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Carmelo Anthony saw the horde of reporters from across the room. As he approached his podium, he had to dodge recorder-wielding media members left and right. This wasn’t a new scene for Anthony, who had to answer question after question about his future with the Denver Nuggets during last year’s All-Star game in Los Angeles. All eyes were on Anthony as “Melodrama” unfolded.

Now, the large group wasn’t assembled to ask Anthony questions. The horde was preparing to interview Dwight Howard, stationed several feet away. There were so many reporters around Howard that they spilled over to Anthony’s area. Before making any comments of his own, Anthony stood up on his chair and looked into the middle of the media scrum surrounding Howard.

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The NBA held a special press conference for New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin rather than have him do the standard media availability. Below is a transcript of that press conference, courtesy of the NBA.

LANDRY FIELDS: Apparently San Francisco Pro Am has a league every summer with their college players. We’d like to know who was the MVP. I’m pretty sure the dates are 2009 and 2010. If you could just explain that.

JEREMY LIN: Yeah. Landry Fields was the MVP of the San Francisco Pro Am 2009, 2010. He played for the Oakland Believers, and he doesn’t have a lot of friends. (Laughter).

Q. The world has seen you progress over these last weeks. A few of us have gotten to see you progress virtually through video games in NBA 2K12. Can you tell us how they had you ranked if you know and the progression through the last two weeks?

JEREMY LIN: I actually don’t know the exact numbers. I know for a while I was in the 50s, I believe.

Q. 53.

JEREMY LIN: 53. I think ESPN had me as the 467th best player out of 500 or something like that coming into the season.

Q. Your first week you went up to 69 and then to now 75. Where do you see yourself progressing to?

JEREMY LIN: Not really too worried about that. I don’t know. I don’t have a set number or goal or something. But it’s cool I guess it’s cool to be able to hear about progressing. I think that the important thing is that me and my team, we continue to improve, and just as long as we’re headed up, I think we’re good to go.

Q. I heard your college coach Tommy Amaker say in one of the interviews that he thinks your ethnicity is maybe one of the reasons you were overlooked by college recruiters and NBA scouts because you don’t, quote, look like your normal NBA player. Do you believe that to be the case?

JEREMY LIN: I think it has something to do with it. I don’t know how much. But I think just being Asian American, obviously when you look at me, I’m going to have to prove myself more so again and again and again, and some people may not believe it. I know a lot of people say I’m deceptively athletic and deceptively quick, and I’m not sure what’s deceptive. But it could be the fact I’m Asian American. But I think that’s fine. It’s something that I embrace, and it gives me a chip on my shoulder. But I’m very proud to be Asian American, and I love it.

Q. If you had help Iman in the Slam Dunk, would there have been a couch involved? And would it have been that couch?

JEREMY LIN: We actually had a sweet idea. Iman came up. Landry was going to roll a couch out with a cover over it, I was going to be sleeping underneath it, and then we were going to pull the cover, I was going to throw to Iman an alley oop from the coach, and he was going to jump over both me and the couch, windmill it and then sit down and have Landry hand him a Sprite. (Laughter). That was our idea, but it didn’t get to happen. He got hurt, and so hopefully he gets healthy soon. We miss him and wish he was here with us in this game that we’re about to play.

Q. With how quickly this has all happened, is this still kind of surreal that you’re holding your own press conference during All Star Weekend?

JEREMY LIN: Oh, absolutely. Just any press conference of my own in general, let alone All Star Weekend. Just to be here and to see the company and all the players that are here is just it’s been unbelievable, and I’m just trying to take it all in and embrace it and enjoy it every step of the way.

Q. No. 17 is an unusual jersey number. I know in the past you’ve worn 7. Did you just put a 1 in front because that’s as close as you could get or is there some tribute to maybe a player from your hometown growing up that you liked?

JEREMY LIN: 7 was my number last year, and it’s one of God’s numbers that he uses throughout the Bible. And I chose 17 because the 1 was kind of to represent me and the 7 was to represent God. And for me when I went to the D League I had 17, and so everywhere I go, He would be right there next to me, and so that’s why I stuck with 17.

Q. There’s no real Chris Mullin influence there?

JEREMY LIN: Oh, no, not at all. I didn’t even think of that. But he’s a great player. (Laughter). Trust me, I’m a huge fan of his.

Q. In the last 15, 20 days your life has changed a lot. How are you coping with the newfound status and stardom?

JEREMY LIN: I’m just trying to stay focused on basketball, and I think the schedule helps because the games come so fast. And at the same time, being around my teammates, just trying to stay focused on what we have, the next game and what we need to do to improve. Just trying to tune everything on the outside out and just trying to stay focused.

