TNT All Star Weekend Rookies vs Sophomores Game Notes
T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam
MVP Gibson hit 11 of 20 threes for 33
Announcers: Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith
Barkley on who is he looking forward to watching play from the sophomore team: “One of the best players, he’s obviously an All-Star, is (Trail Blazers guard) Brandon Roy. I wish a lot of these other kids would realize how important it is to stay in school for a while and learn how to play. And if you asked me to pick one player who I thought could become a star, I would say (Grizzlies guard) Rudy Gay. Rudy Gay (has) got so much talent, he’s done a good job this year, and he’s gotten a lot better. It’s going to be fun to watch him grow and mature.”
Smith on which of the rookies he is looking forward to watching: “(Grizzlies guard) Juan Carlos Navarro. He’s an older rookie, 27-years-old, and he’s a legend in his hometown overseas. He is a guy who can really fill it up.”
TNT’s Craig Sager interviewed SuperSonics rookie guard Kevin Durant prior to tip-off.
Durant on how he has made such a smooth transition from college to the NBA: “I kept the same mindset I had in college, always be aggressive, always play hard and have fun.”
Smith on Grizzlies sophomore guard Rudy Gay: “Last year, I picked (Rudy Gay) to be (NBA) Rookie of the Year because he’s got so much talent and versatility. A guy who’s his size (who) can put it on the floor, shoot a jump shot and defend. There’s a lot of ability but (his) concentration level is the problem for me. He’s got to solve that problem.”
Barkley on Rockets rookie forward Luis Scola: “(Luis) Scola is going to be a terrific player in the league for a long time. He’s a great compliment to (Rockets center) Yao Ming; (Scola is) rugged and tough.”
Barkley on the Boston Celtics style of play: “The biggest question with Boston is (if they are) going to speed the tempo up. Right now they are a jump shooting team. They need to find a way to get more layups. Running the ball up and down against the Pistons is not going to get it done.”
Barkley on Hawks sophomore forward Al Horford winning Rookie of the Year over SuperSonics guard Kevin Durant: “(Al Horford) should be Rookie of the Year. He plays great defense, he’s a rebounder. Kevin Durant has to improve on other aspects of the game.”
Barkley on Jazz sophomore forward Paul Milsap: “Paul Milsap is a terrific, young player. You don’t get to see him a lot in Utah but he is terrific.”
Barkley on the Utah Jazz coming out of the Western Conference: “I took a little heat today on the air. They asked me to pick a winner in the West (Conference). I said Utah. People don’t really think about Utah. We don’t know about the Suns. We don’t know about the Lakers with Kobe (Bryant’s injured) thumb and (Andrew) Bynum’s knee and the Spurs are ancient.”
Barkley on Brandon Roy’s greatest quality as a player: “(Brandon Roy is) composed. He never looks rattled. I think as a leader of a team, you can’t be rattled. He’s a terrific player but he brings a maturity, and that’s his biggest asset.”
Barkley on Bucks rookie center Yi Jianlian’s name: “(Yi) would be a great name to have to sign autographs.”
Halftime
Smith on Cavaliers sophomore guard Daniel Gibson: “The one thing that (Daniel) Gibson is going to have to learn is to play the point guard position eventually. He’s a great, great shooter, he’s going to be one of the better shooters in this league but he’s going to have to learn to play the point because at (his) size, he has to make plays for other people and create tempo for his team. When he does that along with that long-range ability then the Cleveland Cavaliers can take another giant step.”
Smith on Hawks rookie forward Al Horford: “(Al Horford) is a beast. He’s a prototypical throw-back power forward. He runs the lane, he’s physical, he doesn’t allow you to get easy shots and he creates easy baskets. He plays like a younger, smaller version of Charles (Barkley) and Karl Malone in the 1980’s.”
TNT’s Craig Sager interviewed Heat guard and Eastern Conference starter Dwyane Wade at half-time.
Wade on what it means to be in New Orleans for All-Star: “This weekend is more important than the (All-Star) Game itself. It’s really about getting into the community of New Orleans and doing our part to give back.”
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Barkley on players staying in college longer before turning pro: “One thing the NBA and college need to change is they need to make these kids stay in college for two years (instead of the mandatory one year). It would help the NBA and it would also help college. (The young players have) got a lot of talent but they don’t know how to play.”
Smith on Grizzlies rookie guard Mike Conley: “I think (Mike) Conley is a good point guard who understands the game. The one thing he has to understand is how to create shots for himself. As a point guard, a lot of times, the plays aren’t going to work and you have to break down a defense and make plays happen for yourself and your team. That’s something he’s going to have to learn.”
Barkley on the young players he would like to start a team with: “If you gave me Brandon Roy and (Al) Horford, I (would) like my chances for the next ten years.”
TNT’s Craig Sager interviewed former Utah Jazz great Karl Malone during the second half.
Malone on who impressed him in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge: “All of (the players), I like their demeanor. They’ve got a great feel for the game. Of course, I’m biased, I like the big guys. This is a group that everyone has been waiting on, the way they do things on and off the floor. I’ll be bringing my son to watch a lot of them play, it’s kind of refreshing.”
TNT’s Craig Sager interviewed Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy following the game.
Roy on the Trail Blazers making a run at the playoffs in the second half of the season: “We think the future is still bright. No one expected much from us. We’re going to try and make one more run at it. The West (Conference) is deep but we are going to try to knock some teams off.”
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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai
Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley
Cavaliers guard and Eastern Conference starter LeBron James joined the show.
James on T-Mobile Rookie Challenge MVP and Cavaliers teammate Daniel Gibson: “We work on (shooting) everyday after practice and before (head coach) Mike Brown gave (Gibson) a chance to play, I’ve seen his ability to shoot the ball from the outside. If you can shoot the ball in this league, you should get the opportunity to play. When he got the opportunity, he made the most of it.”
James on why Gibson isn’t starting for the Cavaliers: “I don’t know. I don’t know if he feels comfortable coming off the bench or if he feels comfortable starting. He is still a young player even though he’s had a lot of playoff experience getting to the (2007 NBA) Finals. We don’t know if he’s ready to step in and be the starting point guard. The way he is progressing, he will be the starting point guard soon.”
James on Cleveland returning to the NBA Finals for the second consecutive season: “It’s going to be tougher now, we know that. Boston reloaded, (they are) a team that didn’t make the postseason last year and Detroit is always going to be ready. Orlando is another good team. It’s going to be competitive for us. We’ve been to the postseason, we know how to win playoff games and we’ve been in that situation.”
James on the Cavaliers making a deal before the NBA trade deadline: “I think we need to get better. And it starts with hopefully making a deal before the trade deadline. If that doesn’t happen, then the guys that we have are going to be ready for the last 30 games of the regular season and then get ready for the postseason.”
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