Jam': Introducing the West rosters By Marc Stein ESPN.com Archive EA Sports Showtime! Magic and Kobe on the same Lakers squad? You can make it happen in the new "NBA Jam." You've had a week to digest and debate the Eastern Conference rosters that will be at your virtual disposal starting Oct. 5, when one of the most popular video games of all time -- "NBA Jam" -- makes its long-awaited comeback. Now, as promised, you get a sneak peek at the West rosters, courtesy again of Stein Line sources in the gaming community. EA Sports is resurrecting the arcade classic in two formats ("NBA Jam" for the Nintendo Wii and another version of Jam bundled into "NBA Elite 11" for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) after inviting fans to vote for the players they wanted to see from January through March. As you pore through the results of that voting in the West, don't forget these details and caveats: • Most teams have three current players and at least one legend. • Nine teams have been granted a fourth active player, usually in cases when EA deemed fan voting too close to call. • Some teams do not have a legend on the roster, either because of contractual restrictions -- legends must still be a member of the National Basketball Players Association to be included in the game -- or because of a team's relative lack of history. • Another factor in legends selection: Players who appeared in the original arcade version in 1993 (listed here) received preferential treatment from the gamemakers. • I'm told that there will be the standard array of hidden players that will have to be unlocked. To the teams … Dallas Mavericks Players: Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and Caron Butler Mascot: Mavs Man We could get into a deep discussion about how Shawn Marion or Tyson Chandler is better suited to Jam than Butler. We could also pass along our totally speculative suspicion that Mavs owner Mark Cuban will show up as a hidden character or lament the apparent absence of Shawn Bradley as a legends pick/prime posterization target. But going in any of those directions would steer us away from the only pertinent Mavs topic in this discussion: Mike Iuzzolino! We regret to report that Iuzzolino, unforgettable co-star of the Mavs' original Jam twosome in the 1993 arcade version with Derek Harper, has not been resurrected in 2010 … unless he's a secret character that our sources just don't know about. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Denver Nuggets Players: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups and Kenyon Martin Mascot: Rocky The Mountain Lion It's going to surprise some folks that J.R. Smith, frustrating as he can be to coach or watch in the actual NBA, will not be part of a virtual world in which it's perfectly OK to do little else but hoist 3-pointers and hammer down dunks. I also imagine it'll sadden some to learn that the contractual obstacles that complicated legends picks for so many teams have apparently left these Nuggets without Dikembe Mutombo and/or fellow '93 Jam alumnus LaPhonso Ellis. The consolation: Melo will stay a Nugget in this arena no matter what Denver management decides to do with him between now and the February trading deadline. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Golden State Warriors Players: Monta Ellis, David Lee, Stephen Curry and Andris Biedrins Legends: Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin It seems fairly easy to deduce that the Dubs have four current players instead of the standard three because EA programmers added summer arrival Lee to the trio of Warriors selected in fan voting. Far more important, though, is the fact that the irresistible '93 duo of Hardaway and Mullin remains intact, back to show Monta and D-Lee or Curry and D-Lee how Small Ball Nellie-Style is truly done. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Houston Rockets Players: Kevin Martin, Yao Ming and Trevor Ariza Legends: Hakeem Olajuwon and Kenny Smith As with Courtney Lee's presence on New Jersey's roster in the Wii version, EA had to complete production before Ariza was dealt to New Orleans in a four-team deal in August that also featured Lee. So subbing him out for, say, Aaron Brooks will be possible only in EA's "NBA Elite 11" simulation title for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 that will include a downloadable version of "NBA Jam." The consolation: Hakeem and Kenny The Jet are back together, just like they were in arcades in '93, which means you can test out Dream and a supersized Yao as a tag team just for fun … or see if Suns legend Kevin Johnson can recreate his signature throwdown over Dream from 1994. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Los Angeles Clippers Players: Baron Davis, Blake Griffin and Chris Kaman Legend: Danny Manning I am most curious to see how dominant the programming mavens have decided to make Griffin, considering we still haven't seen him in a real NBA game yet. And I am surely more excited than most to see a Clips roster that includes Manning, whose legendary status is unquestioned in Clipperland as well as here at Stein Line HQ, where we will never forget how he was traded to Atlanta on about the 10th day of my new life as a rookie beat writer in the 1993-94 season. (P.S. -- I suspect Baron will be an underrated Jam force who will eventually help Clips devotees get past the fact that Team USA's Eric Gordon apparently lost out in fan voting to Kaman.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Los Angeles Lakers Players: Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest and Lamar Odom Legends: Magic Johnson and James Worthy Kobe and Magic on the same team? Four current players instead of three so Artest and Odom both make the squad? Artest playing in a virtual world where it's not just permissible but encouraged to knock opponents over … with no fear of David Stern reprisal? I suppose Lakerland dwellars could bemoan the absence of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook and goggles, but I know what most of you are thinking: The rich get richer. Again. