Index
NBA All Star Game

ROOKIE CHALLENGE

 

Since 2000, NBA changed the game with East and West rookies, for another game with rookies and sophomores, called Rookie Challenge.
This idea appeared to give a second chance to the 1999 rookies. In the lock-out season, the All-Star Weekend was suspended, and the rookies missed their opportunity to play.
By the way, this game in his two first editions has improved Rookie Game.

 

2000-MINNESOTA

Two good generations of players were joined in Oakland. It was an exciting game full of spectacular plays. They played two halfs of 15 minutes, and an overtime of 5. The three pointers of Paul Pierce and Andre Miller, the passes of Jason Williams, and a lot of dunks (Andre Miller angered people when he made a lay-up instead of a dunk). The best of all was Elton Brand (number 1 in 1999 draft) who scored 14 points and got 21 rebounds!, 12 offensive, in 30 minutes. These rebounds helped his team to win 50-36 in rebounds.
In a very tied game (with 18 changes of leader during the game), the resolution had to be in the overtime, where the rookie team leaded 11-2.
This game could have been better with players like Jason Terry, Baron Davis, Vince Carter, Shawn Marion... who didn't play for different reasons.

  DATE: 12 February 2000
  RESULT: Rookies 92- Sophomores 83
  MVP: Elton Brand
  BEST PLAYERS: ROOKIES Andre Miller 21 points, Elton Brand 21 rebounds, Steve Francis 11 assists.
                              SOPHOMORES Paul Pierce 18 points, Raef LaFrentz 10 rebounds, Mike Bibby 6 assists.
  COACHES: Al Attles and Nate Thurmond (Rookies), Bill Russell and K.C. Jones (Sophomores).

 

2001-WASHINGTON

In this edition, the game had 40 minutes, 10 more than past editions. The Sophomores won their second game, because 5 played were in the 2000 Rokie Challenge. In this edition Baron Davis, Richard Hamilton, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry were the new players.
It was an exciting show, full of alley-oops and dunks. The two teams were close during the game, but Steve Francis and Wally Szczerbiak were too much for the young rookies.
Some rookies made him a name in the league with this game. For example, Chicago Bulls point guard Khalid El-Amin with his ballhandling. Quentin Richardson was the MVP of the Rookies with 20 points, and impressive with 14 rebounds. Darius Miles was the dunk man.
In the sophomres Shawn Marion and Steve Francis were pretty good, but the unanimous MVP was Szczerbiak with 27 points and 11-13 FG.

  DATE: 10 February 2001
  RESULT: Rookies 113- Sophomores 121
  MVP: Wally Szczerbiak
  BEST PLAYERS: ROOKIES Quentin Richardson 20 points, and 14 rebounds, Morris Peterson, Khalid El-Amin and Stephen Jackson 4 assists.
                              SOPHOMORES Wally Szczerbiak 27 points and 8 rebounds, Baron Davis 8 assists.
  COACHES: Kevin Loughery and Jack Marin (Rookies), Elvin Hayes and Phil Chenier (Sophomores).

2002-PHILADEPHIA

The class of the 2001 draft show to the world that they are better than the Sophomores. Rookies won by 6, with the fourth quarter under control. Sophomores commanded the first half with a great Quentin Richardson (21 points at halftime). But in the second half he could only score 1 point more. His teammate, Darius Miles begun to score in the second half, but he wasn't enough to stop the Rookies, and specially Jason Richardson. The Golden State Warriors player completed his best day as a pro player with 26 points. He had won the Slam Dunk contest and now the MVP of the Rookie Challenge.

  DATE: 9 February 2002
  RESULT: Rookies 103 - Sophomores 97
  MVP: Jason Richardson
  BEST PLAYERS: ROOKIES Jason Richardson 26 points, Zeljko Rebraca 9 rebounds, Jamaal Tinsley 10 assists.
                              SOPHOMORES Quentin Richardson 22 points, Marcus Fizer 14 rebounds, Mike Miller 11 assists.
  COACHES: Chuck Daly and Darryl Hawkins (Rookies), Bill Cunningham and Bobby Jones (Sophomores).

BOXSCORE

ROOKIES
PLAYER TEAM
MIN
FGM
FGA
3PM
3PA
FTM
FTA
OR
DR
REB
AST
PF
ST
TO
BS
PTS
Jason Richardson Golden State
22
11
18
3
5
1
2
3
3
6
2
3
1
0
0
26
Jamaal Tinsley Indiana
18
2
4
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
10
0
1
6
0
4
Pau Gasol Memphis
27
4
9
0
0
2
2
0
7
7
3
1
2
1
1
10
Shane Battier Memphis
23
7
11
0
1
1
2
2
0
2
0
1
3
2
0
15
Brandan Haywood Washington
26
5
6
0
0
2
4
2
1
3
1
1
1
0
2
12
Zeljko Rebraca Detroit
27
7
10
0
0
0
0
2
7
9
3
1
0
0
0
14
Tony Parker San Antonio
21
3
9
0
2
0
0
0
2
2
8
0
3
3
0
6
Joe Johnson Boston
21
4
13
2
4
2
4
1
6
7
4
2
2
1
0
12
Andrei Kirilenko Utah
15
2
2
0
0
0
3
1
1
2
0
0
1
2
0
4
TOTALS
200
45
82
5
12
8
17
11
28
39
31
9
14
15
3
103

