Eric Bledsoe makes rookie game, but telling him is tough

Assimilation to the NBA has been problematic on some levels for one of the Clippers kids: Eric Bledsoe.

Namely things such as leaving his I-Pod behind at shootarounds, losing various tech toys and, the other day, falling into radio silence.

On Tuesday, Bledsoe was among the 18 players selected for the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam on Feb. 18. That’s the game for rookies and second-year players.

Unfortunately, no one could tell Bledsoe the news.

“My phones were dead and Coach Vinny [Del Negro] was trying to get in touch with me,” Bledsoe said Wednesday. “Him and Neil [Olshey]. So they called my agent and ended up calling my mom.

“My mom [Maureen] was just going at me. I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ I went on Twitter and saw everybody congratulating.”

It’s fairly likely Bledsoe will be the only Clipper in that game. Blake Griffin, of course, was among the 18 named but he has a jam-packed All-Star break, with the emphasis on jam.

Bledsoe didn’t think Griffin would play in the rookie challenge.

“Hopefully not, because he has got the dunk contest. He’s going to be pretty worn out and got games to play,” he said. “I don’t think he’s going to play.”

And, any hint on what Griffin might unveil in the dunk contest?

“I have no clue. He’s going to surprise me,” Bledsoe said.

He joked about what Griffin might do, saying he will “just try take the rim down. He’ll probably try to take it home with him.”

Etc.

Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman and Craig Smith, all still injured, will go with the Clippers on their two-week trip.

That isn’t cause for giddy optimism in regard to Gordon.

He said his injured wrist is about the same.

“I’m not rushing into just being out there and playing. But I am going to try to come back — at a reasonable time,” he said. “I have to let it heal as much as possible and we’ll see.”

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

twitter.com/reallisa