Q. Shaq selected you to be on his team, did you get a call from Shaquille and/or what has he said to you?

JEREMY LIN: I haven’t had a chance to Shaq missed practice this morning (laughter), so I don’t know; I think we should fine him or something, because we were all expecting him to be there. But I look forward to meeting him soon.

Q. And one follow up: If you weren’t expecting to be here up until about the last week or so except maybe for the dunk, what would you have been doing All Star Weekend?

JEREMY LIN: I was going to plan on going to some warm, tropical beach area and vacation with my family. But I’m glad I’m here.

Q. Udonis Haslem told a story that the last time you were in Miami during the chapel, that he had mentioned, “If you could say a prayer for me that I don’t get cut.” I was wondering if you could vouch for that story and how that went down?

JEREMY LIN: Yeah, I went to chapel with Jerome Jordan and Landry Fields, and the chaplain asked us to share a prayer request, and I knew February 10th was right around the corner, so that was what was on my heart, just that I would be able to continue to stay on the roster and be with the team the rest of the year. So that’s kind of what I shared with the group of guys, and he was one of the guys in there.

Q. There’s something about your game that tells me that you’ve been on a playground somewhere. I read that your dad used to take you to the YMCA or something, but have you been to Rucker Park? And if not what are some of the parks you’ve been to to help develop your game?

JEREMY LIN: I haven’t been to Rucker Park, but growing up, it was just in California, Northern California. I pretty much played anywhere and everywhere. I remember when I was in high school, I played at Stanford until about 2:00 a.m. every Friday night, and then my brother went to UCLA, so I’d go to UCLA and play at the Wooden Center or Wooden Gym. So anywhere I could find basketball me and my brothers would always just kind of gravitate towards and just play.

Q. In what ways, good and bad, do you think this would be playing out differently if you were in Milwaukee or if you were with Charlotte as opposed to being with the Knicks?

JEREMY LIN: I think obviously playing in New York, it’s a big stage with a big fan base, and so there’s a lot of media. And I think in terms of platform and media, I think that’s the best place to be, New York, just because they have it all. One thing I really do want to do is embrace that platform and to be able to use it in the right way, and use it positively and make sure that my message and the way that I live is in a way appropriate of a role model, so I’m thankful for that.

Q. Just to follow up, if you go through some period of adjustment in your game, is it going to be tougher to do that in New York with the daily constant attention?

JEREMY LIN: Oh, I’m not too worried about that. I think the difference between me last year and this year is that last year I cared what everybody said, and this year I don’t really care what anybody says, except for my teammates and my coaches. That’s kind of the approach that I’m taking.

Q. There’s Linsanity, but have you come up with a Lin word of your own, and what’s the most important lesson your father taught you?

JEREMY LIN: Okay, the first one, I haven’t come up with one, I just like “Jeremy”. I want to make sure I don’t change as a person and that I don’t let any of this get to me. And then the second thing, my dad and my mom just always taught me, not just in basketball but in life, just to give my best effort, to follow my dreams and to do everything to God’s glory, and that’s the motto I’ve adopted for everything in my life.

Q. It seems that Mike’s system is the perfect fit for you. When did you know and realize you could play that pick and roll system maybe even before getting to New York? And do you feel maybe that you’re now a pigeonholed into a system guy and that you cannot play in another system?

JEREMY LIN: I think pick and roll wise, that’s always been something, looking back even in high school, we ran a lot of pick and rolls, and in college we ran a lot of pick and rolls, so that’s just something that’s kind of developed over time, just being familiar with pick and rolls. I know there’s the theory that it’s just a perfect system for me, and so I agree it is a perfect system for me, and I’m thankful that I play for Coach D’Antoni because he really is an offensive genius, the way he designed his system. So it’s very suitable for me, and I mean, I guess somewhere down the road if I play in another system, we’ll be able to answer better that question of can I play in another system. But right now I’m just focused on where I’m at and how I can help.

Q. Ryan Anderson tells a story about you and him played against each other when you were kids in AAU ball. Are you impressed with how far he’s come? And he said you guys met each other a couple years ago and he gave you some encouragement words.

JEREMY LIN: I mean, I remember Ryan Anderson. I played against him every single year. One year he was like not really playing, coming off the bench, role player, and the next year he was like way taller, shooting threes, posting up, and all of a sudden next thing you know he’s a star at Cal and in the NBA. I remember just being so surprised at how quickly, once his body filled out and he got used to it, how quickly he became the player that he is now, and he just continues to get better. I know he’s having a great year this year, as well, and he has given me advice and encouragement in the past, so he’s a great guy.

