Sports February 8, 2001
Denver star Antonio McDyess speaks on his first NBA All-Star appearance
BY JAMES LIEU
All-Star Drama
The Johns Hopkins News-Letter Who has gone to MCI Center lately? To see the Washington Capitals play,maybe. Ok, let me rephrase the question: Who has gone to the MCI Center lately to see some basketball? Well, whoever is lucky enough to go this Sunday will not be going to see Juwan Howard and co. defend their home court. Maybe the NBA did this as an act of mercy for the city of Washington, D.C. and Michael Jordan, but this year's All-Star game is being hosted at the MCI Center. The special feeling that goes with All-Star Weekend is not just felt by the fans watching the spectacle. Players, especially first-time All-Stars, are usually just as excited. This means breaking into the ranks of the NBA's elite. For players such as Antonio McDyess, it has been a long time coming. McDyess was picked 2nd overall in the 1995 Draft by the L.A. Clippers and was promptly traded to the Nuggets on draft day. However, even though he was always considered a solid player, he was never considered an All-Star because of his shy demeanor and lack of team success. Now, after winning a gold medal in Sydney with the United States basketball team and leading the Nuggets towards a possible playoff berth, he was chosen as a reserve for the Western Conference All-Stars, and rightly so. He ranks 3rd in the league in rebounding, 4th in field goal percentage and 1st in double doubles per game. | |
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