Sports / Basketball |
Red flag raised with '08 All-Star siteBy JONATHAN FEIGEN (Houston Chronicle)Updated: 2007-03-02 10:16 After experiencing All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, Rockets guard Tracy McGrady said he isn't sure if he wants to be part of the next one. Reacting to NBA Players Association director Billy Hunter's comments about security for the 2008 All-Star festivities in New Orleans, McGrady said Tuesday that he is concerned about safety to the point he might consider skipping the event. "If I don't feel I'm going to be safe, if I am on that team, I will look into probably not even going," McGrady said. Hunter said in a Newsday article Monday that the union might consider suing the NBA if it does not believe New Orleans can safely host the event. "If the union is not convinced that the city can accommodate the All-Star Game, it's an issue that will be subject to litigation between the union and the league," Hunter said. Hunter later said he was speaking hypothetically and planned to visit New Orleans to meet with city officials. "If things for some reason or other were to degenerate to the level where everybody was alarmed, where it just wouldn't make sense to go, in that instance I could always initiate a lawsuit," Hunter said Tuesday. "That's not to say I'd prevail, but clearly I could do that. But we're nowhere near that, and it was a hypothetical situation to begin with." McGrady, however, said Hunter's comments echo his own initial concerns. "I really didn't hear his comments, but I heard somebody talking about the safety (concerns)," McGrady said. "When they first mentioned to me that the All-Star Game was going to be in New Orleans, that was the first thing I thought about: How much security are they going to have for the players and everybody there? "I don't think it's the right city to have this type of event right now. I know the city is in need of trying to get back on its feet, but safety comes first. I'm sure they're going to do a lot of research and look into this before they make this decision." The decision already has been made, however, with the NBA steadfast in its commitment to have New Orleans host the 2008 event. "We're looking forward to New Orleans playing host to next year's All-Star events and are equally excited about the Hornets' return to the city next season," NBA commissioner David Stern said in a statement. "The reports we have received about other major events and conventions recently held in New Orleans have been very positive, and we fully expect All-Star 2008 to be a great success." Law enforcement officials were kept busy during this year's All-Star Weekend. Las Vegas police reported 403 arrests and four shootings, including three people shot in an incident allegedly involving NFL player Adam "Pacman" Jones. While there were no arrests at the NBA players' hotel, several players have said they did not feel safe to leave the hotel or official events. "I'm scared right now, only because of the situation down there now," said Rockets guard Rafer Alston, who was in Las Vegas. "If it's like that now, what happens when you have 500,000 people on their way down there and people who earn a substantial amount of money down there? Right now, it's pretty unsafe. (If) they can assure David Stern and the rest of the league that the players and their families and their friends will be all right down there, then it could be a go. "I was very uncomfortable (in Las Vegas). I didn't leave my hotel until I was headed to an event. I didn't even leave to go to eat. I ate in my hotel. It was the overall atmosphere. The whole feeling didn't feel safe. Then when the weekend cleared, you started to see unbelievable numbers of arrests and things that went on. You think, 'If that happened, what's to happen in New Orleans?' " |
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