European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 11, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday february 11, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 23 Aba All Star aame big men calling the shots again by  Barnard a Nisu Bull wrist  the hip Man is the Tenter of attention again in Ilie Aba. Call him Palm Kevin Robinson. He blinks a shot in the defensive end. He runs the length ii the Llnore. Outrunning players a fool Shorter. He leaps Tor the Leburn pass ducking his head to avoid the run. Then turns and reverse-slam1, As bodies Seatter. The perfect Penler. In his comp Oneal parts he s Patrick . Akcam Olajuwon and David Robinson the three Young centers who will join .16-year-old Robert Parish at today s Aba All Star game the decade of the hos featured Julius Erving. Larry Bird. Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. While All hut erring Are still around pleasing crowds and winning games. The mils might belong to Ine three big Guys. All three Are among the Aba leaders in Points re Bounds and blocked shots each averaging at least 23 Points. 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. Their consistency and tenacity on both ends of the court sets them  second year Center Rons Seikaly said they re ust sensational because you can count on them to store Levound and Block shots every  Seikaly puts Robinson a Rookie slightly behind la Juwon Anil  i n his list of Best tenters because of his inexperience. I Olajuwon is in his sixth season.  ins fifth. Hut i Pla cd against David in College and  on the world championship learn   Seikaly . "1 knew he would kill in the Mia. He runs like a Gaelle and he jumps like Michael Jordan. I think dad stat  of the three i Valnik s the strongest and Akeem is a Little ahead it you Lake strength and quickness  asked which Tenter he would want if he were starting a franchise. Seikaly said. I d flip a Coin and close my  the three tenters have the ability to overwhelm an Patrick  Aba game with their presence. Olajuwon 32 Pomis. 2-t rebounds 10 blocks against Irlando on dec. 17 24 Points. 21 re Bounds 12 blocks against i Mah on nov. 11. Lomg 44 Points. 24 re hounds at Golden state on nov. 2l�. 44 Points. 22 rebounds. 7 blocks against the  Angeles clippers on Jan. 7. Robinson 27 Points. 15 rebounds. Ii blocks feb. 2 at Charlotte 33 Points 21 rebounds 5 blocks the following night against Chicago. Robinson now a 7-looter. Was 6-7 coming out of High school in Manassas. A. Influenced by his Pelt officer father lie went to the naval Academy and Gieva to his present Sie while retaining his Small Forward quickness. After two years of relative inactivity on Active duty in the Navy he has already reached Admiral status in the Aba. His Toad Tarry Brown is Tony med that Robin son s modest beginnings and Lack of experience trans late nun awesome potential Lor  David puts in the Lime like magic and find hell be the  Brown said. In non left Kansas Attr winning the National championship with a team led in the  no. I dial Thoits.  Manning in older to coach a team with the i a no i. Rubinson. I would t have ionic to san Antonio had David not been in then  i Van said. The whole Rea son for coming to the spurs was David. He has a Chance to he As Good As any  Robinson s Speed set s him apart from Oiler centers. Brown said Only 6-2 guard Vernon Maxwell is faster gelling Dow Couit on the spurs. Akeem Olajuwon oat id Robinson he s got to he the quickest fastest big Man Here s Ever  Brown said. Olajuwon. From an upper Middle class background in . Nigeria is the better Echo under of the three especially on the offensive end where his Quick leaping ability finds the Hall. His Quick hands made him the single season Leader in steals by a Center nearly double the number of the Man behind him i think Michael Jordan is probably the Best Planci. But if i m building a learn from stat Ali. I d take Akeem  Bird said. He s at the top right now " said Portland s  Drexler. Olajuwon s teammate at Houston. No Mecis Don t  living was Rookie of the year in i is6. But he was slower than Ulai Uwon and Robinson m making a big Impact in part because of injuries and in pan because of Lack of support by his teammates. To be honest. I did t think Patrick fwing was As Good As he was cracked up in  Johnson said. Now. Patrick has taken his game to the utmost. I Don t know what turned the switch on. But it s going to he awful hard to turn  Green a shaky Choice but Malone