NBA commissioner David Stern dropped something of a bomb at his annual All-Star Game media interview session Saturday night, revealing that the league is thinking about expanding globally within the next five to 10 years.

In something of an odd twist, Stern and deputy commissioner Russ Granik ruled out domestic expansion, meaning that if Hampton Roads, Va., or Louisville, Ky., or St. Louis wants to land a team, it is going to have to entice another team to move there, much the same way the Charlotte Hornets are planning to move to New Orleans.

But Stern said the league is investigating the possibility of placing a team either in Europe or Mexico City, based primarily on the popularity of basketball worldwide - a fact keenly noted by Stern, who pointed out that five international players competed in the rookie-sophomore game Saturday afternoon, and another five international players (Dirk Nowitzki, Peja Stojakovic, Steve Nash, Dikembe Mutombo and Tim Duncan) will participate in the All-Star Game today.

Normally, these sessions with Stern are little more than the commissioner either telling reporters how successful the league is - despite the empty seats at arenas disputing that notion - or Stern fending off questions concerning the misdeeds of his players.

But almost matter-of-factly, while answering a question about the international flavor of the All-Star Game, Stern said he hopes that by the end of the league's latest television contract - which runs six years - the league will have in place a team or teams that are based outside the U.S. - either in the form of teams joining the league, or a separate league affiliated with the NBA.

"It's not anything that I ever thought I would be saying in a public forum, but my sense now is that ... six years from now, there will be a firm set of plans for NBA expansion outside the United States," Stern said.

His first indication was Europe, though he did not say in which city or cities he was thinking of placing teams.

Of course, he left the audience hanging, because he could fall back on the excuse that any question that could be thought of has not yet been explored satisfactorily.

For instance, logistically, how can a West Coast team - the Sonics? - expect to be given a legitimate chance when their travel to Europe would be twice as far as an East Coast team's?

Or, how would the newly formed European currency, the Euro, be integrated with the U.S. dollar to determine salaries? After so many tax issues with the Canadian dollar with Toronto and Vancouver, how would that work if a team was in Europe?

What about the safety concerns, now that Sept. 11 has brought terrorism to the fore?

If anybody can figure it out, Stern will, if only to increase the revenue of the league and fulfill his dream of making the NBA a global phenomenon.

- - -

* Reach staff writer Frank Hughes at 253-597-8742, ext. 6120, or [email protected]

- - -

Around the league: WESTERN CONFERENCE

This is the reason Rick Barry cannot get a coaching job, though he tries desperately every year.

Last week, the Golden State Warriors lost a game - surprise, surprise - and power forward Danny Fortson was upset that he didn't play a lot.

A reporter was interviewing Fortson in a hallway outside the Warriors' locker room, and Barry, who has a radio show in the Bay Area, was standing about 20 feet away.

In the middle of the interview, Barry started yelling to Fortson, "Don't talk to him, Danny. Don't say anything. You'll regret it."

In the middle of the interview, Fortson throws up his arms and walks away, leaving the angry reporter standing alone.

The reporter tried to track down Barry afterward, but Barry had left. So the reporter called Barry's radio show the next day to confront him, and Barry retreated behind his usual wall.

"You didn't play the game. I did. I know what frustration he was feeling," Barry said.

To which the reporter replied: "You are not a player anymore. You are not even a part of the organization. In fact, you are now a member of the media. So stop interfering with your colleagues."

Barry, of course, did not back down - and it is just that holier-than-though attitude that is keeping him out of coaching despite a vast knowledge of the game. ...

Adding to an already tumultuous season, Nuggets guard Nick Van Exel missed practice last week and was told to leave the team for a few days. Van Exel's agent said the former Laker did not know the practice time was changed. Denver coach Mike Evans said players were informed twice.

And Nick wonders why he can't get traded. ...

With the Suns in the Bay Area last weekend to play the Warriors, Suns forward Joe Crispin went to the Arizona-Stanford game.

