Chauncey Billups, right, of the Detroit Pistons has a couple of fans in 8-year-old Christopher Hawkins and 9-year-old Jack Weisenberger. Photo by The Associated Press. Miami's Shaquille O'Neal is Deion Lightfoot's favorite NBA player. The 8-year-old is impressed with how O'Neal dunks the ball. The youngster also likes how O'Neal "breaks people's noses." Photo by The Associated Press.

Las Vegas doesn't have an NBA franchise -- yet -- but talking to youngsters around the valley showed the league has no shortage of fans in Southern Nevada.

Several kids said they recognize NBA players more from their video games than from watching games on television. Their favorite player and favorite team were quickly evident: Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, perhaps no surprise given Los Angeles' proximity to Las Vegas.

"Kobe Bryant, because he's really fast, he can shoot 3-pointers, and he can slam dunk," said 9-year-old Jake Crawford before a recent game at the Tarkanian Basketball Academy. "I try to be really speedy and get layups when I'm (playing)."

Nicholas Cornman, 6, also liked the fact Bryant can fly.

"(Kobe's my favorite) because he does a lot of slam dunks," Nicholas said.

At Meribelli Community Center, Kobe and the Lakers rule. Ryan Nielsen, 7, said, "Kobe Bryant's my favorite because he's good, and I like the Lakers. I try to do his moves."

Kids also are enamored with Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O'Neal, Gilbert Arenas and Michael Jordan.

"Michael Jordan, because he has a lot of money," 7-year-old James Walter Governale said.

Alexander Guzman, 8, said Jordan's prowess on the court made him the best.

"He does the most tricks and makes the most good shots," Alexander said.

Tia Thornton, 5, picked Wade because "he can dunk, and he can steal."

Deion Lightfoot, 8, had a unique reason why O'Neal is his favorite.

"He can dunk, and he breaks people's noses," he said.

Kevin Loyd, a junior point guard at Bishop Gorman, said Arenas is his favorite player.

"He's a great scorer and a great player," he said. "I just like the way he plays -- his aggressiveness and desire to win. He's real aggressive about going to the basket."

Several youngsters couldn't settle on one favorite, including 12-year-old Durrell McDonald, a seventh-grader who plays for C.W. Woodbury Middle School.

"I like D-Wade and Shaq. D-Wade is always determined to win a game. He says every game is like the championship. He's a role model and also a great player," Durrell said. "Shaq's one of my role models, too, and he's kind of given me an image of what I want to be. He visits nursing homes and stuff, he's a nice person, and he's not always serious."

Alex Governale, 12, has a special reason why his favorite player is Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics.

"A few years ago he came here, and I played one-on-one against him. It was fun, but I lost," Alex said in earnest. "He used a lot of tricks. I've never seen anybody do that many tricks."

Lamont Traylor, 9, said he can relate to Allen Iverson of the Denver Nuggets.

"He's kind of short like me, and he plays basketball good, and he's fast," Lamont said.

Cole Michels, 10, said Lebron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers is his idol. "I try to copy some of his slam dunks at my house,'' Cole said. ''We make the basketball hoop (lower)."

Christopher Hawkins, 8, models his game after Chauncey Billups of the Detroit Pistons.

"He's fast, and he can shoot the 3," Christopher said. "I try to go fast and shoot a lot of 3s. I try to shoot at the buzzer and at the 3-point line."

Billups also is the favorite player of 9-year-old Jack Weisenberger.

"He's a point guard, and he likes to get the ball around a lot, and he can make a lot of shots when they need him to," Jack said.

Silverado High School senior Heiden Ratner, one of the top scorers and assists leaders in Southern Nevada, said Steve Nash is the man.

"I just like the way he plays and the way he passes the ball. He makes it look so easy," Heiden said. "I try to take some of the stuff he does in games and incorporate it into my game -- his leadership and the way he distributes the ball."

Gregory Floyd, 7, has a favorite player -- Bryant -- but said he doesn't watch NBA games.

"I only play NBA games; I don't watch them," Gregory said.