The NBA brought its talents to the PMAC Wednesday night as the New Orleans Hornets beat the Orlando Magic 105-98, but many of the 4,543 fans in attendance were upset when each team’s best players did not dress out.
Magic guard Tracy McGrady and Hornets forward Jamal Mashburn sat out the exhibition game because of a sore right hip and a sprained right knee, respectively.
“Man, that made me mad,” said Daniel Lewis, a psychology junior. “They promoted it all week, ‘Come and see T-Mac and Mash play,’ and they didn’t even play. If you’re going to promote something, it should happen. I’m pretty upset.”
Last season McGrady and Mashburn both made appearances in the NBA All-Star Game.
McGrady, a perennial All-Star, led the league in scoring last season with 32.1 points per game and led the Magic to a playoff berth. Mashburn made his first All-Star game appearance last season and was one of only six NBA players to average at least 20 points, six rebounds and five assists per game.
Pre-law senior Terrell Fife said he was upset the two stars did not play, but he was satisfied with the game.
“It was a good game,” Fife said. “I’m glad they played a game here. It’s good for the Hornets to spread their fan base, but I wish I could have seen them play.”
The LSU basketball team was in attendance for the game and they were a little more content with the situation.
“Of course everybody wanted to see McGrady and Mashburn play,” said freshman guard Tac Minor. “But I just wanted to come out and see some good NBA competition.”
Minor competed in the Michael Jordan All-Star game this past spring and ESPN ranked him the No. 2 point guard in the country while in high school last year.
Freshman forward Brandon Bass, a top-ranked recruit and a member of the McDonald’s All-Star game, said he wished he could have seen the two play.
“But it’s still cool,” Bass said. “It was still a good game to come and see.”