All-Star Weekend Underway

It was Detroit Shock guard Katie Smith, who participated in the McDonald’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game presented by 2K Sports. Smith is the first of three members from the Detroit Shock to take part in the All-Star festivities. Her teammate, forward Swin Cash, and head coach, Bill Laimbeer, will team up with Billups to compete in the Haier Shooting Stars competition.

Smith’s East Team lost the celebrity contest, 40-21, but Smith still had plenty of laughs, especially from East teammate Michael Clarke Duncan from the movie, The Green Mile. “He’s one funny dude,” Smith said.

Smith also was thrilled to meet NFL stars Reggie Bush and LaDanian Tomlinson. “I’m a big football girl,” said Smith, a 1996 Ohio State graduate. Bush, who played for the West team, had to leave the game with a sprained ankle, but Smith said it did not appear to be serious.

The game featured 16 celebrities. Smith’s teammates included Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist Nelly, actor David Arquette (“In Case of Emergency”), actor Taye Diggs (Rent, Chicago) and the Food Network’s Bobby Flay (“Throwdown with Bobby Flay”).

Tony Potts, co-host of the show “Access Hollywood,” took celebrity game MVP honors with 14 points and eight rebounds. Smith said Potts is a deceptively strong ballplayer. “He’s kind of like ‘White Men Can’t Jump,’” Smith said. “He may not look like it, but he’s got game.”

Now Smith can enjoy being a spectator tonight at The Thomas & Mack Center watching Cash and Laimbeer in the Shooting Stars contest, which will require each player to shoot from specific spots on the floor. Laimbeer, a four-time All-Star in the 1980s during his playing days for the Pistons, will wear his old No. 40 jersey.

“If Bill doesn’t hit a shot,” Smith joked, “I’m going to make sure he hears about it forever.”

The Detroit squad is attempting to become the first Eastern Conference city to win the four-year-old event. Teams from L.A., Phoenix and San Antonio have won the first three years. The defending champion, Team San Antonio, consists of All-Star Tony Parker, Silver Stars forward Kendra Wecker and Hall of Famer George Gervin.

“I think they’ve got as good a chance as anyone,” Smith said of her Detroit teammates.

Chicago’s team is comprised of Bulls guard Ben Gordon, Sky forward Candice Dupree and seven-time NBA All-Star Scottie Pippen, while Team Los Angeles, the 2006 runner-up, consists of Lakers forward Lamar Odom, Sparks guard and 2005 WNBA Rookie of the Year Temeka Johnson and Michael Cooper, a member of five Lakers’ championship teams.

The Haier Shooting Stars contest is a relatively new addition to the All-Star Weekend, but is quickly becoming a fan favorite. Each team features one current NBA player, one current WNBA player and one NBA legend. There are six numbered shooting locations of increasing difficulty, with each team attempting to make all shots in numeric order in the fastest time.

Teams have up to two minutes to complete the entire shooting course and the team that completes all six shots in the least amount of time is declared the winner.

The Haier Shooting Stars will be televised live nationally (TNT, 8 p.m.) as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by EA Sports™, which will also feature the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, Sprite Slam Dunk and Playstation® Skills Challenge.

The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday will air live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. TNT and ESPN Radio’s national coverage will begin at 8:00 p.m. from Thomas & Mack Center.