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Memphis Grizzlies Players: O.J. Mayo, Zach Randolph and Rudy Gay Legend: Bryant Reeves Chronic back trouble ended Big Country's career with the Grizzlies before they ever played a game in Memphis. But that unfortunate chapter in Grizz history can be electronically rewritten now that those crazy EA guys -- based in Vancouver, don't forget -- have sneaked Reeves into the new Jam as a potential sidekick to anyone from the Mayo-Randolph-Gay triumvirate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minnesota Timberwolves Players: Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Jonny Flynn and Michael Beasley Legend: Chuck Person Jefferson remains with 'Sota in the Wii version, a la Ariza in Houston, because his trade to Utah happened too late in the summer for that update. And Kevin Garnett is obviously still playing in Boston, no matter how desperately 'Sota needs him as a legends pick. So someone please tell me that there will be a way to unlock Ricky Rubio as a secret Wolf. Please, please, please. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Orleans Hornets Players: Chris Paul, David West and Peja Stojakovic Legend: Larry Johnson It was mistakenly reported last week, thanks to a paperwork snafu, that Larry Johnson would appear as a third Knicks legend alongside Patrick Ewing and John Starks. We are pleased to clarify now that Grandmama is actually in the game as a Hornets legend -- after LJ and Kendall Gill formed the original Jam twosome for the Hornets in Charlotte colors back in '93 -- which will undoubtedly please the real-life Chris Paul. After hearing stories about CP3's old Charlotte Hornets Starter jacket as a kid in Winston Salem, I'm fairly sure he'll be partnering LJ when he uses himself in the new Jam. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oklahoma City Thunder Players: Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook Legend: Rumble The Bison Jam addicts are going to be down when they learn that they won't be able to relive old glories with Shawn Kemp. Ditto for the fact that Gary Payton -- who controversially did not appear in the original arcade version -- isn't included in the modern incarnation of Jam, either. Sonics fans, though, will obviously feel way more relief than disappointment that Kemp or Payton (or even Benoit Benjamin) were not made available to the masses under the Thunder banner and will probably rage at me for even mentioning the possibility. (One thing I think we can all agree on: Kevin Durant was too ruthless and dominant at the world championship in Turkey for us to insult him by fretting about how he'll handle getting knocked around by beefier players in a game without fouls and free throws.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Phoenix Suns Players: Steve Nash, Grant Hill and Jason Richardson Legends: Dan Majerle and Kevin Johnson Just being honest: Even as we happily assume that Jam programmers have at last bestowed the power to dunk on our beloved Nash, it's hard to ignore what these virtual Suns don't have. They've got no size, no Charles Barkley as a Suns legend after The Chuckster teamed with Majerle in the original arcade setup and no Suns Gorilla in a game that has given NBA mascots such a prominent stage. Let's just hope Barkley -- or The Gorilla -- is a hidden character. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Portland Trail Blazers Players: Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden Legend: Clyde Drexler Oden will never miss a game because of injury in Jam. That's the good news. His challenge will be convincing Blazers-minded gamers to put him on the floor when they can choose Aldridge ahead of him or the option of teaming up their modern-day face of the franchise (Roy) with a glory-days FOTF (Glide). (P.S. -- Still not thrilled that Nicolas Batum didn't make the cut.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sacramento Kings Players: Tyreke Evans, Carl Landry, Jason Thompson and DeMarcus Cousins Legend: Mitch Richmond The Kings were granted four current players instead of the usual three when the game's designers decided that Cousins deserved to be on the very short list of rookies -- Washington's John Wall and Philadelphia's Evan Turner are the only others -- worthy of landing a roster spot. Richmond, meanwhile, is a worthy Kings legend, but I can only presume that contractual hurdles are what prevented the inclusion of Chris Webber or old friend Vlade Divac in Sacramento's other legend spot. As for Omri Casspi … I will reluctantly stop at referring you back to my March rant when he wasn't even on the ballot as an option in fan voting. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- San Antonio Spurs Players: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili Legends: David Robinson and George Gervin You haven't heard this one too often: I think I'm as excited to see San Antonio play as any team in the game. And it's really all because this is the one team in the game whose two legends selections couldn't be more perfect. Want to reunite Duncan and Robinson? Want to line up the Spurs against Oklahoma City to see all those Durant-Iceman comparisons come to life? Want to see how Gervin might have looked alongside Duncan or Robinson? You can do it all with this lineup. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Utah Jazz Players: Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur Legends: Karl Malone and John Stockton Figures. There's finally a vehicle to give us the visual for a thorough examination of Utah's pick-and-roll legacy … but it arrives after Carlos Boozer defects to Chicago in free agency. Jazz fans will thus have to settle for the original two-man-game-magic of Stockton-to-Malone … or plug D-Will in Stockton's place to see how he'd look alongside The Mailman … or play D-Will and Stock together just to be adventurous. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&page=NBAJam-100914
