The T-Mobile NBA Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam is a competition held during the NBA All-Star Weekend on the Friday prior to the regular All-Star game. From 1994 until 1998, the event was called the "Rookie Game," and composed entirely of first-year players. Since the year 2000, the game has featured a team of standout first-year players ('Rookies') against a team of the leading players who are in their second season of NBA experience ('Sophomores'). The format change was largely due to the cancellation of the event, with the rest of All-Star Weekend, in 1999 due to the lockout that season. In past years the NBA experimented with several other formats. This included an Eastern Conference rookies versus Western Conference rookies format, and randomly assigning rookies to teams. Unlike regular NBA games, the game is divided into two twenty-minute halves, similar to college basketball. Like the 1997-2002 NBA All Star Games, players are allowed to wear their respective team uniforms: the sophomores wear their respective home jerseys and the rookies wear their respective away jerseys, but since 2009, players now have jerseys created for the game. However, that custom came back for the 2010 game. The event is currently sponsored by T-Mobile. In the most recent game, the Rookie team won by a score of 140-128. Tyreke Evans took home MVP honors.
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All-time results
The Sophomores lead the all-time series versus the Rookies 8–3 since the game changed to its current format in 2000.
Past games and rosters
2010 game
at American Airlines Center in Dallas
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^1 Anthony Morrow replaces Derrick Rose due to his participation in the Skills Challenge and the All-Star Game.[3]
February 12 9:00 p.m. ET |
Boxscore | Rookies 140, Sophomores 128 | American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas[4] Attendance: 19,200 Referees:
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Scoring by half: 67–55, 73–73 | |||||||
Pts: Tyreke Evans 26 Rebs: DeJuan Blair 23 Asts: Brandon Jennings 8 |
Pts: Russell Westbrook 40 Rebs: Beasley, Lopez 7 each Asts: O. J. Mayo 10 |
2009 game
at US Airways Center in Phoenix
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February 13 9:00 p.m. |
Recap Boxscore |
Rookies 116, Sophomores 122 | US Airways Center, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 16,362 Referees:
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Scoring by half: 61–58, 55–64 | |||||||
Pts: Michael Beasley 29 Rebs: Marc Gasol 8 Asts: Derrick Rose 7 |
Pts: Kevin Durant 46 Rebs: Durant, Chandler 7 each Asts: Rodney Stuckey 9 |
2008 game
The 2008 Rookie Challenge took place on Friday, February 15 at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans.
Rookie Roster:
Head Coach: Darrell Walker
Assistant Coach: Bob Pettit
Sophomore Roster:
Head Coach: Tom Thibodeau
Assistant Coach: Willis Reed
2007 game
The 2007 Rookie Challenge took place on Friday, February 16 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Rookie Roster:
Head Coach: Mike O'Koren
Assistant Coach: Dave Bing
Sophomore Roster:
Head Coach: Marc Iavaroni
Assistant Coach: Oscar Robinson
2006 game
The 2006 Rookie Challenge took place February 17 at the Toyota Center in Houston.
Rookie Roster:
Head Coach: Sidney Lowe
Assistant Coach: Elvin Hayes
Sophomore Roster:
Head Coach: Del Harris
Assistant Coach: Moses Malone
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- Did not play due to injury
2005 game
The 2005 Rookie Challenge took place February 18 at the Pepsi Center in Denver.
Rookie Roster:
Head Coach: PJ Carlesimo
Assistant Coach: Alex English
Sophomore Roster:
Head Coach: Bob McAdoo
Assistant Coach: Doug Moe
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- Did not play due to injury
2004 game
The 2004 Rookie Challenge took place February 18 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Rookie Roster:
Head Coach: Doug Collins
Assistant Coach: AC Green
Sophomore Roster:
Head Coach: Nick Nero
Assistant Coach: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Said to be the most exciting Rookie Challenge in history due to all the highlight-reel dunks. Much of the hype were on rookie phenoms Lebron James and Carmelo Anthony, who had 33 and 17 points repectively. Amar'e Stoudemire had a then Rookie Challenge record with 36 points, since then Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder holds it with 46 points. Dwyane Wade, 22 points, Carlos Boozer, 25 points,and Ronald Murray had more or less quiet nights compared to their star attracting teamates.
