the real nba all star team

[dukie8]

a lot of us spend a lot of time I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.ing and moaning about all the things duke either does wrong or could do better (eg, big guys, the bench and ncaat flame outs) but i read this article that basically leads me to believe that we are second to none in the stuff that really matters. one writer created his own nba all-star team of players who give back. 3 of the 5 are duke alums.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...mnist_soshnick

here's an excerpt:

With that in mind, and with New Orleans as the backdrop, here are some players who deserved All-Star recognition:

CENTER: Houston's Dikembe Mutombo:

Mutombo's foundation opened the first privately funded hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The 300-bed facility provides much-needed care to the impoverished people of Kinshasa, the capital. Mutombo was praised for his work during President George W. Bush's 2007 State of the Union address.

FORWARDS: Chicago's Luol Deng and Phoenix's Grant Hill:

Deng, a native of Sudan, hosts a special birthday party in Chicago for ``The Lost Boys of Sudan,'' a generation of kids who were driven from their homes by civil war. Immigration paperwork marks Jan. 1 as the birthday for all of the kids, who Deng regularly hosts as guests at games. He's also a spokesman for Nothing But Nets, a campaign designed to fight malaria.

Hill and his wife, Tamia, through their foundation have donated time and money to charities, schools and scholarships. He's on the National Advisory Council Board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and works with a number of charities, including Habitat for Humanity and Covenant House in New Orleans.

GUARDS: Chicago's Chris Duhon and the Lakers' Derek Fisher:

Duhon, who grew up in Slidell, Louisiana, donated $100,000 toward the construction of basketball courts in New Orleans. Through his Stand Tall Foundation, Duhon has raised more than $450,000 for Katrina victims. During the season, Duhon makes himself available for an array of events serving children.

Fisher: Donated $700,000 to his alma mater, the University of Arkansas, for a gym and to establish Fisher Fellows, a mentoring program for middle-school kids. He's helping to raise awareness, funding and research for retinoblastoma, an eye disease afflicting his daughter.

Duhon's mother, Vivian Harper, in a telephone conversation earlier this week told me about her son's teenage years, when he would regularly help their elderly neighbors on Arthur Drive with their groceries. And raking the leaves. She also recalled with great pride his time as a Sunday school teacher.

``Chris always was willing to go above and beyond,'' she said.

Keep Duhon and the others in mind on Sunday when you're watching all those dunks and behind-the-back passes. Then tell me who, especially this year, deserves to be called an All-Star.

[shadowfax336]

Battier and Brand have also been recognized in similar ways over the last few years. These guys are quality people. Its really awesome to see.

[yancem]

Battier and Brand have also been recognized in similar ways over the last few years. These guys are quality people. Its really awesome to see.

I think that when the nba does their citizenship awards that Hill, Brand and Battier are part of the finalist pretty much every year. They may have all won it at one point or another. Deng and Duhon have also made the list a couple of times as well.

[dukie8]

Battier and Brand have also been recognized in similar ways over the last few years. These guys are quality people. Its really awesome to see.

i agree. we are attracting and then producing some incredible people. laettner and b davis also need to be included in any such list.

[jipops]

This also speaks volumes about the kind of guys K tries to recruit.