Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007 | 7:17 a.m.
What: NBA All-Star Jam Session
Where: Mandalay Bay South Convention Center
When: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. today , 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday-Monday
Ticket prices: $20 for adults; $12 for children 3 to 12 years old, senior citizens and military personnel; free for children 2 and younger
On sale: Mandalay Bay Box Office, Ticketmaster locations in Las Vegas, ticketmaster.com and (800) 462-2849. Tickets are sold on a timed-entry basis.
East practice session: 11 a.m. today; Mandalay Bay
West practice session: 1:30 p.m. today; Mandalay Bay
Dunk, 3-point shooting and skill contests: 5 p.m. today; Thomas & Mack Center
All-Star Game: 5 p.m. Sunday; Thomas & Mack Center
DeMauriae Burris elevated, a la Jordan, and slammed the ball through the rim with authority. On a scale of 1 to 10, he proudly, and without hesitation, proclaimed that one a "10."
The 13-year-old from Vallejo, Calif., had mastered the 8-foot rim Thursday at the NBA's Jam Session at the South Convention Center of Mandalay Bay. When he moved up to the 9-foot rim, though, Burris only threw down one - a "4," he said - of several attempts.
"It's cool," Burris said. "You get to come out, participate and just have fun."
There are 400,000 square feet of fun to be found at the Jam Session, which the NBA always sponsors in its All-Star city. There are more than three dozen points of interest, from the 7-, 8-, 9- and 10-foot dunking baskets, to shooting duels, skills challenges, a few video game centers, a (smaller) kids' zone and a "Centro Latino."
In one corner Thursday, Charlotte Bobcats guard Raymond Felton signed autographs, then former players JoJo White and David Thompson took over. On the other side, ex-Chicago Bulls guard B.J. Armstrong conducted a clinic for kids.
In the memorabilia section, Sotheby's displayed the white New York Knicks uniform that a gimpy Willis Reed wore in the final game of the championship series in 1970. Value: $50,000-$70,000.
In the spacious NBA store, fans could buy a yellow, black and red jacket with the diamond-shaped Las Vegas All-Star logo on the back for $1,900 or a Spalding golf bag, highlighted by the pebble leather of a basketball for $190.
The merchandise was sold by some of the 4,000 volunteers, believed to be more than double the number provided by any previous All-Star city. Dozens line each side of the entryway and greet each participant with high fives and thunder-stick rattles.
One of those was 8-year-old Eric Snow, who beamed after completing a full-court circuit drill in 1 minute, 17 seconds. Later, former pro Dominique Wilkins did it in 37 seconds.
"It's really neat for the kids," said Kristin Snow, Eric's mother. "And it's so close, we'll be driving back and forth."
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