As Crispin was returning from the concession stand, he was randomly selected to attempt a half-court shot for a framed Michael Jordan jersey.

Neither the people who selected him nor the PA announcer realized Crispin was an active NBA player.

"That's what you get for looking like a normal dude," Crispin said. "The (PA) announcer was like, 'Joe Crispin from Pitman, N.J. Rumor has it he was with the Lakers early on this year' (which he was) and you could hear this chuckle in the crowd," said Crispin.

Crispin got two attempts. But he only needed one, a swish.

Crispin is now eligible for a shot at $100,000, if his name is drawn, for a shoot-out Feb. 23 at Maples Pavilion. The Suns don't play that day, and if he's notified far enough in advance that he's been selected, he says he'll try to go. ...

The reason the Memphis Grizzlies did not use the medical exception they received for Bryant Reeves' retirement in a trade to acquire another player is because they did not want to risk going over the luxury tax by taking on another salary. ...

With the Olympics in Salt Lake City, the NBA has put the Jazz on the road. They will be gone 31/2 weeks, log about 10,000 air miles, and visit nine different cities in 24 days, not to mention returning to Salt Lake for the All-Star Game.

"This," says Scott Padgett, "is going to be a long, long trip." ...

The Feb. 21 trade deadline is approaching, which prompted Golden State's Bob Sura to say, "It would be sad to see the trade deadline come and go and nothing happen. I don't think it's happening with this group." ...

The Lakers have defeated the Dallas Mavericks 25 times in 26 games. With the best record in the Midwest Division, the Mavs, and especially Tim Hardaway, thought they were ready to defeat the defending world champions last week. They didn't.

"There's nothing worse than an old guy who's jealous," Kobe Bryant said of Hardaway, who did a lot of trash-talking. "Nothing worse."

- - -

EASTERN CONFERENCE

When the New York Knicks lost to the Los Angeles Clippers last week after leading by 18 points, it was the eighth time this season the Knicks have lost a double-digit lead.

And if things aren't bad enough in Gotham, Marcus Camby is out for more than a month with a hip injury. ...

Speaking of the Knicks, after missing 14 games because of a strained right Achilles' tendon, Orlando center Patrick Ewing has targeted the Magic's game Tuesday against New York for his expected return.

Go figure. ...

Cleveland forward Tyrone Hill, who has suffered from back spasms all season, said he will retire after his contract expires in 2003.

"I'm going to retire after next season because I don't know if my body can hold up anymore," Hill said. "I've been thinking about this all year. I also thought about it last year. When you start having injuries, it starts to take a toll on you mentally and physically."

Of course, considering he is contributing absolutely nothing, the Cavs are probably wishing he would retire after this season. ...

The son of Cleveland coach John Lucas, John jr., is the starting freshman point guard for Baylor University. ...

The Alamodome in San Antonio is generally considered the worst arena in which to shoot because it's vastness decreases depth perception. But Detroit coach Rick Carlisle remembers when he played for the Celtics and the Pistons played in the Pontiac Silverdome.

"We always believed they had fans (industrial-strength fans) blowing from behind the Pistons bench that were turned on whenever we were going toward that basket," Carlisle said. "Larry Bird had a wide-open 18-footer one time that sailed 5 feet over the rim."

That's still nothing compared to what the Celtics did to the visitors' locker room. ...

Even though the Indiana Pacers played their last game before the All-Star break on Tuesday night, coach Isiah Thomas called practice for Wednesday.

Talk about a buzz-kill. ...

The Raptors went 11-5 in January, making it the best month in terms of winning percentage (69 percent) in club history.

- - -

Rim shots

The question is, would they want to?

"C'mon. They couldn't carry Larry Bird's jock around."

- Kevin McHale, when asked how Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce compare to other Celtics greats

No thanks to you

"We're every team's Super Bowl."

- Lakers guard Derek Fisher

Was that an ACME safe?

"I've seen a safe fall on him and he played the next game." Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich on the toughness of Karl Malone.