The participants
in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge were selected by the NBA’s assistant
coaches, with each team submitting one ballot. The head coaches for the
Rookie and Sophomore teams will be the lead assistants from the 2006 NBA
All-Star Game coaching staffs. Sidney Lowe, Detroit Pistons assistant
coach, will serve as the head coach for the Rookies and the Sophomores
will be led by Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Del Harris. NBA Legends
Elvin Hayes (Rookies) and Moses Malone (Sophomores) will serve as assistant
coaches.
The T-Mobile Rookie
Challenge will be televised live nationally on TNT in the United States
and on Rogers Sportsnet in Canada at 9 p.m. ET. The game will also be
broadcast live on ESPN Radio while NBA.com will make live audio available
to fans in multiple languages.
In last year’s
contest, the Denver Nuggets’ Carmelo Anthony led the Sophomores
to a 133-106 victory, and earned the Most Valuable Player award after
scoring 17 of his 31 points in the second half.
If a rookie or second-year
player is selected to play in the All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 19, he
will also play in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge on Friday evening.
This is the seventh
year of the rookie-sophomore format with the Sophomores leading the series
4-2. The game will be played in two 20-minute halves, with each team allowed
one full timeout and one 20-second timeout per half. There will be one
mandatory TV timeout in each half. Individual foul totals will be kept,
but a player can not foul out. A team will be in the penalty situation
after 10 team fouls or after the second foul in the final two minutes
of each half. In the event of a tie game, there will be a two-minute overtime
to determine the winner. The Clock will stop after each successful field
goal in the last minute of each half.
For the second consecutive
year, NBA.com will provide basketball fans with the opportunity to have
their vote count towards selecting the MVP of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge,
as part of the site's exclusive NBA All-Star 2006 coverage.
The NBA All-Star Game
on Sunday, Feb. 19, will air live on TNT, Rogers Sportsnet and ESPN Radio
at 8 p.m. EST. The game will also be telecast in 215 countries and broadcast
on NBA.com.
NBA All-Star brings
together the top NBA players and performers for a week of competition,
community service and world-class entertainment. Among the many events
that reach more than 3.1 billion people in over 200 countries are the
T-Mobile Rookie Challenge; Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk; Foot Locker
Three-Point Shootout; PlayStation Skills Challenge; RadioShack Shooting
Stars; NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by Nokia, the league's interactive
event that attracts more han 100,000 fans each year; and, the 55th NBA
All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 19.
Building upon its
already strong appeal to the nation’s youth and as the Official
Wireless Services Partner of the NBA, T-Mobile is showcasing the NBA’s
youngest players -- the Rookies -- through the NBA’s Rookie program.
Highlights include the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge, an All-Star competition
between NBA rookies and second-year players, and rookie awards presentations
including the T-Mobile Rookie of the Year. As part of a unique package
of NBA-themed offerings, T-Mobile users will be receiving special content
on NBA rookies providing insights into NBA life both on and off the court. |
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