NBA Commissioner David Stern called the All-Star
Weekend the "post-lockout, post-Michael coming out" party
for some of the league's younger stars, and, "in that
context, it was a very successful weekend for the NBA,"
according to Bob Ryan of the BOSTON GLOBE. The "rookies and
sophomores put on a nice show" on Saturday, Vince Carter
"raised the bar" in the Slam Dunk contest, and Shaquille
O'Neal, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett all played well during
yesterday's All-Star Game (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/14). During
yesterday's post-game ceremony, Stern told the national
audience, "You saw our wonderful stars" (NBC, 2/13).
Garnett, after the game: "I look at the NBA as a stock. A
stock has its time when it goes down, but eventually it
builds back up. And the NBA is building back up at this
point" ("Fox Sports News," FSN, 2/13).
BUT WHO LEADS THE CHARGE? In N.Y., Mitch Lawrence wrote
that members of the NBA's "new generation ... are all being
pushed by the NBA's mighty marketing arm, which doesn't
differentiate between flash and substance." Deputy
Commissioner Russ Granik: "The question we're facing is
which of these guys will ultimately emerge as the top guy.
There are several candidates to carry the torch." But
Lawrence wrote, "It is clearly not a boom time. With
[Michael] Jordan's departure, TV ratings are way down. ...
So much of what the league does to fix its game amounts to
window-dressing. And now there is the monumental question
of whether any of these kids has what it takes to lead the
NBA in the next decade" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/13). In Denver,
Mike Monroe wrote, "Being The Man can't be thrust upon a
player, and it certainly can't be claimed by anyone. It has
to come naturally." Monroe wrote that in the next five
years, Kevin Garnett is "going to be the name that
immediately pops to mind when you think of the NBA."
Nuggets President/coach Dan Issel, asked which players the
NBA should be marketing: "You ... have to promote the ones
who have great character, because you don't want to start
promoting some guy who is going to go shoot somebody in a
bar. So those are the first two guys who come to mind,
Duncan and Garnett, because they are so good, but also
because they have great character" (DENVER POST, 2/13).
Garnett: "I don't think about the league marketing me. I
don't concern myself with things like that. ... I think they
try to market everybody -- especially players that are
exciting and especially teams that are hot" (BOSTON HERALD,
2/13). In N.Y., George Willis wrote that the NBA's younger
players "have special personalities" (N.Y. POST, 2/13). CBS
SportsLine's Mike Kahn: "Good or bad, on the heels of last
season's ... lockout, the league needed a fresh influence
and has found it in the Gen-X players" (CBS SportsLine,
2/13). In Minneapolis, Steve Aschburner: "Overnight, almost,
this thing has gone from 'Cheers,' where everybody knew
their names, to 'Dawson's Creek'" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE,
2/13). In N.Y., Mike Wise wrote that "baggy jeans and
baggier slacks were the preferred pants" of the younger NBA
players in Oakland over the weekend. Heat C Alonzo
Mourning: "The league is about change. They're pushing this
new generation to the forefront" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/13). In
Houston, Michael Murphy wrote the NBA has gone "hip-hoop"
(HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/13). Stern, on player fashions: "My
view is, fashions change. Baggy pants and corn rows are the
current fashion. It used to be Afros. This too will pass.
And the kids with tatoos are going to pay a fortune to get
them taken off with a laser" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/12).