2003 game
The 2003 Rookie Challenge took place February 8 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta.
This was the last time the game was played on a Saturday.
Rookie Roster:
Head Coach: Cotton Fitzsimmons
Assistant Coach: Lou Hudson
Sophomore Roster:
Head Coach: Mike Fratello
Assistant Coach: Bob Pettit
2002 game
The 2002 Rookie Challenge took place February 9 at the First Union Center in Philadelphia.
Rookie Roster:
Head Coach: Chuck Daly
Assistant Coach: Darryl Dawkins
Sophomore Roster:
Head Coach: Billy Cunningham
Assistant Coach: Bobby Jones
2001 game
The 2001 Rookie Challenge took place February 10 at the Verizon Center in Washington.
Rookie Roster:
Head Coach: Kevin Loughery
Assistant Coach: Jack Marin
Sophomore Roster:
Head Coach: Elvin Hayes
Assistant Coach: Phil Chenier
2000 game
The 2000 Rookie Challenge took place February 11 at the Oakland Arena in Oakland.
Rookie Roster:
Head Coach: Al Attles
Assistant Coach: Nate Thurmond
Sophomore Roster:
Head Coach: Bill Russell
Assistant Coach: KC Jones
**Did not play due to injury
1998 game
The 1998 Rookie Challenge took place February 8 at the Madison Square Garden in New York.
East Roster:
Head Coach: Willis Reed
West Roster:
Head Coach: Dave Debusschere
1997 game
The 1997 Rookie Challenge took place February 8 at the Gund Arena in Cleveland.
East Roster:
Head Coach: Red Auerbach
West Roster:
Head Coach: Red Holtzman
**Did not play due to injury
1996 game
The 1996 Rookie Challenge took place February 10 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
East Roster:
Head Coach: Bob Lanier
West Roster:
Head Coach: Doug Moe
1995 game
The 1995 Rookie Challenge took place February 11 at the US Airways Center in Phoenix.
Green Team Roster:
Head Coach: Al Attles
White Team Roster:
Head Coach: Cotton Fitzsimmons
1994 game
The 1994 Rookie Challenge took place February 12 at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Sensations Roster:
Head Coach: KC Jones
Phenoms Roster:
Head Coach: Doug Collins
Game records
Points
- Kevin Durant, 46 (2009)
- Russell Westbrook, 40 (2010)
- Amar'e Stoudemire, 36 (2004)
- LeBron James, 33 (2004)
- Daniel Gibson, 33 (2008)
Rebounds
- DeJuan Blair, 23 (2010)
- Elton Brand, 21 (2000)
- Chris Bosh, 14 (2005)
- Marcus Fizer, 14 (2002)
- Quentin Richardson, 14 (2001)
Assists
- Chris Paul, 17 (2007)
- Jordan Farmar, 12 (2008)
3 Pointers
- Daniel Gibson, 11 (2008)
- Kyle Korver, 7 (2005)
Shooting Percentage
- David Lee, 100% (14-14) (2007)
Participants by team
References
- ^ a b c d "Durant, Rose among players in 2009 Rookie Challenge". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. February 5, 2009. http://www.nba.com/2009/allstar2009/01/28/rookie_rosters.allstar09.012809/index.html. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
- ^ a b c d "Bosh, Durant to serve on Rookie Challenge coaching staffs". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. February 3, 2010. http://www.nba.com/2010/allstar/2010/02/03/rookie.coaches/index.html. Retrieved February 4, 2010.
- ^ "Warriors' Morrow replaces Bulls' Rose for Rookie Challenge". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. February 2, 2010. http://www.nba.com/2010/allstar/2010/02/02/morrow.rose/index.html. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
- ^ "Rookies look to break through in T-Mobile Rookie Challenge". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. January 27, 2010. http://www.nba.com/allstar/2010/rookie.challenge/index.html. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
- ^ "Sore knee knocks Blazers' Oden out of Rookie Challenge". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. February 13, 2009. http://www.nba.com/2009/allstar2009/02/13/oden.out.ap/index.html. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
External links
- 2007 Rookie Challenge
- 2008 Rookie Challenge
- Rookie Challenge Recaps and Box Scores
- Rookie Challenge Coaches
- Team-by-Team Participants
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