Chris and Peja Join the West All-Stars

Chris Webber and Peja Stojakovic were named as reserves on Tuesday for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game, to be played on Sunday, February 10 at the First Union Center in Philadelphia. Stojakovic is making his first All-Star appearance, while Webber will play in his third consecutive All-Star Game and fourth overall in his career.

The top vote-getter for Western Conference forwards last season, Webber recorded 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 29 minutes in his first All-Star Game start in Washington.

A record five international players from five different countries will participate in theis year's All-Star Game with Stojakovic (Yugoslavia), Steve Nash (Canada), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Tim Duncan (U.S. Virgin Islands), and Dikembe Mutombo (Congo).

In addition, three players will represent the Sacramento Kings in four events during the entire All-Star Weekend (February 8-11, 2002), along with one Sacramento Monarch. Webber and Stojakovic will play in the All-Star game on Sunday, Stojakovic will participate in the 1 800 CALL ATT Shootout to take place on Saturday, February 9, and Hedo Turkoglu will join the Sophomore team in the ‘got milk’ Rookie Challenge, as well as team with Ticha Penicheiro of the Monarchs in the 989 Sports All-Star Hoop-It-Up on February 9.

The Kings coaching staff will not coach the West squad during the All-Star game though, despite having the best record in the NBA. Due to league rules, no coaching staff can appear in consecutive All-Star Games.

Here's some of the Kings responses upon learning of the selections:

Adelman

RICK ADELMAN:
“I think I probably rather would have (coached the All-Star game). I mean last year was kind of a surprise. With all of the great teams in the west, with five great teams, we’ve got the best record. It really says something about us. I think I can find something to do that weekend, but still it would have been a nice honor for the staff and the organization. Dallas had a great year, and Don (Nelson) deserved it too.

On Peja And Chris
“They both deserve it. I really wasn’t too concerned about Chris only playing in half the games. He’s had a great comeback. Look at our record since he’s been back. He’s our best player, he certainly deserves to be there. Peja certainly deserves to be on it. I’m really happy for both of those guys. I think it represents what happened in the first half of the year with Dallas, and us, and Minnesota, and the Lakers – we all have two guys, and it just shows the coaches voted for the guys who made a real influence on the winning teams.”

“I really felt that Peja and Webb were going to get the vote, and none of our guys were in the starting lineup. You never see someone vote for three players off the same team. I just thought Peja and Webb were going to get the votes this year.”

On Peja
“He’s a better player than he was (last year). Maybe Szczerbiak was the only case I can think of this year where a guy came out because his team was doing so well, and he got voted on. But sometimes you’ve got to go through a year and show you’re a really good player and come back the next year and people really take notice. I think that happened to Nowitski, he didn’t make it last year. He was probably the top vote getter of a lot of guys. Peja’s a better player, he puts the ball on the floor now, he can score, and I think it really spoke volumes when Chris was out and Peja led us, he was our chief scorer and he’s been consistent all year long…”

Webber

CHRIS WEBBER:
“You know I think the biggest thing (about being an All-Star) is the enjoyment for my family. I don’t even know what to say, it’s just one of the best feelings to have. I’m just blessed and I thank all of the coaches for voting me on. Our happiness for Peja is immense right now. I know he’s happy, you can see he’s still working hard out here right now. I think Vlade deserves it as well – the second best center in the league. It was very surprising that Vlade didn’t make it. It’s disappointing that Vlade didn’t get in because to me he was MVP of half of the first half of the year, because he held this team together when I was out. But Vlade, I’m sure, will make the best of it.”

“I’m just trying to become a complete player – a playmaker. That’s harder and easier to do at times. So I really want to increase my assists this year. I try to set a goal each season, and be better each year. I just feel that you can go for the personal accolades or the scoring titles, but I have unique chance to win here, and a lot of the guys that do those things don’t know if they have a chance to win or not. I don’t want to look back and regret this moment. It’s mostly just about trying to win games and just trying to make sure that we all stay on the floor.

On playing for Don Nelson again
“It really won’t be that strange. That’s a period in my life that was so long ago. It’s going to be a pleasure playing for (Don Nelson), I’m happy for him – he’s had a lot going on this season personally with his wife. It’s too much fun down there to be worried about eight years ago.

On being voted World’s Sexiest Athlete
“I’ve heard so much from my teammates about that, I don’t even know what to say. I think that I’m one of the 10 ugliest, at least that’s what they told me. That was something fun to do, and you get it over with. I got more razzing about that than the timeout.”

“I talk trash to everybody, even last year when Coach (Adelman) was coaching, and Kobe told him to call one of our plays, and I didn’t like that – revealing our secrets. One year I made the team and our team was kind of sorry, but last year I talked a lot of junk. This year I’ll pick the right people to talk a lot of junk to, and let them know we’re on top.”

Stojakovic

PREDRAG STOJAKOVIC:
“I’m very honored and happy. I feel like my dream came true. I’m very happy about my teammates and for the coaching staff. We are the best team in the league right now, and that is one of the reasons that I got chosen for All-Star. It’s a great thing. I’m really happy. I remember when I was a kid, I was waking up at three in the morning to watch All-Star, and now I’m playing in it. It’s a great thing for me. For me it’s much better recognition than the award back in Europe. I think I make all my countrymen proud back in Yugoslavia and Greece – it’s just a great thing for me. I didn’t think about it. Not even at all. It wasn’t my goal. I just wanted to come in this year and be more consistent and just play hard, and try to improve some areas of my game and just try to help my team as much as I can.

On playing with Chris on the All-Star team
“It’s great. He’s somebody who’s experienced All-Star. He’s been my teammate for the last four years. We’ll just go out there and we’ll have fun. I told him we’re going to run specials as soon as I come in – you know, a two-man game out on the wing. I don’t know what’s going on – a Canadian, two Europeans, probably they want to get more t.v. stuff all over the world.”

On Webb
“He’s such a great all around player, and he’s very capable of finding open guys. He’s feeling much more confident passing the ball. He’s been great since he came back from injury and he’s playing great basketball. He’s unbelievable. I think he [makes me a better player]. Everything goes around him, and his ability to play as a point-forward and to rebound the ball. He really makes everybody else better on the team.”

“It was 8:30 in the morning and [the phone rang]. I almost crashed my car. It was good news early in the morning. I’m just concentrating on All-Star now. I don’t care about [three-point shoot out].”