NBA D-League All-Star Rosters Named

The NBA D-League's All-Star game will take place on Feb. 19 -- one day before the NBA's version -- and despite not having near the same level of name recognition of its big league counterpart, there are definitely names NBA fans should recognize among the 20 players invited to participate.

The game, which will be played in Los Angeles and broadcast live on NBA TV, features eight players currently on NBA rosters -- the seven call-ups so far this season plus Dexter Pittman, who is currently playing for the Sioux Falls Skyforce while on assignment from the Miami Heat.

The seven call-ups include Zabian Dowdell (Tulsa 66ers to Phoenix Suns), Larry Owens (Tulsa 66ers to San Antonio Spurs), Mustafa Shakur (Rio Grande Valley Vipers to Washington Wizards), Chris Johnson (Dakota Wizards to Portland Trail Blazers), Garrett Temple (Erie BayHawks to Milwaukee Bucks), Trey Johnson (Bakersfield Jam to Toronto Raptors) and Orien Greene (Utah Flash to New Jersey Nets).

The remaining roster for the Western Conference includes former first round NBA draft picks Joe Alexander and Sean Williams of the Texas Legends, former Golden State Warriors power forward Jeff Adrien, surprising big man Marcus Cousin of the Austin Toros and New Mexico Thunderbirds forward Shane Edwards, who played with the Denver Nuggets this preseason.

The Eastern Conference's non-NBA players includes three players from league-leading Iowa Energy in former Utah Jazz call-up Othyus Jeffers, former D-League MVP Courtney Sims and stalwart point guard Curtis Stinson. The rest of the roster is made up of Sioux Falls' Patrick Ewing Jr., Erie's Ivan Johnson, Fort Wayne's Walker Russell and Maine's DeShawn SIms.

The West team will be coached by Tulsa's Nate Tibbetts along with 66ers assistant Dale Osbourne. The East team will be coached by Nick Nurse of the Iowa Energy along with his assistant, Nate Bjorkgren.

Of course these rosters will more than likely change quite a bit by the time the actual game happens due to European buyouts, players being called up to the NBA as well as the current call-ups returning to the NBA if their 10-day contracts aren't renewed.

For now, though, the biggest snub seems to be Marcus Landry of the Reno Bighorns. Landry, a 6-foot-7 forward currently playing for the Bighorns, is averaging 17.4 points and 4.0 rebounds while hitting 39 percent of his 3-point attempts. Other players that probably would be at the top of the list of replacement candidates should include Maine's Tiny Gallon, Jamar Smith and Mario West; Justin Dentmon and Antonio Daniels of the Legends; Scottie Reynolds or JamesOn Curry of the Springfield Armor; Iowa's Chris Lofton and Marqus Blakely; Latavious Williams of the 66ers; Rio Grande Valley's Jerel McNeal; Marvin Phillips of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and Dakota's Renaldo Major.

Replacements and starters won't be named until closer to the day of the game due to the ever-changing nature of D-League rosters.

The complete 2011 NBA D-League All-Star teams are listed below.

East All-Star Roster


Pos. Player (Team) College
F Patrick Ewing Jr. (Sioux Falls) Georgetown
G Othyus Jeffers (Iowa) Robert Morris-Chicago
C Chris Johnson (Dakota) LSU
F Ivan Johnson (Erie) Cal State San Bernardino
C Dexter Pittman (Sioux Falls) Texas
G Walker Russell Jr. (Fort Wayne) Jacksonville State
C Courtney Sims (Iowa) Michigan
F DeShawn Sims (Maine) Michigan
G Curtis Stinson (Iowa) Iowa State
G Garrett Temple (Erie) LSU

Head Coach: Nick Nurse (Iowa)
Assistant Coach: Nate Bjorkgren (Iowa)
Athletic Trainer: Jervae Odom (Iowa)


West All-Star Roster

Pos. Player (Team) Ht. Wt. College
F Jeff Adrien (Rio Grande Valley) Connecticut
F Joe Alexander (Texas) West Virginia
C Marcus Cousin (Austin) Houston
G Zabian Dowdell (Tulsa) Virginia Tech
F Shane Edwards (New Mexico) Arkansas-Little Rock
G Orien Greene (Utah) Louisiana-Lafayette
G Trey Johnson (Bakersfield) Jackson State
F Larry Owens (Tulsa) Oral Roberts
G Mustafa Shakur (Rio Grande Valley) Arizona
C Sean Williams (Texas) Boston College

Head Coach: Nate Tibbetts (Tulsa)
Assistant Coach: Dale Osbourne (Tulsa)
Athletic Trainer: Tony Katzenmeier (Tulsa)