out anyway h . Barnard a basketball writer Miami the learn of the los Domi nates the Starling lineup Lor the Fust Aba i Star lame of the us. Hut there Are questions Ghoul whether one of the three los Angeles i Akers should be on the first live it s Only the filth Lime in 24 years that one team has had three players on the Starling file hut the fan selection of ". Careen Over Kail Malone has raised questions. Like How could thai happen1.1 a noun ally for the Aba and unfortunately for Malone. The outrage was ruled when the mailman sprained an ankle Thuis Dax before the game and withdrew from the contest Malone s replacement is Rolando Blakeman of the Dallas Mavericks. Wilh the lakers appearing in eight of the last 10 Aba finals it s no Surprise they dominate the All Star squad and no one would question that magic Johnson is a starter and a Case could be made thai James worthy is one of the Besl forwards in the West. Bui Green Over Malone Ali s Karl Malone. Who gives real meaning to the term Power Forward Karl Malone is the Premier Power for Ward in basketball but that s nol the Way the voting  said lakers Cadi Pat Riley. Who will coach the West Lor the eighth Lime in nine years. He will Plav significant minutes. Bui the voting was put in Hie hands of the fans and the lans Are a big part of the game. Maybe there has to he some kind of  maybe. Certainly  Angeles is the Media Center Hal Salt Lake City is nol. Malone. Chosen to the All Star game As a Reserve by Western conference coaches and Careen Are nol comparable statistically. Malone is the no. 2 scorer in the Aba and averages nearly .11 Points and ii re Bounds. Careen who in the week before the All Star ciame had consecutive games in which he scored two and Ero Points aver Ages 13 Points and nine rebounds. ". I Ireen has proven to he incredibly Laleme and popular Riley said. I m tickled that he made it the fact we have three Guys in the All Star game is because we have had the Besl record in the league and All three of these players have had Good  the Only recent All Star games with three starters from one team came in Imsho when the lakers had worthy. Johnson and a Arcco . And in wx3 when the Philadelphia 76er had Julius or veg. Moses Malone and Maurice Cheeks. In l 77, both the fast and West had three a Carlers from one learn. The 76ers had Erving. George mediums and Doug Collins while Denver had Bobby Jones. David Thompson and Dan Issel. You have logo Hack to i"60 to find another three starter All Star ciame. From l 53 to l%6. When the Niu had significantly fewer teams than Loda. Nine All Star squads had three a Carlers from a single team. On four occasions. H was the Boston celtics w to had three starters. Careen himself is taught in the Middle of the controversy. He does t Waul to suggest he s a better player than Malone. Hut he does t want to sound ungrateful to the fans that Pul him in the game. I know there Are a lot of comments directed toward  he said. I Don i ical in have an opinion on them. I m honoured to he selected for the game and that s the Bottom line. I m thankful to m Leam males and the people who voted for  lie said if the selection process be comes a problem. I m Suie the Aba will  Riley and Detroit s Chuck Daly Are the coaches by virtue of their teams hav ing the Best record in each conference on Jan. 28. The game is old hat for Riley. Like it or not the lakers . Creen is driving toward sunday s All Star game. But it s the first time for Daly. I had reservations for both Miami and the  Riley said so i would have been Happy either Wax. But it s always an Honor to represent the con  joining the Liliee lakers in the starting lineup for the West will he Malone s be Ammata John Stockton at guard and Hin Islon Center Akeem Olajuwon. The last a Carlers Are forwards Larry Bird of Boston and Charles Barkley of Philadelphia. New York Center Patrick Wing and guards Isiah Thomas of de troit and Michael Jordan of Chicago. Joining Blackman As West reserves Are forwards Tom Chambers of Phoenix and Chris mull of Golden state. San Anto Nio Penler David Robinson and guards c Lyde Drax scr of Portland. I at lever of Denver and Kevin Johnson of Phoenix. The Lias reserves Are Penler Robert Palish and Forward Kevin Mihalc of Boston forwards Scottie Pippen of Chi Cago and Dennis Rodman of Detroit and guards Joe Dumars of Detroit and Reg Gie Miller of Indiana. Careen. Kevin Johnson. Robinson do Mars Miller. Pippen and Rodman All Are first time All stars