NBA stuff for you

With the National Basketball Association (NBA) set to open its biggest Madness event here next Thursday, here’s a chance for you to win league merchandise and go to the VIP welcome party.

As you know, NBA players Luke Walton of the Los Angeles Lakers and Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic are coming to town as the Madness special guests along with six bombshells from the Houston Rockets Power Dancers squad.

NBA Madness is an interactive basketball lifestyle event in theme park form for fans of all ages. This year’s edition will be staged on over 30,000 square feet of outdoor space surrounding the Araneta Coliseum from June 2 to 5.

The NBA is hosting a VIP welcome party for the guests on Friday, June 3, and if you get lucky, you’ll be invited to attend and hobnob with the visitors who’re flying in straight from the US.

To get an invitation for the welcome party and win league merchandise, just answer these two questions: (1) Who is Luke Walton’s father? and (2) How many assists did Walton compile in Game 2 of the NBA Finals last year?

Write your answers on a slip of paper and don’t forget to include your name, address, age, telephone number, occupation and signature then send to "NBA Madness, Luke Walton" Philippine Star, Sports Section, 13th corner Roberto Oca Street, Port Area, Manila. Our cut-off for entries to reach the Star office is on Tuesday, May 31.

Ten winners will be picked. The first three winners will each get a prize package consisting of two passes for the welcome party, an NBA Madness T-shirt and an NBA Madness poster. The next two winners will each get an NBA authentic jersey, a T-shirt and a poster. And the last five winners will each receive a poster.

Tomorrow, a separate set of two questions about Howard will be asked and the same prizes will be offered to 10 winners.

Walton, 25, was the Lakers second round draft pick in the 2003 draft. The 6-8, 235-pound forward played varsity hoops at the University of Arizona where he earned a degree in family studies. His father Bill is a basketball Hall of Famer who played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers.

Walton is reportedly arriving with at least two brothers. It’s not certain who among his three brothers are coming. His oldest brother Nate played basketball at Princeton and another brother Adam at Cal Poly-Pomona. A younger brother Chris plays at San Diego State. His mother Susie was his father’s first wife. His father is now married to Lori Yamamoto who is part-Filipina.

In 1979, Bill came to Manila to film a documentary on the Philippine monkey-eating eagle for the TV series "American Sportsman." The documentary won an Emmy award.

Walton, the first NBA rookie to collect at least 10 assists in a playoff game since Magic Johnson, is known for his "incredible basketball IQ" and "great all-around game." He was the first non-guard in Pacific-10 history to lead the NCAA Division I conference in assists.

As an NBA freshman in 2003-04, Walton averaged 2.4 points and 10.1 minutes in 72 regular season games. The curly-haired Grateful Dead fan was outstanding in Game 2 of the Finals between Detroit and Los Angeles where he collected seven points, five rebounds, eight assists and two blocked shots in 27 minutes to fuel Lakers’ only win in the series, a 99-91 overtime decision.

Lakers star Kobe Bryant hit a triple to force the extension but it was Walton who got the rave reviews. Walton checked in with 3:30 left in the first quarter and promptly scored on a layup in transition off a Derek Fisher feed. Then, in the second period, he buried a trey to push the Lakers on top, 24-22. Walton finished with five points, three rebounds and four assists in the quarter. One of his assists was a picture-perfect bounce pass to Shaquille O’Neal who dunked to the roar of "Luuuuuke" from the crowd.

"It amazes me how he can give me the ball and guys that have been playing with me four, five, six years can’t give me the ball," said Shaq, taking a poke at Bryant.

Shaq was joined by Bryant and Lakers coach Phil Jackson in applauding Walton. "You can talk about my shot all night long," said Bryant, referring to his triple. "But without Luke in the ball game playing as well as he did, we would not be in that position."

Jackson said, "Luke held his own–he actually was the player of the game, really, for us." Even Pistons coach Larry Brown chimed in, saying, "Luke was phenomenal–he came in and gave them a huge lift."

For his part, Walton said, "I love stuff like this. I’ve always loved big games and I was just hoping that I would get my chance and coach Jackson gave me a chance."

This past season, Walton averaged 3.2 points and 12.6 minutes in 61 games, including five starts. He shot .411 from the field and .708 from the line. His NBA single-game highs include 19 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, three steals and two blocked shots.

Walton is a big fan favorite in Arizona where he conducts a basketball clinic for boys and girls from 7 to 18 with New Jersey Nets star Richard Jefferson every summer. This year’s clinic will be held in Tucson on July 18-21.

Don’t pass up this rare opportunity to meet Walton, Howard and the Power Dancers and win NBA merchandise, too.