515614http://fullcourtpress.kingsconnect.com/archives/5156A+Sign+of+the+Kings+Potential2010-01-28+04%3A01%3A27Andrew+Nicholson

A Sign of the Kings Potential

Thanks to the outstanding play and contribution rookies Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi have made to the team to begin their NBA careers, the Sacramento Kings will be represented at NBA All-Star Weekend in Dallas Feb.12-14, as participants in the 2010 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam.

It marks the first time Sacramento will have players representing the Kings since Brad Miller and Peja Stojakovic were Western Conference All-Star members in 2004.

Upon the announcement of the rookies’ honor, Coach Paul Westphal praised the young players’ work ethic and early production and then encouraged them to continue on their promising paths.

“It’s really well-deserved and nice to see,” Westphal said.

With both players ranking among the first-year elite, it came as little surprise to their teammates, but both rookies were humbled by the announcement.

“I woke up in the morning with a lot of messages and missed calls from my family, friends and my agent,” Casspi said smiling. “I’m very excited… It’s the top basketball in the world so to be a part of it, it’s great.”

“It’s going to be fun to run up and down, just to be out there and play with those guys — I’m looking forward to it,” Evans said with a grin. “Omri and I are on the same team so I’m going to look forward to giving him a couple shots, a couple threes in the corner maybe.”

As a young leader on the team, Evans sees he and Casspi’s recognition as just the beginning of a successful future in Sacramento.

“It shows that we have a lot of potential on this team and we can be real good,” the Kings point guard said. “We just have to keep working hard and pulling out games at the end of the (fourth) quarter, and I think we can go on a long run.”

Watch - Kings Practice: Tyreke Evans.

Even though Jon Brockman’s impact on Sacramento’s early success didn’t garner him a spot on the rookie team, the tenacious Kings forward will play a supportive role by accompanying his rookie teammates in Texas.

“It’s going to be fun,” Brockman, who is day-to-day with a bruised left hip, said. “I’m planning on going and watching them. I’m looking forward to seeing them in action. Any time two of your teammates are playing in a game like that, it’s pretty cool.”

While Evans and Casspi made headlines early Wednesday morning, it was the play of forward Sean May (seven points, 11 rebounds) and center Spencer Hawes (18 points, 13 rebounds), who impressed their teammates and paved the way for the Kings to corral a Sacramento-era and ARCO Arena record 68 rebounds in the team’s victory over the Warriors on Tuesday night.

“Just aggressive,” Brockman said in characterization of the Kings rebounding effort. “I think Sean May really spearheaded it. Just pushing bodies around, going in and attacking the ball, not waiting for the ball to come to him — he was going and getting it. I think everyone fed off of that and rebounding is a momentum thing, once you start grabbing a couple early rebounds it feels like they all just land in your lap but really, he was the aggressor.”

Playing with a wider base and his elbows out, according to Westphal, Hawes once again let his aggressive defense lead the way for his second straight dynamic outing.

“He’s just changed his mindset,” Brockman said of his former collegiate teammate. “He’s been determined on defense. He hasn’t just worried about his shot going in. He’s been worried about defense, rebounding and focusing in on those little things. He hasn’t been complaining. He’s just been playing basketball as hard as he can and when he does that, he’s as talented as anyone on the floor.”

Watch - Kings Practice: Jon Brockman.

With just eight games to play before the All-Star break, the Kings take off for Utah on Thursday to take on the Jazz Friday night at 6 p.m. The team’s return to Salt Lake City, where it won for the first time on the road this season and won its first game without Kevin Martin, provides the next opportunity for the Kings sharpshooter to regain his form. In the past three games, Martin has tallied just 15 points on 3-of-23 shooting from the field.

“It’s something he has to work out for himself,” Westphal said. “We’re counting on him and looking for him to produce and trying to set things up for that and, at the same time, we have to try to win the game. So we’ll just see how the flow is going and we’re looking forward to him having some Kevin Martin-type games here soon…

“I can understand and empathize what he’s going through and really, at this point, I think it ultimately comes down to his confidence and once he has that, exerting his will on the game.”

Watch - Kings Practice: Coach Westphal.

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