Actors, musicians ready for charity game at Cox

Victoria Sun

Friday, Aug. 24, 2001 | 10:52 a.m.

If you've ever watched an NBA game, undoubtedly you've seen various celebrities scattered throughout the crowd.

And if you've ever wondered if any of them have got any game of their own, you can find out for yourself Monday night.

A roster of 17 actors and musicians is scheduled to play in an NBA Entertainment League charity basketball game at UNLV's Cox Pavilion at 7 p.m.

Rappers Ice Cube and Coolio and actors Simon Rex, Morris Chestnut and Michael Rappaport are among those scheduled to play.

Rex, a former MTV V-Jay who will be appearing in the upcoming movie "Unleashed" along with Jon Voight and Chevy Chase, played varsity basketball for Alameda High School in Alameda, Calif.

"I can even slam dunk," he proudly proclaimed. "I scored on (New Jersey Nets point guard) Jason Kidd once.

"It was one lucky shot in high school. ESPN came to my school to film Kidd and my coach said, 'You got Kidd.' So I'm like, 'Oh (expletive), I'm guarding Jason Kidd.' He scored on me like 10 straight times, but then I hit this fadeaway baseline jumper over him. The crowd went nuts."

All of the players in Monday's game, which will benefit the NBA Read to Achieve and Reading is Fundamental programs, are regular participants of the NBA Entertainment League that was started in 1999.

The league, which is closed to the pubic and the media, has roughly 150 players consisting of actors, musicians, agents, publicists and studio executives on 12 teams. The 13-week season is played at an undisclosed location in Los Angeles.

"They mix up the teams pretty well to make it fair," said Rex, who finished second in the league's 3-point shootout. "There's definitely some great players in the league who can ball.

"Some celebrities might want to play, but they don't because they know the league is mainly for those who can really play. It's a fun little league."

Because there are usually 30 to 40 friends and family members allowed into the games, Rex said he is looking forward to hooping it up in front of a larger crowd in Las Vegas.

He will be on the Lakers/OUNK squad coached by New York Knicks guard Allan Houston which will play the Sixers/Mitchell & Ness team coached by legendary Knicks Hall-of-Famer Walt Frazier.

"It'll be fun," Rex said. "I've played in MTV's Rock N' Jock basketball in front of tons of fans.

"It's fun once in a while to have that, but not every game. I'm hoping the fans will come."

Tickets for the game are $19.50 and can be purchased by calling 888-464-2468 or visiting the Thomas & Mack box office.

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