Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach John Lucas sponsoring a charity game: NBA News
Following the footsteps of the players, one NBA coach has also shown interest in organizing exhibition games to keep the fans involved in the basketball action during the lockout.
Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach John Lucas is planning to host a charity game on 20th November at the Delmar Stadium Complex in Northwest Houston. The exhibition game is going to feature a number of big names from NBA and Lucas is making sure that the fans are able to witness an action-packed contest.
"It'll be neat for the fans to come out and see. It won't be a celebrity game. It's going to be a real game.. It's a nice mixture of young players. I wanted the young, the old and a little bit of the new, so our fans could see who's coming and who's already established."Lucas said.
Lucas has already declared the names of some NBA players who have confirmed their participation and many others are expected to join before the scheduled date. Los Angeles Clippers superstar Blake Griffin, Washington Wizards veteran forward Rashard Lewis and Oklahoma City Thunder’s duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are the confirmed entries as of yet.
Some young guns will also showcase their abilities in the exhibition game. They include Lucas’ son John, who plays with Chicago at the point guard position, New Jersey’s forward Damion James and Houston Rockets newly acquired guard Jonny Flynn. Former NBA players Robert Horry and Moses Malone will be coaching the two teams of the event.
Flynn, the sixth overall pick of 2009 NBA Draft, was psyched at the opportunity to be part of the exhibition game and said that the event will give him and other NBAers an opportunity to interact with the fans;
"This is what this is all about. The fans are what make us and make this league and make it flourish. They make us a lot of money and the league a lot of money. You don't want to lose that. The fans, I know they're tired of hearing about millionaires and guys who make a lot of money complain about making more money.
The scheduled regular season games for the month of November have already been cancelled and if the latest round of talks between the NBA owners and the NBPA officials break down, the decertification of the union will become a reality. If that happens, the whole of the 2011-12 will be lost.
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