Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, and Los Angeles Clippers rookie forward Blake Griffin, the only player in the NBA averaging at least 20 points, 12 rebounds and three assists, lead a list of 18 players selected for the 2011 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam to be held on Friday, Feb. 18, in Los Angeles All-Star Weekend.
The participants in the Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam were selectedby the NBA’s assistant coaches, with each team submitting one ballot. Joining Evans on the Sophomore team are: San Antonio Spurs center DeJuan Blair, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson, Philadelphia 76ers guard Jrue Holiday, Oklahoma City Thunder forward/center Serge Ibaka, Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings, and Portland Trail Blazers guard Wesley Matthews. Washington Wizards guard John Wall, the top selection in the 2010 NBA
Draft, joins Griffin on the Rookie team, which also includes: Clippers
guard Eric Bledsoe, Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, Nets forward Derrick Favors, Knicks guard Landry Fields, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Wesley Johnson, Detroit Pistons center Greg Monroe, and San Antonio Spurs guard Gary Neal. Last year in Dallas, the Rookies won for the first time since 2002.
Sacramento’s Evans earned Rookie Challenge MVP honors after
recording 26 points, six rebounds and five assists in the Rookies’ 140-128
win. The head coaches for the Rookie and Sophomore teams will be the lead
assistants from the 2011 NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs. The Spurs coaching staff earned the right to lead the West All-Stars last week;
assistant coach Mike Budenholzer will lead the Rookie team. Celtics coach Doc Rivers will coach the East All-Stars. Assistant coaches for the Rookies are All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire of the Knicks and NBA TV/TNT analyst Kevin McHale. The assistant coaches for
the Sophomores are All-Star Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets and TNT NBA basketball analyst Steve Kerr. The Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam will be televised live nationally
on TNT at 9 p.m. ET and also will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio, while
NBA.com will make live audio available to fans in multiple languages.