Q. What’s the latest splurge that you’ve made? Anything financially that you’ve bought?

JEREMY LIN: No (smiling).

Q. Nothing at all?

JEREMY LIN: I’m still a minimum guy. That hasn’t changed.

Q. You talked earlier in the week about the possibility that maybe the NBA wasn’t going to be for you before this whole thing happened. What was plan B? JEREMY LIN: I really didn’t have a plan B to be honest. I wasn’t sure. Obviously I was thinking about three main options: Overseas, D League, or to just take a break or give up basketball for a while. And I just didn’t really know. I was just trying not to think about it basically. So I just said, if I get cut by the Knicks, then I’ll take a look at all that, but until then, I want to make sure I try to stay focused and not think negatively.

Q. Are you surprised that this craziness is still surrounding you? And are you hoping at some point that maybe it dies down a little as the season goes on?

JEREMY LIN: Yeah, I’m definitely surprised that people are still talking about Linsanity or whatever. I think hopefully as the season progresses, it will go from that to New York Knicks, and hopefully the Knicks can win basketball games, we can make a good push after the All Star Break and people will start talking about the Knicks and not necessarily me.

Q. You’re obviously seen with Landry a lot, but who of your Knick teammates have been very supportive of you through this process? Who’s been your coach in your ear?

JEREMY LIN: I’ve had a few. Definitely obviously Landry, we do pretty much everything together. And then Carmelo, I think a lot of people have asked how is he fitting in, what’s his attitude, but he’s definitely taken me under his wing, and he talks to me pretty much every single time out and gives me a lot of advice. He told me to keep being aggressive and keep doing what I’m doing, and that we would learn to play off of each other. So he’s been giving me a lot of advice. The other two that really stick out, Tyson Chandler and Jared Jeffries. Tyson is an unbelievable leader, the way he plays, the way he carries himself, total professional, and he called me last night just to kind of pick me up and give me words of encouragement. And Jared, the most underrated player on our team, he’s an absolute team first guy, and his defense is unbelievable, and he’s always talking to me, and he’s been in the league for a long time. They’ve all kind of given me a lot of advice and helped me make this transition.

Q. I’ve seen a few stories about guys who you played against in college talking about how they stopped you or didn’t think you were that good back then. What’s the trash talk like in the Ivy League?

JEREMY LIN: Who said that? (Laughter).

Q. Dartmouth guys and stuff.

JEREMY LIN: Yeah, I mean, I think trash talking during the game wasn’t too bad in the Ivy League, and I definitely had to go through growth pains. I was shut down many times in college, and I will be many times in the pros. But it’s a process, and so hopefully I can keep getting better, and hats off to anybody who’s shut me down in the past. It’s going to continue to happen during some games in the future.

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The NBA All-Star weekend events on Friday kicked off with player interviews, Rising Stars practices, Basketball Hall of Fame announcements, the Sprint All-Star Celebrity Game, and the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge. New twists to old events were to be found at every turn as NBA did their best to keep the celebrations fresh.

As much as we enjoyed last year’s Melo-drama, it was refreshing to hear Dwight Howard say that this was not the time to talk about his future, and Deron Williams made things interesting by saying their plans are a secret, but he obviously didn’t want to become a distraction during All-Star celebrations either. The only player drama came from the Suns Steve Nash who kept to the line that he’s been in Phoenix for 10 years and wasn’t asking to leave but would understand if the Suns traded him. A decidedly tame rumor mill compared to last year’s event.

Rising Stars Practice

Usually an All-Star practice isn’t much to watch, but this time the league invited the Guinness Book of World Records as the Rising Stars attempted to break records for the most made half-court shots in a minute by a group and the most made shots from behind the backboard by an individual in a minute.

While the half-court shooting was a disaster, shooting from behind the backboards turned out to be something these kids could do. Evan Turner shattered the record of nine makes with 14 baskets in a minute, immediately asking the Guinness representative for a copy of the Book before someone surpassed him. The record didn’t last long however as Ricky Rubio sunk 18 baskets less than a half hour later. Attempting to break Guinness world records is definitely something worth repeating.

Basketball Hall of Fame Finalists

Earlier today, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced the first five members of the class of 2012 and the 12 finalists who will be considered for induction this September.

The Hall has created five committees who directly elect one new member each, and in their first year, they have directly-elected the following members.

LIDIA ALEXEEVA, coached the Soviet Union National Team to gold medals in the 1976 and 1980 Olympic Games, four FIBA World Championship titles, four World University Games gold medals, 10 European Championships and has 17 USSR National Championships.

