?’ All-Rookie Team. Below are the rosters for the 2004 got milk? Rookie Challenge:


ROOKIE TEAM ROSTER

Player Team Pos. Ht. Wt. School/Country
Carmelo Anthony Denver F 6-8 230 Syracuse
Chris Bosh Toronto F 6-10 225 Georgia Tech
Udonis Haslem Miami F 6-8 230 Florida
Jarvis Hayes Washington G-F 6-7 220 Georgia
Kirk Hinrich Chicago G 6-3 186 Kansas
Josh Howard Dallas F 6-5 210 Wake Forest
LeBron James Cleveland F 6-8 258 St. Vincent-St. Mary HS
Chris Kaman L.A. Clippers C 7-0 268 Central Michigan
Dwyane Wade Miami G 6-4 212 Marquette



SOPHOMORE TEAM ROSTER

Player Team Pos. Ht. Wt. School/Country
Carlos Boozer Cleveland F 6-8 258 Duke
Mike Dunleavy Golden State F 6-8 230 Duke
Manu Ginobili San Antonio F 6-6 210 Argentina
Marko Jaric L.A. Clippers G 6-7 217 Serbia-Montenegro
Ronald Murray Seattle G 6-3 197 Shaw
Nenê Denver F 6-11 260 Brazil
Tayshaun Prince Detroit F 6-9 215 Kentucky
Amaré Stoudemire Phoenix F 6-10 245 Cypress Creek HS
Yao Ming Houston C 7-5 296 China

 

[slinslin]

I am glad that Gooden and Butler aren't in it. Those 2 never saw a shot they didn't like in last years game and looked like they played just to take spotlight away from Amare instead of playing smart.

 

[SweetD]

Will Amare even play?? I thought he was out past the all-star break

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by SweetD
Will Amare even play?? I thought he was out past the all-star break

I would have to wonder, but it is still a couple of weeks.

 

[Phill11]

Originally posted by George O'Brien
I would have to wonder, but it is still a couple of weeks.

That's dumb. If you miss 10+ Games, you shouldn't play in a game that means nothing. Thats stupid. Missing games that count, then playing in ones that don't! Stupid!

 

[devilalum]

Originally posted by Phill11
That's dumb. If you miss 10+ Games, you shouldn't play in a game that means nothing. Thats stupid. Missing games that count, then playing in ones that don't! Stupid!

I'll be really pissed if he pulls a Penny Hardaway.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

The last I heard was that Amare was going to be out until after the weekend. The article that claimed that said something about him missing the game.

 

[Chaplin]

Doesn't look like he'll play in the All-Stars unless he plays in some regular games before it.

Stoudemire's wounds healing
Bob Young
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 28, 2004 12:00 AM

ATLANTA - Amare Stoudemire said Tuesday that his sore right toe and left ankle are improving, and the second-year forward appeared to move well in a pregame workout, spinning, cutting and dunking while going through drills with assistant coach Tim Grgurich.

But Stoudemire said he won't rush back, even if that means missing the NBA All-Star Rookie Challenge on Feb. 13 in Los Angeles. Stoudemire was named to the "sophomore" team that will take on a "rookie" team that will include LeBron James of the Cavaliers and Carmelo Anthony of the Nuggets.

"I wouldn't just come back for that game," Stoudemire said. "I'd make sure I'm ready and get a couple of games under my belt before I would play in the All-Stars. I'd have fun playing, but my health is a lot more important than that game."

Stoudemire said he'll wait to determine whether he'll make the trip on All-Star weekend and said he probably won't go unless he actually plays.

"That would be tough, sitting there watching the guys not being able to play," he said. "It's kind of like sitting on the sideline here watching the guys play hard and barely getting beat. I know if I was out there it would be a little different, but it's something I've got to bear with and get healthy."


Short-timers


When Jim O'Brien of the Celtics stepped down Tuesday, it elevated coach Terry Stotts of the Hawks to the unlikely position of longest-tenured coach in the Eastern Conference.

Stotts has been with the Hawks all of 13 months, which is now longer than any other Eastern coach has been with his club.

"That's unbelievable," said Suns coach Mike D'Antoni, who is quickly moving up the ladder of tenure in a league that has seen 15 coaching changes since the end of last season.


Dice improving


D'Antoni said forward Antonio McDyess' injured left knee is showing improvement, but McDyess still isn't likely to return before All-Star weekend.

He said if the club decides to place Stoudemire on the injured list, it would be more likely that veteran Scott Williams would be activated until McDyess is ready.


Banged up


Suns guard Joe Johnson needed three stitches to close a gash on top of his head after Atlanta's Theo Ratliff came down hard on him with an elbow in the first half.

"He's got some sharp elbows," Johnson said. "He opened me up."

Johnson, who had an egg-sized lump on his head after the game, still played 41 of 48 minutes in the game, scoring 20 points with seven assists, three steals and four rebounds.

Atlanta guard Jason Terry, who played at Arizona, left briefly with badly bruised ribs but later returned. X-rays after the game showed no fracture.