Maloney selected to play in NBA Rookie All-Star game

Last Friday, the former Penn guard made his return to Philadelphia as a member of the NBA's Houston Rockets and Tuesday he was included on the Western Conference roster for the NBA Rookie All-Star game. The rookie game serves as a showcase for the league's young talent, such as No. 1 draft pick Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers and Stephon Marbury of the Minnesota Timberwolves -- the Western Conference's starter. The game is played in conjunction with the NBA All-Star weekend, which also includes the better-known three-point and slam dunk contests. Maloney, a 1995 Penn graduate, earned his place by virtue of starting every game this season for the Rockets. He is averaging 9.8 points and 3.3 assists per game in a star-studded lineup that includes Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, and Hakeem Olajuwon. Maloney, a 6-foot-3 guard who hails from Haddonfield, N.J., was the 1995 Ivy League Player of the Year and dominates the Quakers' record book for three-point shooting. "Money", as he was called during his college career, signed with the Rockets as a free agent on October 1 after spending the 1995-96 season toiling for the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Mackers of the Continental Basketball Association. -- Jordan Smith