From Deseret News archives:
Utah Jazz not lobbying for All-Star positions
Minnesota, for instance, sent out a Sony GPS device called the "Double-Double Machine" to coaches in hopes that they would rock the vote and put T-Wolves center Al Jefferson on the Western Conference All-Star team.
But NBA teams outside of Salt Lake City did not receive any vote-swaying swag from the Utah Jazz for this franchise's mid-season honor-roll candidates.
The Jazz didn't send out any FTD-Will gift baskets to point out how Deron Williams delivers and helps his teammates blossom. They didn't hand out any memos with dollar symbols on 'em to spread the message about Mehmet Okur being on the money so often.
No Cajun hot sauce to spice up Paul Millsap's chances or AK-47 toy guns to promote Andrei Kirilenko's firepower, either.
Not that Williams, who's yet to be named an All-Star, thinks it would have made a difference had the Jazz sent out creative gifts on the behalf of the team's potential vote-getters.
"Coaches pick anyway. I don't think they pay much attention to that," said Williams, who's averaging 16.9 points and 10.2 assists in an injury-hampered season. "They know who they want to be in the game and that's who they're going to pick."
Whether or not any of those picks — which will be revealed today by the NBA — will be non-gift-giving Jazz players remains to be seen.
"You can make a case for them, there's no question," Jazz forward Matt Harpring said.
However, considering circumstances — from injuries and inconsistency, to the Jazz's mediocre 25-21 record — Utah's candidates are considered longshots to garner enough votes for spots in the Feb. 15 All-Star Game in Phoenix with or without groveling giveaways.
"Of course, I'd love to make it," Williams admitted.
Just not enough to try to persuade with presents.
Millsap would also be thrilled to get an invitation, but the power forward let his streak of 19-straight double-doubles and all-around standout play in Carlos Boozer's absence do all his campaigning.
"The games I started I did pretty good. I don't know about 'All-Star,' but everybody would love to be. I would love to be," said Millsap, who's averaging 15.6 points and 9.7 rebounds in a breakout season. "My time will come."
Millsap, however, doesn't necessarily think that he'll be spending All-Star Weekend in the Valley of the Sun.
"It would be a great story. It would be good for me and my family, and my team, if I did (get selected)," Millsap said. "But there are a lot of other guys on this team that are well-deserving of that."
