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Feb. 1, 2011
Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan has been selected to play in the 2011 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam during NBA All-Star Weekend. Overall there were nine rookies and nine sophomore players chosen to compete in the game Friday, February 18 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. The participants in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam were selected by the NBA’s assistant coaches, with each team submitting one ballot.
DeRozan, the ninth overall pick from the 2009 NBA Draft, is making his second appearance during All-Star Weekend after participating in the Sprite Slam Dunk contest as a rookie last year in Dallas. The Compton, California native currently ranks second on the team averaging 15.4 points and fifth among second-year players. He is the only Raptor to start all 49 games this year and is averaging a career-best 33.8 minutes per game. DeRozan set a career-high with 37 points December 31 at Houston and finished the month of January ranked third among sophomores averaging 18.5 points.
In addition to playing on the sophomore squad, DeRozan will also compete against Blake Griffin (L.A. Clippers), Serge Ibaka (Oklahoma City) and JaVale McGee (Washington) in the 2011 Sprite Slam Dunk contest on All-Star Saturday night. DeRozan is replacing Milwaukee’s Brandon Jennings, who withdrew due to injury.
The T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam began its current format pitting the Rookies against the Sophomores in 2000 and the Sophomores hold an 8-3 advantage over the first-year players. The game will be played in two 20-minute halves.
Individual foul totals will be kept, but a player cannot 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.
As title partner of the Rookie Challenge and overall NBA Rookie Program, T-Mobile has teamed up with the NBA and NBA Cares to create the T-Mobile All-Stars, a program offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Los Angeles students to experience NBA All- Star 2011. This is the fifth consecutive year that T-Mobile has partnered with the NBA to bring the T-Mobile All Stars program to the NBA All-Star host city. By successfully completing academic, school attendance, and community service requirements, nearly 3,500 students ages 11-15, from the Los Angeles Unified School District and After School All-Stars program will watch the game from the best seats in the house at the STAPLES Center.
T-Mobile also will provide basketball fans with the opportunity to have their vote count toward selecting the MVP of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam by voting on NBA.com or via SMS on mobile phones during the second half of the game.
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 other exciting All-Star events are Sprite Slam Dunk, Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, Taco Bell Skills Challenge, Haier Shooting Stars and NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas. Building upon its already strong appeal to the nation’s youth and as Official Partner of the NBA, T-Mobile is showcasing the NBA’s youngest players -- the Rookies -- through the T-Mobile Rookie Program. Highlights include the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam, an All-Star competition between NBA rookies and second-year players, and rookie awards presentations including the T-Mobile Rookie of the Month and TMobile Rookie of the Year. To learn more about T-Mobile’s partnership with the NBA, visit www.t-mobile.com/nba.
Below are the rosters for the 2011 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam:
ROOKIE TEAM ROSTER
Head coach: Mike Budenholzer (San Antonio Spurs) Assistant coach: Amar’e Stoudemire (New York Knicks) Assistant coach: Kevin McHale (NBA TV/ TNT analyst)
SOPHOMORE TEAM ROSTER
Head coach: TBD Assistant coach: Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets) Assistant coach: Steve Kerr (TNT NBA basketball analyst)