McDyess Playing Like an All-Star

Antonio McDyess soars high above everyone at the Nuggets’ arena--in a 55-foot mural on the side of the building.

Indeed. McDyess is seemingly larger than life this season, riding a wave of confidence gleaned from the gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic team.

“He’s playing that big,” Denver teammate Raef LaFrentz said. “He’s huge for us.”

With powerful dunks, spinning post moves and indefensible fadeaway jumpers, the 6-foot-9 forward occasionally earns a few seconds of exposure on national television. But for the most part, he remains an invisible man outside the Rocky Mountain region.

The Nuggets, who have missed the playoffs the past five seasons, are one of three NBA teams without a nationally televised game in 2000-01, leaving McDyess virtually anonymous.

Although he is one of five players averaging at least 20 points (22.9) and 10 rebounds (11.6), he was not among the top 20 forwards in voting for next month’s All-Star game.

Hoping to provide a boost at the ballot box, the Nuggets commissioned the oversized McDyess image at their arena as a reminder for fans to vote for the soft-spoken Mississippi native.

“I want to be an All-Star,” he said. “I think this is my season. I’m playing well and I’m at the top of my game, so I’m happy that they put me out there like that. Hopefully in the end, it’ll come through for me.”

While his teammates, coaches and the Denver media lobby for him to represent the Nuggets at the All-Star game in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 11, McDyess methodically continues his impressive on-court campaign.

His string of 10 straight double-doubles going into the weekend has helped lift the Nuggets to a 20-16 record and given them hope they can make the playoffs in the tough Western Conference.

Such consistency was lacking in past years when McDyess often found himself plagued by foul trouble and lacking a killer instinct.

“Right now in the fourth quarter, I want the ball,” he said. “I feel like when I touch it, I’m going to make something happen and either score or get my other teammates involved. I think the Olympic experience helped me a lot. There was no pressure on me.”

As the first Nuggets player selected for the U.S. Olympic team, McDyess practiced daily against all-stars such as Kevin Garnett, Alonzo Mourning and Vince Carter. He quickly realized he belonged among the world’s best.

“Not only did he come back with a different confidence level, but a real thirst to excel,” Denver coach Dan Issel said.

The momentum from his Olympic experience waned when back spasms limited McDyess’ mobility and productivity in Denver’s first six games. Since then, he has averaged 25.1 points and 12.4 rebounds.

“He’s putting up 35 and 16 every time you turn around,” LaFrentz said. “Every time you look at the stat sheet, there’s Antonio with just a monster game. That’s a big part of our success.

After a recent Mac Attack, Issel compared McDyess to Karl Malone, who has long been the prototypical power forward.

Malone himself endorsed McDyess for all-star consideration and veteran Derrick Coleman added his compliments following a 33-point, 16-rebound performance that helped Denver pull away from the Charlotte Hornets.

“Antonio’s graceful but relentless to the basket,” Coleman said. “And his fadeaway is nearly impossible to defend.”

Frustrating fellow forwards will have to do for McDyess as he goes about his business in relative obscurity.

“If you’re playing at the top of your game and you’re playing well, you should get recognition,” he said. “If you’re going out there and playing hard every night and still don’t get the recognition, what more can you do?”