The NBA announced that a new event, Nestle Crunch All-
Star 2ball, will lead off its All-Star Saturday Night on
February 7, 1998 at MSG. The one-minute competition will
include NBA and WNBA players. Three teams have confirmed
their participation: Houston's Clyde Drexler and Cynthia
Cooper; N.Y.'s Allan Houston and Rebecca Lobo; and
Sacramento's Mitch Richmond and Ruthie Bolton-Holifield.
Winners will split $25,000; second place earns $10,000 and
third place gets $5,000. All others receive $2,000 (NBA).
THE LEGACY OF THE DOCTOR: The 2ball game will replace
the NBA's dunk contest, and in Providence, columnist Bill
Reynolds writes that "yesterday's announcement probably was
a basketball version of the mercy killing. For when we've
gone from Doctor J. to [Brent] Barry in 20 years it's called
downward mobility" (Providence JOURNAL-BULLETIN, 12/18).
WE GOT DUNK! ABL execs announced that a dunk contest
and three-point shootout will be part of a three-hour "Fan-
Fest" on January 17, the day before the league's All-Star
Game in Orlando, FL. There will also be a basketball skills
clinic and a player autograph session (USA TODAY, 12/18).
