Minnesota Timberwolves rookie guard Jonny Flynn and second-year forward Kevin Love have been selected to play in the 2010 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam on Friday, Feb. 12 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
"Our entire franchise is pleased Jonny and Kevin have been recognized for their play this season and have been selected to the Rookie-Sophomore Game," Wolves head coach Kurt Rambis said. "This is a testament to the commitment and hard work they put into developing their games every day. It is a well-deserved honor that they both should be extremely proud of. Jonny and Kevin are talented young players who have bright futures in front of them."
Flynn, drafted sixth overall out of Syracuse in the 2009 NBA Draft, is third among rookies in scoring at 14.2 ppg and fourth in assists at 4.2 apg. He set career highs with 29 points and nine assists in a win over Philadelphia on Jan. 18. Flynn has led the Wolves in assists 26 times this season.
Love, drafted fifth overall out of UCLA in the 2008 NBA Draft, is averaging 14.8 ppg, 11.9 rpg and 2.6 apg this season -- up from 11.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg and 1.0 apg in his rookie season. Love ranks 14th in the NBA in offensive rebounds (116) and 17th in double-doubles (18), despite missing 20 games this season due to injury/illness.
Joining Flynn on the Rookie team this year are Chicago's Taj Gibson, Detroit's Jonas Jerebko, Golden State's Stephen Curry, Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings, Oklahoma City's James Harden, Sacramento's Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi and San Antonio's DeJuan Blair.
Love's teammates on the Sophomore squad are Chicago's Derrick Rose, the L.A. Clippers' Eric Gordon, Memphis's Marc Gasol and O.J. Mayo, Miami's Michael Beasley, New Jersey's Brook Lopez, New York's Danilo Gallinari and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook.
The participants in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam 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 2010 NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs. The T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam will be televised live nationally on TNT and also will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio.
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