'NBA Jam': Revealing the East rosters Email Print Comments By Marc Stein ESPN.com Archive EA Sports In the new "NBA Jam," the Miami Heat won't be the only team that will be able to field a super team. Oct. 5 is going to be a pretty momentous day around here. I'll have the privilege of watching John Wall's first NBA exhibition game from my usual press-row seat in Dallas mere hours after the release of the video game we've all been waiting for: "NBA Jam." Turns out you have to endure only another month without Jam because EA's highly anticipated resurrection of the arcade classic is hitting stores in two formats ("NBA Jam" for the Nintendo Wii and another version of Jam bundled into "NBA Elite 11" for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) precisely four Tuesdays from today. I've already prattled on long enough about how much this means to me personally back in this Weekend Dime submission from March, when I ran through the rosters I hoped to see in Jam at the conclusion of EA's fan voting. But I do have a little something new to pass along to help start getting you in the mood for Jam's arrival: Trusty sources in the gaming community have been kind enough to leak the official rosters, which we can share in two installments. First it's the East, with West rosters to be revealed next Tuesday. A few FYI notes to set things up: • Most teams have three current players and at least one legend. • Nine teams have been granted a fourth active player in cases when EA deemed fan voting too close to call. • Some teams do not have a legend on the roster, either because of contractual restrictions -- legends must still be a member of the National Basketball Players Association to be included in the game -- or because of a team's relative lack of history. • Another factor in legends selection: Players who appeared in the original arcade version in 1993 (listed here) were preferred. • I'm told that there will be the standard array of hidden players that will have to be unlocked. To the teams … Atlanta Hawks Players: Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Mike Bibby Legends: Dominique Wilkins and Spud Webb I voted for Jamal Crawford over Mike Bibby in my March exercise, but it's hard to quibble too much when the Hawks have such a tasty lineup. Smith was born to be in this game, and the presence of Nique and Spud as legends gives Atlanta three irresistibly explosive options for a game of two-on-two. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Boston Celtics Players: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen Legends: Larry Bird and Kevin McHale You think Doc Rivers has problems in real life with all the big names (and egos) the Celtics have stockpiled? Try choosing only two Celts at a time from this six-pack. Boston's roster is one of the nine that include four current players instead of three because fan voting was so tight. Combine that with the fact that Bird was never in the arcade versions of Jam, and you can understand why the game's designers didn't try to wedge Shaquille O'Neal on this roster, too. (Although we have to believe that Shaq, in a nod to his l-o-n-g history with Jam, is among the hidden characters who can be unlocked.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Charlotte Bobcats Players: Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson and Tyrus Thomas Mascot: Rufus Lynx As stated in the March piece, Charlotte's signature duo of Wallace and Captain Jack picks itself. The mascot, meanwhile, is included because the Bobcats, after just six seasons of existence, don't have anyone who qualifies as a "legend" in EA terms. As for our previously stated hope of unlocking a secretly stashed Michael Jordan as a Bobs player … impossible now that MJ is contractually tied to another game. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chicago Bulls Players: Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer Legends: Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman Jordan's status as the face of "NBA 2K11" means he can't appear as a Bulls legend, either, which is going to crush some gamers no matter what the consolation choices are. But I would think the six Bulls you can choose, with Pippen and Rodman included, should soften the blow at least a little. Right? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cleveland Cavaliers Players: Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison and Anderson Varejao Legends: Mark Price and Brad Daugherty Our advice to Cavs fans still reeling from The Decision: Sticking to the combo of Price and Daugherty -- Cleveland's original twosome in the first arcade version of Jam in 1993 -- just might beam you back to a happier time B.L. (Before LeBron). It's worth a try to escape, at least electronically, from the LeBron-less present. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Detroit Pistons Players: Richard Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey, Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon Legends: Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer The same principle used with the Cavs applies here: Detroit's legend duo of Zeke and Laimbeer, same as the original arcade twosome in 1993, will undoubtedly appeal to Pistons fans more than the current crew … although I'm somewhat stunned that there are four current Pistons instead of three and that Ben Wallace isn't one of them. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indiana Pacers Players: Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavy and T.J. Ford Legend: Detlef Schrempf The tough times continue for Pacer People. Contractual obstacles prevent EA from making the obvious selection of Reggie Miller as Indy's legend -- apparently because Reg isn't an active member of the NBA players' association -- so that spot went to his co-star in the original arcade setup: Schrempf. Far harder to explain is why Ford snagged the third spot among current Pacers instead of the imposing Roy Hibbert. