SEC In NBA All-Star Game

SEC In NBA All-Star Game

Posted: January 29, 2010 | Last updated: January 29, 2010 at 02:13 PM

SEC Leads All Conferences In NBA All-Star Selections

Four former Southeastern Conference basketball stars have been chosen to participate in the 59th annual NBA All-Star Game, which will be played Sunday, Feb. 14, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game is expected to draw a crowd of more than 80,000.

Atlanta’s Al Horford (Florida), Charlotte’s Gerald Wallace (Alabama), Atlanta’s Joe Johnson (Arkansas) and Boston’s Rajon Rondo (Kentucky) were each selected to represent the Eastern All-Stars.

The SEC’s four All-Star selections led all other conferences. The ACC and Big East each had three selections while the Big 12 and Big Ten had two selections each. The Pac-10, Conference USA and West Coast Conference each had one selection.

Horford, who will be making his first All-Star selection, is averaging career highs in points (13.6), rebounds (9.8 ) and field-goal percentage (.575). As a collegian, he helped lead the Gators to national championships in 2006 and 2007.

Wallace, who was an SEC All-Freshman selection in 2001, became the first Charlotte Bobcat to be selected to the All-Star team. The only original Bobcat left on the roster, he has been a key to Charlotte owning one of the league’s top defenses.

Johnson became the first Hawk to reach four consecutive All-Star games since Dikembe Mutombo from 1997-2001 (the game wasn’t played in 1999). The nine-year veteran ranks 11th in the NBA with 21.3 points per game and leads the Hawks with 4.8 assists per contest.

Rondo is averaging career highs in points (14.2), assists (9.7), steals (2.54) and field-goal percentage (.534). The first-time All-Star is leading the Eastern Conference in both assists and steals.