NBA All-Star Weekend

Rookies versus Sophomores
Will this be the year for the rookies?
Starting off All-Star festivities will be the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam. A game consisting of nine rookies and nine sophomores, chosen by the NBA’s assistant coaches, will play against each other on Friday night kicking off one of the many events unfolding this All-Star weekend. A rookie team consisting of three players, all at least seven feet tall, will shot for the impossible, a win over the sophomores. The rookies are coached by Dwayne Wade and sophomores coached by Dwight Howard two respectful players in their own right.
Dwayne Wade, coaching Greg Oden, Brook Lopez and Marc Gasol will challenge a sophomore team for bragging rights, in favor of the rookies in this game. The last seven years were dominated by the sophomores, however, this year the rookies appear to have chance with a more physical rooster.
Abandoning the normal way other games are played, this game will have two twenty minute halves, player fouls count, but they cannot be fouled out and in the event of a tie, overtime will consist of two minutes that will determine the winner.
Key match ups will include Kevin Durant against Greg Oden two powerhouses in their own right but the rookie Oden has the height and weight advantage of the match up. Another match up, Clippers rookie guard Eric Gordon will be pitted against L.A.’s sophomore forward Al Thornton. This match up goes to the sophomore Al Thornton with a five inch height difference.
Recent history of the game has dire consequences for the rookies. Last year the sophomore Daniel Gibson gave the rookies 11 reasons why experience pays off. Gibson scored a record 11 three points that forced a lopsided victory over the rookies by the score of 136-109. In 2007 David lee the MVP of the game that year shot perfect against the rookies scoring all of his 14 field-goal attempts incurring another lopsided victory for the sophomores. In 2006 a game won by the sophomores but the rookies kept it close eventually relinquishing the game to the sophomores when Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala, MVP of the game, scored 24 of his game-high 30 points in the second half. Seven straight years the same story sophomores win.
Along with talent, physical appearance, and pure determination the rookies have their best chance in a long time to win the game.