Hooped Up

Jamario Moon, the Toronto Raptors’ 27-year-old rookie, got word Friday that he will be among the participants in the slam-dunk contest at the NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans on February 16th. “I feel great, I’m excited,” said Moon, a 6-foot-8 forward who has drawn comparisons to former NBA legend Julius Erving — Dr. J — for his swooping drives to the basket and his ability to palm the basketball with ease. Moon’s teammates are excited as well.

Globe and Mail

A league source confirmed the NBA made overtures to the Bulls about playing exhibition games in London and Paris next training camp. But the Bulls, who already had all eight exhibition games scheduled, declined.

Chicago Tribune

The NBA announced its 2009 All-Star Game destination this past week, picking cactus over croissants. Paris might have lost out to Phoenix, but the City of Light still has a better chance of one day hosting the league’s midseason classic than, say, Seattle, which is all but assured of having the SuperSonics leave for Oklahoma City, if not after this season then in the next three years. But Tony Parker might still get to show off his game to his hometown fans in an All-Star Game before his playing days are over. A league spokesman said that an international All-Star Game is “still on the table and under consideration.”

NY Daily News

Building off the interest and excitement of holding the All-Star Game in Las Vegas last month, the NBA has discussed the historic move of taking its mid-season showcase overseas in a merger of its powerful marketing and international appeal, The Bee has learned. Talks have been preliminary, without so much as a target city or timeline, according to a senior executive. But the league is clearly open to the concept, even with the accompanying logistical issues that would likely include extending the All-Star break from the current window of four days to compensate for jet lag and travel time.”

Sacramento Bee

This may have been the most entertaining thing that happened during All-Star weekend besides the actual game. Well this and the whole Pacman Jones thing.

Reacting to NBA Players Association director Billy Hunter’s comments about security for the 2008 All-Star festivities in New Orleans, Rockets guard Tracy McGrady said Tuesday that he is concerned about safety to the point he might consider skipping the event, the Houston Chronicle is reporting.

“If I don’t feel I’m going to be safe, if I am on that team, I will look into probably not even going,” McGrady said.

Hunter said in a Newsday article Monday that the union might consider suing the NBA if it does not believe New Orleans can safely host the event.

Houston Chronicle

Derek Fisher, who was named president of the NBA Players Association over All-Star weekend, says his fellow players are being unfairly linked to reports of crime and violence from All-Star weekend in Las Vegas.

“I’ve heard a lot of opinions [in the media], but those ought to be reserved for when something actually happens. To associate the violence with the players, that’s not a fair assessment,” the veteran Utah Jazz guard was quoted as saying in the Los Angeles Times.

Las Vegas police made a reported 362 arrests, and several shooting incidents were reported, although none were fatal. The only professional athlete linked to any of the violence was Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones, whom police say sparked a melee that led to a triple shooting when he showered nightclub dancers with several thousand dollars as a visual effect. A scuffle broke out when the Houston promoter who hired the dancers told them to pick the money up.

ESPN

One of the most anticipated — or dreaded, depending on who you asked — events of All-Star Saturday night was a charity race in which NBA star-turned-broadcaster Charles Barkley beat 67-year-old NBA referee Dick Bavetta.

Though Barkley, who turns 44 on Tuesday, has gained weight exponentially since his playing career, he still had enough spring to outrun Bavetta over 3½ lengths of the court. Barkley nearly lost when he began running backward for the final feet, but tumbled over the half-court line just before Bavetta made a headfirst dive.

Barkley, whose gambling exploits have been well-documented, looked at the oversized check donated to charity for the event and commented it was “two blackjack hands.”

MSN