The New NBA All-Star Game
In case you haven’t already heard of him or read his stuff, Peter Schrager of Foxsports.com is quickly becoming one of my favorites, if not my absolute favorite sports writer. Like watching Monday Night Football and UCLA basketball on Thursdays, reading his Wednesday Buffet has become a near institution for me. Today’s topic was a huge hit. Schrager has a Revolutionary All-Star idea to generate more interest in the NBA game, and I think it’s genius. Here it is
Saturday ” play two “semifinal” All-Star games, and on Sunday” a finals. The teams?
- Team Europe
- Team World (all international players not from Europe)
- Team “Straight from High School”
- Team “College Bred”
I think that’s a great idea. Best part is, he’s already selected the rosters:
1. Team Europe
Coaching staff: Avery Johnson and the Dallas Mavericks staff
Starters:
Forward — Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Dallas Mavericks
Forward — Andrea Bargnani (Italy), Toronto Raptors
Center — Pau Gasol (Spain), Memphis Grizzlies
Guard — Tony Parker (France), San Antonio Spurs
Guard — Boris Diaw (France), Phoenix Suns
Bench:
Guard — Jose Calderon (Spain), Toronto Raptors
Center — Mehmet Okur (Turkey), Utah Jazz
Guard — Mickael Pietrus (France), Golden State Warriors
Guard — Sarunas Jasikevicius (Lithuania), Golden State Warriors
Forward — Andrei Kirilenko (Russia), Utah Jazz
2. Team World
Coaching staff: Mike D’Antoni and the Phoenix Suns staff
Starters:
Forward — Andres Nocioni (Argentina), Chicago Bulls
Forward — Luol Deng (representing the Sudan, and not the UK), Chicago Bulls
Center — Yao Ming (China), Houston Rockets
Guard — Steve Nash (Canada), Phoenix Suns
Guard — Manu Ginoboli (Argentina), San Antonio Spurs
Bench:
Guard — Carlos Arroyo (Puerto Rico), Orlando Magic
Forward — Anderson Varejao (Brazil), Cleveland Cavaliers
Center — Andrew Bogut (Australia), Milwaukee Bucks
Forward — Leandro Barbosa (Brazil), Phoenix Suns
Center — Samuel Dalembert (Haiti), Philadelphia 76ers
3. Team “Straight from high school”
Coaching staff: Jerry Sloan and the Utah Jazz staff
Starters:
Forward — Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
Forward — Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Center — Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns
Guard — Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Guard — Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets
Bench:
Forward — Rashard Lewis, Seattle Sonics
Center — Jermaine O’Neal, Indiana Pacers
Guard — Monta Ellis, Golden State Warriors
Forward — Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
Forward — Eddy Curry, New York Knicks
4. Team “College bred”
Coaching staff: Flip Saunders and the Detroit Pistons staff
Starters:
Forward — Shawn Marion, Phoenix Suns
Forward — Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors
Center — Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
Guard — Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Guard — Gilbert Arenas, Washington Wizards
Bench:
Guard — Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets
Guard — Allen Iverson, Denver Nuggets
Forward — Vince Carter, New Jersey Nets
Forward — Carlos Boozer, Utah Jazz
Guard — Richard Hamilton, Detroit Pistons
I don’t know about you, but I can definitely get with that and I’d much rather see that game than East vs. West. And my money would probably be on the College Bred squad.