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Miami Heat Players: Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh Legends: Glen Rice and Rony Seikaly Back in March, when EA invited fans to vote for the three-man squads they wanted to see in Jam, these were the other Heaters on the ballot besides Wade: Michael Beasley, Jermaine O'Neal, Udonis Haslem, Mario Chalmers and Quentin Richardson. Don't think South Floridians will mind, in other words, that the game's designers took the liberty of choosing LeBron and Bosh for them. (P.S. Rice and Seikaly repped Miami in the first arcade version in '93, which I'm told is indeed the main reason they were selected over, say, Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway in the legends spots. Nostalgia.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Milwaukee Bucks Players: Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut, Brandon Jennings and Corey Maggette Mascot: Bango The Buck I repeat: Two lefties (Redd and Jennings) with irresistibly quick releases to pair with our soccer-loving pal Bogut will almost certainly make this one of my go-to teams. But, yes, I naturally do share your disappointment that contractual complications appear to have prevented us from getting even one Bucks alumnus to fill the legend void. (I would even have settled for EA bringing back the original/immortal duo of Brad Lohaus and Blue Edwards from the arcade version.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Jersey Nets Players: Devin Harris, Brook Lopez and Courtney Lee Legends: Kenny Anderson and Drazen Petrovic The bad news? EA's full Wii version of the new Jam had to be wrapped up before Lee was dealt to Houston as part of the four-team deal in August that landed Darren Collison in Indiana. So subbing him out for a current Net will be possible only in EA's "NBA Elite 11" simulation title for the PlayStation 3 and XBox 360 that will include three modes of "NBA Jam." The sensational news? The late, great Petrovic's appearance as a legends pick, after Drazen teamed with Derrick Coleman in the maiden arcade version, is a beautiful touch. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New York Knicks Players: Al Harrington, Danilo Gallinari and Amare Stoudemire Legends: Patrick Ewing and John Starks Harrington's free-agent defection to Denver, like the aforementioned trade involving Courtney Lee, came too late for Al to be removed from the Knicks' roster on the Wii version and replaced by a lefty we can't resist: Anthony Randolph. The consolation here: Who doesn't want to see Ewing and Orlando pupil Dwight Howard go at it? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Orlando Magic Players: Dwight Howard, Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis Legends: Nick Anderson and Scott Skiles Howard can't foul out in this virtual world and doesn't have to shoot free throws. (Neither, for that matter, does "legend" Anderson.) And with gritty, gutty Skiles available, perhaps you can look past the fact that neither of Orlando's other present-day top guards -- Jameer Nelson or J.J. Redick -- made the cut. The Magic, quite simply, are going to be a Jam handful. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Philadelphia 76ers Players: Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand and Evan Turner Legends: Julius Erving and Allen Iverson When was the last time the actual Sixers were as dynamic and enticing as this fivesome looks? My next question: Will Iguodala, Brand or Turner get any Jam run when you can go with the tag team of Dr. J and A.I.? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Toronto Raptors Players: DeMar DeRozan, Jarrett Jack and Andrea Bargnani Mascot: The Raptor If you thought Toronto took a real-world hit when Bosh bolted for Miami, check out the Raps' Jam roster. No legends to bail out the Raps that Bosh left behind and no Leandro Barbosa, even. Unless you're a gamer residing in Canada or Italy, can't see you choosing this team much. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Washington Wizards Players: Yi Jianlian, Andray Blatche, Gilbert Arenas and John Wall Legend: Manute Bol Mascot: G-Wiz Arenas wasn't on the ballot for fan voting because of the handgun debacle last season that got him suspended for 50 games, but he's been digitally reinstated to good standing to team up with that Wall kid. EA also has added Bol, who passed away in July, as a Wiz legend to make this team even more fun. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&page=NBAJam-100907
I like Kenny and all, and it makes sense with him being in the original -- but I'd have liked to see Olajuwon and Murphy.
How could J.R. Smith not be included on the Denver roster? A roster of J.R., Melo, K-Mart, and Birdman would've been absolutely unstoppable.
The author Stein is a dick. I don't care about his comment in the Rocket's section: 'or see if Suns legend Kevin Johnson can recreate his signature throwdown over Dream from 1994.' I guess it's only natural that a former Dallas Morning News sportswriter would say this. It's his subliminal way of hating on Houston. Why not say 'Dream blocking KJ?'
Well the fans must not be watching because they are the ones who voted for the roster according to ea. Besides brooks may be available for ps3/xbox versions
Ariza over Brooks?? Even if the Ariza trade never happened, Brooks should be instead of Ariza! Why he wrote this, he is a rockets hater or something? Or doesnt he remember this? <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aS25dibHOR0?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aS25dibHOR0?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> Or maybe he could say: "Dream can dominate David Robinson again like he did in the 95 playoffs" <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hW4uXlRGAF0?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hW4uXlRGAF0?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
