Butler, Jamison Get the Call
Wizards Have Two All-Stars for Third Time in Four Seasons

By Ivan Carter
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 1, 2008

The fans who voted for NBA all-star team starters largely overlooked the performances of Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison when making their selections, but the coaches who spent the first half of the season trying to beat the Washington Wizards certainly noticed.

Yesterday, Butler and Jamison learned that they were selected as reserves on the Eastern Conference team for the Feb. 17 game in New Orleans.

It is the third time in the last four seasons that the Wizards will be represented by two players at the league's showcase midseason event. Jamison and guard Gilbert Arenas made it as reserves in 2004-05, and last year Arenas was voted in as a starter while Butler made his first appearance as a reserve.

The selection of Butler and Jamison reflects the respect other teams have for the way the Wizards (24-20) have performed following an 0-5 start and despite the absence of Arenas, a three-time all-star who last played on Nov. 16. Coaches in each conference voted for the reserves and could not choose their own players.

Among East forwards, Butler finished sixth in fan voting behind Boston's Kevin Garnett, Cleveland's LeBron James, Toronto's Chris Bosh, Boston's Paul Pierce and Milwaukee rookie Yi Jianlian. Jamison, who leads East forwards with 26 double-doubles, didn't even crack the top 10.

"I've always felt that the coach's voting is more meaningful," said Jamison, who is averaging 21.1 points and a career-high 10.5 rebounds. "Not to take anything away from the fans, but sometimes that's a popularity contest. The fans vote for who they want to see in the All-Star Game, but to get respect from your peers, from guys who know everything about the X's and O's of the game, guys who are trying to find ways to beat you, that really says something."

News of the selections helped cheer up Butler yesterday.

He missed the last two games with a strained left hip flexor and also was hit with a stomach virus in recent days. Unable to hold down food, Butler went to an area hospital yesterday to receive intravenous fluids. Last night, he said he was feeling much better.

He plans to test the sore hip at shoot-around this morning and will be a game-time decision for tonight's game against the Utah Jazz.

"I'm going to go out there and see how it feels and go from there," Butler said of the injury, which he suffered while scoring a career-high 40 points during an overtime loss at Milwaukee on Sunday. "I hate missing any games but at the same time, I don't want to go out there and make it worse and have it turn into something that bothers me all season."

The Wizards could certainly use Butler, who is averaging career highs in scoring (21.9 points per game), assists (4.3) and steals (2.4) and also is shooting a career-best 48.1 percent from the field and 91.5 percent from the free throw line.

Butler padded his all-star r¿sum¿ with a pair of triple-doubles and has made a franchise-record 70 consecutive free throws.

"My thing since I've been in this league and got traded a couple of times, was that once I found a home, it was going to be over, I was going to establish myself," Butler said. "Here, I'm comfortable. I'm in a great situation with a great coach, it's a great organization and I have great teammates. So, it's just nice to prove that last year was not a fluke."

The all-star credentials of Butler and Jamison were enhanced significantly when the Wizards knocked off the Celtics in back-to-back games on Jan. 12 (85-78 at Verizon Center) and Jan. 14 (88-83 in Boston).

The Wizards also own a pair of wins over the Dallas Mavericks and are in sixth place in the East, just a half-game behind Cleveland and Toronto, which are tied for fourth.

"The fact that we will be there is a reflection on the whole entire team," Butler said. "We've hit our share of bumps along the way but we've also played some good basketball despite the injuries and everything else and this is a reward for that. It's going to feel good have to of us down there representing the Wizards."

Wizards Notes: Jamison was thrilled yesterday to learn about his all-star selection. But his agent, Arn Tellem, should be nearly as happy because Jamison is in the final season of the six-year, $79.3 million contract he signed with Golden State in 2001 and will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.

Jamison is in his 10th season and will turn 32 in June. Along with Arenas, who plans to opt out of the final season of his contract, Jamison will be among the most attractive free agents on the market, but he made it clear yesterday that he is comfortable in Washington.

"I'm a firm believer that the grass is not always greener on the other side," said Jamison, who is earning $16.3 million this season. "I think we've got something special here. I think we have a great relationship. They want me to come back on their side and I want to do the same thing. At the same time, it is a business and anything can happen between now and when it is time to work something out but this is a perfect fit for me."

Jamison said that while he and the team discussed a possible extension last season, the sides never came close to an agreement.

"I think the most important thing for them was to get myself and Gilbert at the same time and that makes sense," Jamison said. "If they would have brought something to the table, I would have been ecstatic and if they said: 'Wait until after the season.' I was happy to do that. It hasn't changed my thought process at all." . . .

Irene Pollin will host the National Women's Heart Day Health Fair today at Verizon Center from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.