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NEW YORK CITY — The NBA All-Star weekend is professional basketball’s version of a summer company retreat, with a few minor differences.
Yes, it’s a time for management (league officials) and employees (players) to speak and guffaw about how much they enjoy each other, and it’s a good time for the employees to make relationships with more distant parts of the company than they can on the job.
Sounds just like the company picnic, right?
There are some subtle differences though. For instance, with the NBA’s “break,” players are served chateaubriand and lobster, instead of hamburgers and grilled chicken. Also, instead of taking the whole company up Parleys Canyon to Mountain Dell, the NBA is taking its entourage to New York City.
Regardless of the venue, the All-Star break provides a variety of different outlets for players, whether rest or continued development. While no players from the Utah Jazz were invited to the league’s All-Star game at Madison Square Garden Sunday, three members of the team were selected to play in the Rising Stars game Friday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Trey Burke, Rudy Gobert and Dante Exum all were selected to play in the league’s showcase for young players this season. Burke played in New Orleans last season and registered six points and six assists in the game. For Exum and Gobert, this will be their first foray into the pageantry of All-Star weekend.
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While some veteran players like to use the break to rest for the stretch-run of the NBA season, younger players are traditionally more enthusiastic to take part in the activities. Also, coaches see the benefits of younger players taking part in the activities.
Jazz coach Quin Snyder said it’s never bad for young players to be exposed to different opportunities.
“I like the opportunity for them,” he said. “I think it’s a good thing, especially for younger guys. I want them to go in and play with some purpose, to get something out of it. I think getting that kind of exposure, and playing against the top young players, is a good opportunity for them.”
Like Snyder, Clippers coach Doc Rivers sees an incentive for players, specifically younger players, to take part in more basketball. Rivers, who was an All-Star in 1988 with the Atlanta Hawks, said there is a benefit to younger players, especially as an educational experience.
“I don’t think it hurts,” said Rivers, who also coached the 2008 East squad when he was coaching the Boston Celtics. “Whenever a young guy is on a big stage like that, it has to be a benefit. Being around All-Stars; that has to be a benefit to that as well. I think those experiences are very valuable for all the young guys.”
Exum will be one of the youngest members of the All-Star weekend festivities, at just 19 years old. After operating off the bench for much of the season, he became a consistent starter on Jan. 22, and scored 15 points in a Utah win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Exum, who is averaging 4.7 points and 2.3 assists as a rookie, said he is excited about the opportunity to play in the game.
“I’m excited to be a part of that,” he said. “I always watched All-Star weekend as a kid, so I’m just going to go in there, try and have fun with some of the guys.”
Exum’s growth has been an intriguing storyline for the Jazz this season, but even more intriguing has been the development of sophomore center Rudy Gobert. After a season where he was shuffled back and forth between the D-League, Gobert is averaging 6.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks this season — all improvements from his 2014 stats of 2.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.9 blocks a game.
Gobert’s presence in games has not only made him a fan-favorite in Salt Lake City, but it’s also brought him respect from figures around the league. For instance, before a recent loss to the Jazz, Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who will coach the West squad in the All-Star game Sunday, said Gobert is an impressive player.
“I think he’s really good,” he said. “He can pass, and he can score around the basket. He seems to have a nice touch when he gets the ball close to the rim. Obviously, he’s incredibly tall and long, and takes up a lot of space when he blocks shots. He’s a really, really good player.”
While the 22-year-old Frenchman appreciates the growing respect he is getting around the league, he said he’s more focused on using his time in the Big Apple to improve his game.
“It feels good, but I feel like I have done nothing yet,” he said. “I don’t want to just be a good player, I want to be a great player. I’m going to just keep it going.”
For Burke, playing in this game is old-fiddle, but it is a positive in a season that’s seen him lose his starting role to Exum. In his sophomore season, Burke is averaging 12.7 points, 4.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds a game — all below the numbers he posted in his rookie season.
Burke said he is hoping to use the break to recharge his batteries while enjoying the sights of New York City on All-Star weekend. He also has the opportunity to defend his Skills Challenge title from last season.
As far as using the opportunities to benefit the future of the franchise, Exum said he is hoping he and his teammates use the honor as future motivation.
“It’s always nice to get accolades, but I just take it in stride,” he said. “I’ll continue to work hard, and this isn’t the be-all, end-all. I’ve still got a long way to go in my development.”