SOPHOMORES
PLAYER TEAM
MIN
FGM
FGA
3PM
3PA
FTM
FTA
OR
DR
REB
AST
PF
ST
TO
BS
PTS
Quentin Richardson Clippers
26
10
22
1
5
1
2
7
2
9
1
1
0
0
0
22
Mike Miller Orlando
24
3
10
1
7
0
0
3
4
7
11
1
2
3
1
7
Richard Jefferson New Jersey
25
7
14
2
3
1
2
1
1
2
1
2
5
3
1
17
Lee Nailon Charlotte
20
4
8
0
0
0
0
4
2
6
0
1
1
3
0
8
Chris Mihm Cleveland
19
3
7
0
0
0
0
3
5
8
0
3
0
2
1
6
Marcus Fizer Chicago
25
2
9
0
2
0
0
6
8
14
2
0
1
0
1
4
Darius Miles Clippers
23
9
11
0
0
2
4
0
1
1
2
1
1
6
1
20
Desmond Mason Seattle
19
3
7
0
0
0
0
1
5
6
3
1
2
1
1
6
Hedo Turkoglu Sacramento
19
3
9
1
4
0
0
1
0
1
3
2
1
1
0
7
TOTALS
200
44
97
5
21
4
8
26
28
54
23
12
13
19
5
97

Score By Periods
1st Half
2nd Half
Totals
Rookies
51
52
103
Sophomores
58
39
97

2003-ATLANTA

  DATE: 8 February 2002
  RESULT: Rookies 112 - Sophomores 132
  MVP: Gilbert Arenas
  BEST PLAYERS: ROOKIES Caron Butler 23 points.
                              SOPHOMORES Jason Richardson 31 points.
  COACHES: Cotton Fitzsimmons and Lou Hudson (Rookies), Mike Fratello and Bob Pettit (Sophomores).

BOXSCORE
ROOKIES
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-A 3GM-A FTM-A OR DR TOT AST PF ST TO BS PTS
JAY WILLIAMS
23
4-11
1-4
0-0
1
4
5
9
2
3
5
0
9
GORDAN GIRICEK
23
5-7
1-2
2-2
2
2
4
0
0
0
4
0
13
CARON BUTLER
32
10-18
1-1
2-4
2
2
4
7
3
4
4
0
23
DREW GOODEN
23
8-15
0-3
0-0
5
3
8
1
0
0
2
0
16
AMARE STOUDEMIRE
22
7-15
0-0
4-5
5
2
7
1
0
4
2
1
18
Carlos Boozer  
25
5-14
0-0
1-2
1
2
3
2
0
3
2
0
11
Nene Hilario  
18
3-6
0-0
0-0
3
1
4
2
1
4
2
1
6
Marko Jaric  
17
2-6
0-2
0-0
0
3
3
1
0
1
4
0
4
Dajuan Wagner  
17
6-11
0-0
0-0
1
1
2
1
1
1
0
0
12
TOTAL  
200
50-103
3-12
9-13
20
20
40
24
7
20
25
2
112
      48.5% 25.0% 69.2% Team Rebs: 6   Total TO: 25

SOPHOMORES
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-A 3GM-A FTM-A OR DR TOT AST PF ST TO BS PTS
GILBERT ARENAS
24
11-18
6-12
2-2
1
3
4
4
2
3
3
1
30
TONY PARKER
23
4-7
0-2
0-0
1
2
3
6
1
3
3
0
8
TROY MURPHY
25
1-5
0-0
0-0
2
5
7
0
1
0
0
0
2
RICHARD JEFFERSON
24
10-14
0-0
1-2
2
1
3
4
0
3
3
0
21
PAU GASOL
23
8-11
0-0
1-1
5
6
11
2
3
2
6
3
17
Andrei Kirilenko  
27
6-10
1-1
0-0
0
5
5
0
1
2
2
1
13
Jason Richardson  
20
13-23
4-7
1-1
4
2
6
2
0
5
3
0
31
Tyson Chandler  
17
2-2
0-0
0-0
1
5
6
0
0
0
3
0
4
Jamaal Tinsley  
17
3-10
0-1
0-0
1
3
4
11
1
2
7
0
6
TOTAL  
200
58-100
11-23
5-6
17
32
49
29
9
20
30
5
132
      58.0% 47.8% 83.3% Team Rebs: 5   Total TO: 30

Score By Periods
1st Half
2nd Half
Totals
 Rookies 69 43 112
 Sophomores 57 75 132