None chosen for Rookie Challenge By SEKOU SMITH The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 02/02/06 CHARLOTTE — Marvin Williams and Salim Stoudamire will get a vacation when All-Star Weekend rolls around this month. Neither of the Hawks rookies were chosen for the Rookie Challenge, a game that pits first- and second-year players the Friday night before the All-Star game. Second-year Hawks Josh Smith and Josh Childress, who were also on the ballot, didn't make the cut either. It was bit of a shock for a team that counts so many young players among its primary rotation not to be represented. "That's tough, real tough," said Williams. "Salim, Josh and Josh all have been playing well. I guess we'll just have to use it as motivation for next year." Stoudamire said this latest snub just adds more "fuel to his fire." The fifth-leading scorer among rookies, Williams is 11th, Stoudamire is still smarting from falling to the second round of last summer's draft. Josh Smith, who'll be in Houston to defend his slam-dunk title, simply couldn't believe that not one of the Hawks was deemed worthy. "That's just crazy," he said. "At least one guy should have made it. And it's not necessarily a performance thing but the role you play on your team. And I think we've got guys that are playing their role well. It didn't have to be me. But Marvin and Salim definitely should have been in there. And Josh is playing really well. If just one guy would have made it I would be happy. But I guess things happen for a reason and now we have to go out and show people they made a mistake." Hawks coach Mike Woodson wasn't willing to wait. He blasted the results, insisting that his young guys should have been represented. "That's an insult to our young guys and the work they've done and really to our organization," he said. "I don't say that as a knock on any of the guys that made it. But that's just not right for our guys to not be represented on either team. It's not right." BATISTA GOING: Another Hawks rookie did get an invite to Houston. Esteban Batista will be working for NBA International as their "Latin Ambassador" for the weekend, appearing at Jam Session and other events. Batista, nicknamed "El Toro" by his teammates, is the first NBA player from Uruguay. WILLIAMS OUT: Williams sat out Wednesday's game with a sore left Achilles. NEW ADDITION: Tony Delk did not make the trip to Charlotte because his wife Margie gave birth to the couple's second daughter Tuesday. 資料來源 http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/hawks/stories/0202hawknot.html --

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