Cal Has Some History at the NBA All-Star Game

Jaylen Brown, now a four-time NBA All-Star, will represent the Boston Celtics and Cal at this weekend’s festivities at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

Brown missed the final two games prior to the All-Star break with swelling in his knee, so it remains to be seen how much he plays Sunday.

The sixth former Golden Bear named to the All-Star Game, Brown has been included for the third straight season, the fourth time since 2021.

Here’s a look back at the most memorable All-Star Game experiences by each Cal player to participate in the event:

— JASON KIDD (9-time All-Star): Kidd played in his first All-Star Game in 1996 and his last one in 2010. He was a starter five times, including in 2000, when the game was held in his hometown of Oakland.

Joined on the West squad by boyhood pal Gary Payton, Kidd had his best All-Star showing with 11 points, 14 assists, five rebounds and four steals, helping to spark a 137-127 victory by his West squad. Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett each scored 24 points and Shaquille O’Neal had 22 while Allen Iverson put up 26 for the East.

— JAYLEN BROWN (4-time All-Star): Brown is becoming a regular at All-Star weekend and his 31.0 scoring average in three previous appearances stacks up against anyone who has played in the event.

Brown scored 22 points in 2021 and a career-high 36 a year ago, when he and his East teammates posted a defense-free 211-186 victory. A year earlier, Brown had 35 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two steals while Celtics teammate Jayson Tatum, playing on the opposing squad, scored an All-Star Game record 55 points to fuel a 184-175 victory.

— KEVIN JOHNSON (3-time All-Star): KJ played in the event in 1990, ’91 and ’94, totaling 13 points and 13 assists. It’s what he almost did in the ’91 game that got our attention.

A starter for the West squad, Johnson was nearly the game’s hero, hoisting a 3-point shot at the buzzer that appeared to be going in, But teammate Karl Malone was whistled for basket interference, nulilfying the 3-pointer in what turned out to be a 116-114 East victory.

Michael Jordan had 26 points (and 10 turnovers) for the East but Charles Barkley was named MVP after recording 17 points and 22 rebounds.

— PHIL CHENIER (3-time All-Star): Chenier played in the 1974, ,’75 and ’77 ASGs, averaging 7.3 points against the NBA’s elite.

The best of those three games was in ’77, the first All-Star Game after the merger of the NBA and ABA. Julius Erving, the ABA’s biggest star, was MVP in the game after scoring 30 points.

The West’s 125-124 victory wasn’t secured until the final seconds, when Paul Westphal stole the ball from Pete Maravich and passed the ball upcourt to Rick Barry, who dribbled out the clock.

— SHAREEF ABDUR-RAHIM (1-time All-Star): The one-and-done former Cal star played in the 2002 ASG, posting nine points and six rebounds for the East. Kobe Bryant scored 31 for the West, sparking a 135-120 triumph.

— DARRALL IMHOFF (1-time All-Star): The All-America center for Cal’s 1959 national championship team, Imhoff was a journeyman in the NBA, a capable player but not regarded as a star. He landed his only ASG invite in 1967 when he averaged 10.7 points and 13.3 rebounds for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Imhoff was scoreless on 0-for-7 shooting but had seven rebounds in the West’s 135-120 victory. Rick Barry scored 38 points for the West and Nate Thurmond had 16 points and 18 rebounds. Wilt Chamberlain had 14 points and 22 rebounds for the East squad.