The NBA held a draft lottery yesterday at the Baltimore Arena.
And commissioner David Stern wasn't even there.
A former basketball coach, an NBA mascot and two local sportscasters took Stern's place, selecting the two teams for the Muggsy Bogues All-Star Classic on Sept. 8.
The game features 19 NBA players, including two of Bogues' Charlotte Hornets teammates, Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson. The proceeds benefit Baltimore Reads, a non-profit organization designed to assist adults.
But yesterday, former Dunbar and University of Maryland basketball coach Bob Wade was the big winner. Wade, the celebrity coach of the East Baltimore All-Stars, will be reunited with two of his former high school stars, Bogues and Denver Nuggets forward Reggie Williams.
It's the first time Wade officially will coach Bogues and Williams since a high school all-star game at the end of the 1983 season. In a sense, however, Wade has been coaching them ever since.
Wade does not go to many NBA games like Georgetown coach John Thompson, but he has a satellite dish at his house so he can watch his former players' games. After he turns off the television, Wade gets on the phone so he can provide Williams and Bogues with coaching tips.
"With Reggie Williams, we'll talk about his release," Wade said. "I'm always on [Muggsy] about his jump shot and about his assists."
Wade, the director of the Baltimore City Department of Parks and Recreation, chose Bogues and Williams, first and second respectively, by picking miniature basketballs with their names on them out of a cardboard box.
"I was really surprised, the odds against that happening," said Wade, who is making several thousand tickets available to youths at his recreation centers.
Bogues does not mind being on his former coach's team.
"It feels great," Bogues said by telephone from Europe. "He knows what he's getting. I took him to two high school national championships."
The Washington Bullets mascot, Hoops, who was filling in for celebrity coach Joe Washington, chose Sacramento Kings point guard Spud Webb first for the West Baltimore All-Stars. Local sportscasters Keith Mills and Scott Garceau of Channel 2, the event's honorary general managers, chose many of the remaining players.
The trading deadline is Friday, according to promotional officials, and several other NBA players might be added to the rosters.
Tickets for the game are $30, $25, $17.50 and $11 and are available from the arena box office and all TicketMaster locations or by calling (410) 481-SEAT. Group discounts also are available.
THE TEAMS
East Baltimore All-Stars
Muggsy Bogues
Dikembe Mutombo
Dee Brown
Rodney Rogers
Dell Curry
Larry Stewart
Larry Johnson
Reggie Williams
Moses Malone
Walt Williams
Coach: Bob Wade
West Baltimore All-Stars
Sam Cassell
Calbert Cheaney
Alonzo Mourning
Sleepy Floyd
Kenny Gattison
Spud Webb
Armon Gilliam
Coach: Joe Washington