James Loving - National Radio Text Service

Tuesday February 14, 2006

55th NBA All-Star Game - Six International Players selected - Rosters - Game Televised Internationally

NBA ALL-STAR GAME

The 55th NBA All-Star game will be televised in Asia Monday morning February 20. in the Thailand hong Kong region. The game features the Eastern Conference All-Stars against the Western Co

There was a record tying six International players selected to play in the game. They include: Yao Ming (China), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Pau Gasol (Spain) Tony Parker (France), Tim Duncan (U.S. Virgin Islands), and Steve Nash (Canada).

Six International players also competed in 2003, 2004 and 2005 NBA All-Star Games

FANS VOTE

Fans vote to select the starting five players on the East and West teams. The 30 NBA coaches select the remainder of the squad. Yao Ming received the most votes with 2,342,738.

Other players that received over 2 million votes are:

Kobe Bryant: 2,271,631

LeBron James: 2,207,697

Shaquille O' 'Neal : 2,192,542

Allen Iverson : 2,062,206

HIGH SCHOOL TO THE NBA:

The rosters include five players that never attended college. Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O'Neal and LeBron James jumped directly to the NBA from high school. Due to an injury O'Neal is not expected to play.

ROSTERS

EASTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STARS

Player *** Team *** Position *** Selection for the All-Star game

Chauncey Billups - Detroit Pistons - G - 1

Chris Bosh - Toronto Raptors - F - 1

Vince Carter - New Jersey Nets - F - 7

Richard Hamilton - Detroit Pistons - G - 1

Allen Iverson - Philadelphia 76ers - G - 7

LeBron James - Cleveland Cavaliers - G - 2

Jermaine O'Neal - Indiana Pacers - F - 5

Shaquille O'Neal - Miami Heat - C - 13

Paul Pierce - Boston Celtics - F - 5

Dwyane Wade - Miami Heat - G - 2

Ben Wallace - Detroit Pistons - F - 4

Rasheed Wallace - Detroit Pistons - F - 3

Head Coach: Flip Saunders (Detroit) Starters in orange

WESTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STARS

Player *** Team *** Position *** Selection for the All-Star game

Ray Allen - Seattle SuperSonics - G - 6

Elton Brand - Los Angeles Clippers - F - 2

Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers - G - 8

Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs - F - 8

Kevin Garnett - Minnesota Timberwolves - F - 9

Pau Gasol Memphis Grizzlies F 1

Shawn Marion - Phoenix Suns - F - 3

Tracy McGrady - Houston Rockets - F - 6

Yao Ming - Houston Rockets - C - 4

Steve Nash - Phoenix Suns - G - 4

Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks - F - 5

Tony Parker - San Antonio Spurs - G - 1

Head Coach: Avery Johnson (Dallas) Starters in red

ALL-STAR GAME COVERAGE ON NBA TV ON THE INTERNET

This is NBA All-Star week that will be telecast from Houston Texas in the USA. The game is scheduled to be televised at 8:00pm Eastern USA time zone on Sunday February 19.

The event can be viewed by going to NBA.com. or your local television outlet. In Asia that translates into a plus 11/12 hours on Monday morning February 20 at 9:00am in Hong Kong and Singapore and 8:00am in Thailand and Cambodia..

NBA TV and NBA.Com will televise much of the activities on a 24-hour basis beginning Wednesday the 15th.

Thirty camera crews will be used that will include 10 High definition cameras. The telecasts can be seen in 40 countries outside of the USA.

The events telecast will include practices and behind the scenes coverage.

The following are some of the shows that will feature some of the NBA's greatest players.

Note the times indicated are East Coast time in the USA.

6:45 p.m. ET USA

NBA Commissioner David Stern will hold his annual press conference with the media. He will answer questions about the NBA ad its future.

Sunday, Feb. 19 10:30 a.m. ET USA

The NBA Legends Brunch that will be hosted by NBA Commissioner Stern. The event will honor former Houston Rockets players Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler and Calvin Murphy. Basketball Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and Julius Erving are scheduled to give speeches to pay tribute to the Houston Rockets' 1993-94 and 1994-95 back-to-back NBA championship teams that included, Olajuwon, Drexler and Murphy.

Sunday 4 p.m. ET USA

Will feature an NBA All-Star Roundtable that is scheduled to include some of the biggest NBA stars that will debate on the NBA players, coaches, and teams.

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