NBA All Star Game 2000
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 Sunday, February 13
Questions and answers and other thoughts
 
By Eric Karabell
ESPN.com

 
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
"I talked to Hubert Davis a little. He didn't have very good advice. But he's also the competition."
-- Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki on competing in the Shootout event.


"What, Vince Carter isn't in the rookie game? Man, I lost another player..."
-- K.C. Jones, who will help Bill Russell coach the 1999 rookies. Antawn Jamison dropped out of the rookie game on Thursday.


"I once asked Vlade Divac for an autograph. I was about 13 or 14. He said no."
-- Cleveland rookie Andre Miller, who was asked if he would solicit autographs this weekend.


"I think when you retire you don't want to do anything. Isn't that why you retire?"
-- Jazz veteran John Stockton, when asked if he would coach when his career ends.


"It's all about fun, no matter who wins the game or all the events."
-- Raptors' Tracy McGrady.


"It means a lot of guys are playing really good for the first time."
-- Pacers' Reggie Miller when asked why there are so many first-time All-Stars.


"I always tell Jason that he's the best. And he is. We don't trash talk during games with each other, we just talk about what we're doing after the game."
-- Gary Payton on friend and Sunday teammate Jason Kidd.

SAN FRANCISCO -- What are you getting your significant other for Valentine's Day? When you were in Japan to open the NBA season, did you find the women prettier? Will you try this yogurt?

If you think the stupid questions that you hear so much about during Super Bowl week were confined to that particular group of reporters, you were wrong. The NBA permitted its players about 90 minutes with its rookies, dunkers and All-Stars in a packed, posh hotel in San Francisco on Friday night, and in between the real questions for the best athletes in the world, we heard some real winners.

Naturally, none of these stupid questions came from us, but the pained look on the players' faces by the time we got to them told the story. Some had fun with the inane things they were being asked. Allen Iverson had a CD player thrust on his lap and was asked to listen to the rap music emanating from it. It was actually one of the only smiles he shared with the group while he was there. But when asked what he thought of the music, he stopped smiling.

"Amazing," was Minnesota rookie Wally Szczerbiak's only response when asked about the previous questions he had to deal with. "I hope you want to talk basketball."

We did. And Wally was more than happy to talk.

Tracy McGrady fielded a lot of questions about the dunk contest and his impending free agency status and whether the Raptors had what it takes to make a playoff run. He was also asked about the women in Taiwan.

"You know, it's like anyplace else," the third-year emerging Toronto star said, looking his questioner right in his eyes. "You have some women who are really pretty, and some who aren't."

Hey, you think that's what the interrogative gentleman was looking for?

Eddie Jones said he had absolutely no idea what he was getting his girl for Valentine's Day (oh my, is it really on Monday? So soon? Wasn't it just Christmas!). After being pressed for more info, he did come up with this: "You know, if you buy your wives and girfriends gifts throughout the year, you don't have to do anything too special on Valentine's Day. Maybe go out to dinner, rent a movie. Something like that."

Um, Eddie, you sure that will work? Anyway, are you like excited to play in the All-Star game? Where are you gonna play ball next season? Do you miss John Chaney at Temple? How 'bout some basketball questions, here!

Our personal favorite -- and we're sure since there were so many strange and wonderful people in the room asking questions that we missed many good ones -- was when Gary Payton, the unofficial host of the All-Star weekend since he grew up in Oakland, had some unopened yogurt shoved in his face. If you could only see the face he made! Then he was asked to open it up and try it. He politely declined and went back to endearing everyone around him with his humor and energy.

Payton was fired up and wanted all of us to know it. He answered questions about he and Jason Kidd and the Sonics and his hometown and a lot of other things with passion and truthful answers. He looked everyone who asked him a question right in the face and was full of expression and smiling most of the time. It was a joy.

But he didn't want the yogurt.



JASON JACKSON'S DEEP THOUGHTS
Saturday at the All-Star break has really become a phenomenon. It's absolutely great for the fans and players to have the dunk contest back. With Vince Carter there's no argument that the dunk contest should be back. And it has to stay. It makes me shudder to think what Vince might do in the contest. He said he wouldn't think about it until this weekend, but he's going to do something.

Also, the three-point contest should be interesting with Iverson and league leader in percentage Hubert Davis. And I have some inside info on the 2ball contest. I met with Cynthia Cooper and she told me some things -- she's teaming with Steve Francis. I give that team the early edge.
ESPN.com's Viewer's Guide



Dennis the not-so menace
Dennis Rodman returned to the NBA last week, though he was somewhat quiet to the media. Not a lot of strange quotes from Dennis. In fact, he was hard to track down and harder to get a one-on-one with. He just looked like he wanted to play.

However, one reporter did get to sit down with Carmen Electra's husband (or is that ex?) and get the real dirt. It was TNT's Craig Sager, who apparently has a history with the Rodmonian. Our inquiring minds wanted the inside scoop. Oh, that's another show.

"I go back with Dennis to his days with the Pistons," Sager reports. "He would come see me in Atlanta as well. One day Dennis ran into problems in Detroit where he was ready to commit suicide. I knew where to find him. We became friends.

"Dennis always says I am good for him. He's bad for me, probably. I don't have any tattoos or pierced things but we do have a lot of fun. He calls my mother every Mother's Day."

Quick hits and deep thoughts

  • Here's why NBA All-Star weekend isn't just about hoops. We spotted Eric Snow just walking around on Friday with his young son Eric Javon, or E.J. While nobody missed Shaq or Garnett when they walked by, Snow, the Philly point guard, got to go wherever he wanted to.

    "It's my first All-Star weekend, and I'm having a ball," Snow reported. "A lot of these guys we see on the court, this is time to get together and network. It's great."

    Snow is here to help root on a pair of teammates, Larru Hughes in he dunk contest and Allen Iverson in the shootout and All-Star game.

    "I think Larry has as good a chance as anyone else," Snow said. "We know people like the underdog. We talked about it. I don't think he has a plan yet."

  • And Jeff Hornacek brought two sons with him into the media room. There were other Hornacek's elsewhere.

    "This is like a family vacation," Hornacek said. "Our family and three others we know well are here. I knew I'd be coming back for the three-point contest so we made plans in advance."

    We also asked Hornacek, the defending three-point champ, how he prepares for the event.

    "The first time I did this I didn't practice, and I finished last. (1992). The next time I went I practiced and I finished first. So I practiced for this one."

  • Wally Szczerbiak was one of the top long-distance shooters in college last season, leading Miami (Ohio) to a few wins in the NCAA tournament. But in the pros, Wally's made his world closer to the basket. We had to ask why.

    "It's just an adjustment period for me," Szczerbiak said. "I'm shooting much better now. The line is a bit farther back here. Hopefully I will become more of a three-point threat. But on our time we all shoot from 15-18 feet out."

  • Best dressed at media day: Jason Kidd, with a spiffy tie and fancy suit. ... Steve Francis had about 20 people sitting at his table waiting to talk to him, but he never showed up. ... Since Shaquille O'Neal whispers on most of his answers, it was nearly impossible for anyone to hear what he was saying. ... Pat Croce is as happy as he always seems to be. It's amazing. ... Raef LaFrentz introduced himself to legend and rookie coach Bill Russell, looking like a 14-year-old boy asking a girl to dance at a party. "It was neat meeting him. I think having these guys coach is really cool," LaFrentz gushed.

    Eric Karabell is the NBA editor for ESPN.com.

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    NBA All-Star Game 2000