DON BARKSDALE, recognized as a contributor, Barksdale broke the color barrier many times. He was the first African-American to be a NCAA All-American, to make the U.S. Olympic basketball team, to be signed by an American Basketball League team, and the first to play in a NBA All-Star game.

MEL DANIELS, a seven-time ABA All-Star, three-time ABA champion and two-time ABA MVP, Daniels is the ABA’s all-time leading rebounder (9,494) and fourth all-time leading scorer (11,739).

CHET WALKER, a seven-time NBA All-Star, Walker scored 18,831 points and grabbed 7,314 rebounds in his 13-year NBA career. He won a championship with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967.

PHIL KNIGHT, recognized as a contributor, Knight is Nike’s co-founder and Chairman of the Board. He was named the Most Powerful Man in Sports by The Sporting News in 1993.

The Hall also named 12 finalists who must receive 18 of a possible 24 votes from the Honors Committee to be elected.

KATRINA McCLAIN, a USA Basketball national team member who has won two Olympic gold medals, an Olympic Bronze, three FIBA World Championship medals and medals at the Goodwill Games, Pan Am Games and World University Games.

ALL AMERICAN RED HEADS, nominated as a team, they were first women’s professional basketball team and played over six decades from 1936 to 1986.

MAURICE CHEEKS, the four-time All-Star and 1983 NBA champion.

BILL FITCH, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year and 1981 NBA Champion, he has 944 NBA victories.

BERNARD KING, a four-time NBA All-Star, King averaged better than 22 points over a 15-year career.

REGGIE MILLER, a five-time NBA All-Star, Miller played 17 seasons with the Indiana Pacers finishing with 25,279 points and 1,505 steals.

DICK MOTTA, coached five different NBA teams including the Bullets, Bulls, Mavericks, Kings and Nuggets winning an NBA championship and a coach of the year award.

DON NELSON, a three-time coach of the year, Nelson has 1,335 coaching victories, the most by any NBA coach.

HANK NICHOLS, the national coordinator of officials for the NCAA for over 20 years, Nichols was a long-time NCAA basketball referee.

RICK PITINO, coached three different teams to NCAA Final Four appearances and has won over 600 games in his collegiate career. Pitino has been a coach of the year three times.

RALPH SAMPSON, a three-time National College Player of the Year, he had 2,000 points and 1,500 rebounds in college. A number one overall draft pick and rookie of the year, Sampson was named an NBA All-Star three times.

JAMAAL WILKES, a two-time NCAA champion, NBA rookie of the year, three-time NBA All-Star and four-time NBA champion.

The finalists who have been elected will be announced in April and inducted in September.

Next year, fans will be able to vote on the finalists, and the top three fan vote getters will be awarded one additional vote towards membership.

Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game

Last year, this event quickly became the Justin Bieber show. This time, it was the diminutive trash talking Kevin Hart of Laugh At My Pain instead and Hart kicked things off with a 40-point, 10-rebound prediction. East head coach Dwight Howard suggested Hart may end up closer to 40 minutes and 10 turnovers, but Hart did get the last laugh by winning the MVP.

Hart was featured throughout and even got himself ejected at the end while throwing his shoes and jersey for no particular reason. He ended the game with eight points and six assists. The East’s real non-professional basketball player turned out to be Secretary of Education Arne Duncan who finished the game with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 steals while controlling much of the play at various times during the game.

The East embarrassed the West 86-54; so much for West head coach Kevin Durant’s suggestion that he knows more about basketball than Howard.

BBVA Rising Stars Challenge

For the first time, rookie and sophomore selections were put into a pool and drafted for Team Shaq and Team Chuck in a battle of the color analysts.

Shaq seemed genuinely disappointed in his first overall selection, as Blake Griffin only played 10.5 minutes and scored just 10 points. It could be Griffin was being saved for another more important All-Star game on Sunday. A lack of playing time for Griffin wasn’t Team Shaq’s biggest problem however. In a game with no defense, Team Shaq jacked up 41 three-point attempts and only made 12 of them and they were kind of frustrating to watch. The highlight of the night for Team Shaq was Ricky Rubio dribbling through the legs of DeMarcus Cousins as he pushed the ball up the court.

Charles Barkley was obviously enjoying himself as Team Chuck outscored Team Shaq by 146-133 behind a 34-point, 9-assist effort from Kyrie Irving. Irving was 8-8 from three-point range and Team Chuck was a conservative 11-20 from deep.

The game ended with the teams taking turns attempting uncontested slam dunk contest type plays.

With little surprise, Irving won MVP, as no one else was within 10 points of his scoring.

All-Star Friday is just the start of the events and the best is yet to come on Saturday and Sunday so stay tuned to HOOPSWORLD all weekend.

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