Sunday, June 26, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

JOE HAWK: NBA players ready to roll dice with LV

Ask any ultra-rich, ultra-playboyish NBA player his thoughts about the 2007 All-Star Weekend probably being held in Las Vegas and his eyes will light up brighter than the diamond studs in his ears or the gold chain draped around his neck.

Ask Houston Rockets guard/forward Tracy McGrady and you'll get something more -- a sly smile, a coy wink and a progressive answer: "They need to have a franchise, an NBA franchise, out here. Not just an All-Star Game. I'm going to try to push that."

So it is that we hereby ordain Tracy McGrady, one of the league's premiere go-to guys and, appropriate for our purpose, one of its best finishers, as our official envoy to commissioner David Stern to get this deal done -- sooner rather than later.

After all, where else in America does the splashy, megadecibel atmosphere of P-A-R-T-Y that the NBA projects nightly fit better?

"Nowhere," McGrady answers. "This is Vegas."

Perhaps it was unfair to ambush McGrady and a handful of other NBA players with our personal selfishness when they were in town with other athletes Saturday for a selfless act: participation in Sports Dream Bowl, a charity event at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center to benefit the Urban Youth Scholarship Fund. The fund provides scholarships to inner-city youth and has helped out more than 300 youngsters nationally.

But, hey, with the imminent announcement of the league's 2007 All-Star Weekend making Las Vegas its first nonfranchise host, why not get the players' opinions? It's their game, right?

Not surprisingly, it's unanimous: All in favor of the All-Star Game and, as might soon follow, for our city becoming home to a team.

"It might be a slow game if the NBA All-Star Game comes (here). Everybody will be tired," Los Angeles Clippers forward Elton Brand said jokingly. "Too much extracurricular activities.

"But it's a great city, a great town. I'm sure if they do bring it here, we'll enjoy it."

Ah, yes ... enjoying the weekend.

Obviously, hosting an All-Star Game is something of a litmus test as to how players might do in this city of never-ending naughtiness. If someone misses tip-off for the All-Star Game because he's enjoying a hot run at the craps tables or can't pull himself from the hot pole-kitties at Club Purrrrfect, then we have a problem.

"It depends. It can be a home-court advantage," Brand said, looking at the bigger picture of Las Vegas someday having a team. "Everybody will be out partying while you're at home getting rest to win games."

Exactly our thought.

Teams coming here would party themselves out -- read: no legs, no energy, no concentration -- before game time and, as a result, Las Vegas would have 41 victories locked up before the season even starts. Halfway to the playoffs, folks.

But, of course, there has to be an obstacle to our city someday getting an NBA franchise. That is Stern's disdain of legal betting on games. (The All-Star Game, if held here, will be taken off the betting boards.)

"I know there's concern with the gambling," Seattle SuperSonics center Nick Collison says. "But, anymore, there's so much gambling online everywhere that you can't avoid it.

"At least here, it's all out in the open."

Funny, isn't it, how the players know more about Las Vegas than league officials do?

"We hear all the talk about how the league is looking for more support, that (TV) ratings are down and stuff," says Kirk Hinrich, a guard with the Chicago Bulls and a college running mate of Collison's at Kansas. "What a great city to have in the league. This would be a special place, not just for the players but for the fans."

Now, that's the message we need Tracy McGrady to take on our behalf and drive the lane with to NBA headquarters.

Joe Hawk's column is published Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. He can be reached at 387-2912 or jhawk@reviewjournal.com.