Jazz forward Bryon Russell said going into Saturday's Schick Rookie Game that he was going to have fun. And so he did. He showed up wearing Adrian Dantley-type high socks, circa 1980, "just to change the scenery." He grabbed a telephone on press row while the game was in progress. And he tried, unsuccessfully, to dunk over Philadelphia's 7-foot-6 Shawn Bradley.
All in a night's work if you're a rookie on your first trip to All-Star Weekend.Russell ended up playing 15 minutes, scoring seven points and helping ignite a second-half comeback as the Phenoms defeated the Sensations, 74-68 at the Target Center.
Bradley, the former BYU star who played for the Sensations, finished with two blocks, eight points and two rebounds.
"Nobody's counting who wins and who loses," said the Sensations' Jamal Mashburn. "You just want to play."
The game took on a predictably rag-tag look from the early going when the teams fired in four baskets in the first minute. That set the tone for the game: loose, unstructured and, at times, silly.
Russell made it clear early that he had no intentions of making this a serious business trip. He chose No. 32 for his jersey because Minnesota's Isaiah Rider had No. 34, because No. 32 was his college number, and because 32 means "Magic, Karl Malone, and if you reverse it, it's 23 - Michael Jordan."
Shortly after entering the game for Rider with 10:35 left in the half, Russell found himself scrambling to the sidelines to save a loose ball. The ball went out of bounds, and while on the sidelines, Russell picked up a press row telephone and held the receiver to his ear, eliciting laughs from the crowd.
"I was trying to call 911 - get some refs out there," said Russell.
Soon to follow, Russell had a driving shot blocked by Cleveland's Chris Mills.
Meanwhile, Bradley made his most impressive shot of the night early in the game, turning for a 10-foot hook. "All I need is repetitions, repetitions, repititions. That's definitely an unstoppable shot when I shoot it right," Bradley said.
Bradley began warming up in the second half when he rejected a Chris Webber dunk attempt. However, he missed a 15-foot jump-hook shortly after. He caught a pass in the air and landed a short layup for a 51-46 Sensations lead.
Russell got a first-hand look at Bradley while going in for a driving shot with 9:29 to go in the game. Bradley fouled Russell, who made one of two free throws.
"I was thinking dunk," said Russell. "I told myself, `You've gotta get him. You've gotta dunk on Bradley.' The opportunity was there but I didn't get it."
The two shook hands after the play. "Either he dunks it and he gets the glory or I block it and I get the glory," said Bradley. "Or the ref calls a foul and nobody gets the glory."
Russell scored a basket 22 seconds later, fading into the lane. "I got that Jeff Malone fader," Russell said.
He followed with an alley oop slam with 7:00 remaining in the game for a 55-53 lead. The Phenoms led the remainder of the game.
Bradley closed out the night in impressive style, landing a shot from the top of the key, then hitched the ball before two-hand dunking with 10 seconds to go in the game.
"I knew I could give it to Anfernee (Hardaway) and he could dunk, or to Anfernee for an assist, but I was really selfish," Bradley said.
Hardaway, who had 22 points, won the game's MVP.
With an appearance in the rookie game behind him, Russell says he hopes to come back again to All-Star Weekend - but for the main event. "Give me a couple of years," he said. "I'll be back."