Bogut to lead Sophomores
Australia Post Boomers centre Andrew Bogut will lead the sophomore team in the eighth NBA Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam on Friday, February 16 in Las Vegas.
The 2005 No.1 NBA draft pick, who is averaging 12.2 points (6th), 8.6 rebounds (1st) and 3.0 (3rd) assists per game for the Milwaukee Bucks, will lead a nine-man roster in the NBA Rookies versus Sophomores showdown played as part of a weekend of festivities surrounding the NBA All-Star Game.
Participants were selected by assistant coaches from every NBA team.
The sophomores hold 5-2 edge in the series, with Andre Iguodala of the Philadelphia 76ers scoring 30 points to give the second-year men a 106-96 victory last year, their fourth successive triumph over the debutants.
Bogut's sophomore squad includes US players Andrew Bynum of the Lakers, Golden State's Monta Ellis, Charlotte's Raymond Felton, Indiana's Dan Granger, Houston's Luther Head, New York's David Lee, Utah's Deron Williams and Chris Paul, last year's NBA Rookie of the Year for the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets.
|
ROOKIE TEAM ROSTER |
|||||
|
PLAYER |
TEAM |
POS. |
HT. |
WT. |
FROM |
|
Toronto |
F |
7-0 |
250 |
Italy |
|
|
L.A. Lakers |
G |
6-2 |
180 |
UCLA |
|
|
Minnesota |
G |
6-4 |
213 |
Villanova |
|
|
Toronto |
C |
6-9 |
245 |
Spain |
|
|
Memphis |
G |
6-9 |
220 |
Connecticut |
|
|
Utah |
F |
6-8 |
258 |
Louisiana Tech |
|
|
Charlotte |
F |
6-8 |
205 |
Gonzaga |
|
|
Portland |
G |
6-6 |
229 |
Washington |
|
|
New Jersey |
G |
6-3 |
205 |
Connecticut |
|
|
Head Coach: TBD; Assistant Coach: TBD |
|||||
|
SOPHOMORE TEAM ROSTER |
|||||
|
PLAYER |
TEAM |
POS. |
HT. |
WT. |
FROM |
|
Milwaukee |
F |
7-0 |
245 |
Utah |
|
|
L.A. Lakers |
C |
7-0 |
275 |
St. Joseph HS (NJ) |
|
|
Golden State |
G |
6-3 |
177 |
Lanier HS (Miss.) |
|
|
Charlotte |
G |
6-1 |
198 |
North Carolina |
|
|
Indiana |
F |
6-9 |
228 |
New Mexico |
|
|
Houston |
G |
6-3 |
185 |
Illinois |
|
|
New York |
F |
6-9 |
249 |
Florida |
|
|
NOK |
G |
6-0 |
175 |
Wake Forest |
|
|
Utah |
G |
6-3 |
210 |
Illinois |
|
|
Head Coach: TBD; Assistant Coach: TBD |
|||||
PREVIOUS T-MOBILE ROOKIE CHALLENGE RESULTS
1994 - Phenoms 74, Sensations 68
1995 - White 83, Green 79 (OT)
1996 - East 94, West 92
1997 - East 96, West 91
1998 - East 85, West 80
2000 - Rookies 92, Sophomores 81 (OT)
2001 - Sophomores 121, Rookies 113
2002 - Rookies 103, Sophomores 97
2003 - Sophomores 132, Rookies 112
2004 - Sophomores 142, Rookies 118
2005 - Sophomores 133, Rookies 106
2006 - Sophomores 106, Rookies 96
With Agence France-Presse
Crocodile Michael Cedar is a graduate of the program.
The club also has links with the region's Queensland Australian Basketball League program with Crocs guards Cedar and Kelvin Robertson both Townsville Heat regulars.
Claxton said the Coast's ABA program was bound to see similar benefits.
"There's no doubt the Goannas program will also get the spike, if not this year, then next year," he said.
"You'll have the Robertson's of the Goannas sitting on the bench for (the Gold Coast NBL side) and you'll have interstate players who think 'I'd like to live around the Gold Coast and maybe I'll get a gig'."
By the Gold Coast Bulletin
