NEW YORK — Big sporting events, like All-Star weekend, seem to bring out some of the stranger questions by media members.
As Paul Millsap found out, this year’s event in New York City was no different.
One of the best questions Millsap fielded was about Ronnie Milsap.
The All-Star power forward was asked if he associates himself with the country singer because of the similarities of their last names.
Not surprisingly, that question took the former Jazzman by surprise.
“He’s a good singer — from what I hear,” Millsap said, chuckling. “People either compare (us) or get it mixed up.”
Millsap — the one with two Ls (except for that one time when Adidas accidentally misspelled his last name on a jersey he wore against the Jazz this year) — said some people really used to get mixed up when he was teammates with Ronnie Brewer in Utah.
“I used to get Ronnie Milsap out of that,” he joked.
UTAH’S GOT SOUL: Millsap was also asked how much better the soul food offerings are in his current home, Atlanta, compared to his old home in Utah.
His answer surprised the reporter.
“It’s shocking, but Utah’s gotta a lot of soul food restaurants. They compare. Atlanta’s great. Atlanta’s got a lot to offer, but don’t sleep on Utah and soul food.”
His favorite restaurant, Mom and Pop’s, shut down, but that wasn’t his only spot.
“My family used to go get a lot of stuff from different places,” he said. “We used to chow down on it.”
FOUL PLAY?: Damian Lillard got a dunk over Jazz center Rudy Gobert in a recent game, but he was blocked at the rim in Sunday’s All-Star Game by New York star Carmelo Anthony.
“He actually fouled me. That was a foul,” Lillard said, laughing. “Nah, when I caught it, I attacked the rim, and I knew Kyle (Korver) moved to the side. I didn’t think Melo was going to jump, so he kind of surprised me.”
WEBER STATE GREAT: Millsap got to know Lillard when the former Weber State star was in college, and the power forward was playing for the Jazz.
“He’s a terrific story, a guy going to a small college in Utah and growing up to be this terrific player,” Millsap said. “It’s a terrific story and I’m a big fan of him.”
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