Charlotte

Zo on Ka: "He's a Special Player"


Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services 

The Bobcats notched their tenth loss last night in New Jersey, falling 86-99to the Nets, and maintaining their perfect road record, unblemished by wins. It was the first meeting between Emeka Okafor and Alonzo Mourning, and Mourning had nice words for the star rookie on the night he notched his new career high of 26 points and had his seventh double-double of the season and fifth in a row.

"He's a special player," Mourning toldThe New York Daily News. "When I'm done with this game, he's one of the players whose career I'm going to follow. I see signs of myself in him when I first got into the league. And it's so ironic: He's starting in the same city where I started my career."

Okafor is not only making a name as the top Rookie of the Year candidate and laying the foundation to being a franchise player, he is also making a strong case for a bid to the All-Star game, this season! He is one of only three Eastern Conference players to have seven or more double-doubles. The others are Shaquille O'Neal and Stephon Marbury.

For comparison purposes, Jamaal Magloire made the All-Star team as a coach's choice last year, in a season in which he averaged 14.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.23 blocks per game.

Okafor is already averaging 12.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game.

Indeed he is a special player. You know you're in good company when Alonzo Mourning makes it a point to follow your career.

NEXT GAME
The Bobcats (3-10, fourth in the Southeast) face New Jersey's rival on Saturday, December 4th as they try to take a bite out of the Big Apple's Stephon Marbury and Jamal Crawford. The Knicks are visiting Charlotte for the first time in Bobcats history. Tip-off is slated for 7:00pm Eastern. The game will be broadcast on C-SET and NBA League Pass. Tickets are still available at the Charlotte Coliseum.

TEAM NOTES
The Bobcats have opened a new Team Store at Southpark Mall, adjacent to The Bombay Company and off the Hecht’s entrance. The store, open through January 15, 2005, carries a comprehensive selection of team merchandise.

Primoz Brezec, Jason Kapono and Emeka Okafor represent the Bobcats on the 2005 NBA All-Star Ballot. This year’s All-Star festivities will be held in the Mile High City of Denver on Sunday, February 20.

The first major structural piece of steel for the roof of the new arena was recently lifted into place. The contractor used two cranes in a tandem lift process to raise the 200-ton steel truss box in place. This stage in the construction process started the roof structure and quickly added another 40-45 feet to the elevation of the building. View photo gallery.

INJURY UPDATE
Jamal Sampson(ankle) is close to being ready to play but is still on the injured list along withTheron Smith(right knee injury) andBernard Robinson(knee).

NEWSLINES

Rick Bonnell ofThe Charlotte Observerwrites: Charlotte Bobcats rookie Emeka Okafor turned food critic Tuesday night, trying to explain his team's flat-as-a-pancake performance against the New Jersey Nets. "It was like when your mother cooks something and it doesn't taste right -- one ingredient is missing. There was one ingredient missing tonight, and I don't know what it was," Okafor said following the 99-86 loss.

Darren Everson ofThe New York Daily Newswrites: The Nets beat the Bobcats, 99-86, at the Meadowlands last night, ending their free-fall before they hit rock bottom.This game was pivotal, given the losing streak and the opponent. Coach Lawrence Frank said he doesn't believe in must-win, regular-season games, but Alonzo Mourning was concerned enough by the Nets' direction that he spoke up about the need for each player to be more vocal and more accountable.