Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, the reigning T-Mobile Rookie of the Year, and Chicago Bulls' guard Derrick Rose, the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, led a list of 18 players selected for the 2009 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam to be held on Friday, Feb. 13 in Phoenix during NBA All-Star 2009.

The participants in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam were selected by the NBA?s assistant coaches, with each team submitting one ballot. For the first time in the game?s history, two current NBA players, All-Star starters Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat ? veterans of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and part of T-Mobile?s ?All-Star Faves? ? will serve on the coaching staffs, Howard for the Sophomores and Wade for the Rookies.  The head coaches for the Rookie and Sophomore teams will be the lead assistants from the 2009 NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs.

Forward Jeff Green, Durant?s teammate in Oklahoma City, joins him on the Sophomore team, which also includes Atlanta Hawks forward/center Al Horford, Los Angeles Clippers forward Al Thornton, Philadelphia 76ers forward Thaddeus Young, New York Knicks forward Wilson Chandler, Detroit Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey and a pair of teammates from the Houston Rockets ? guard Aaron Brooks and forward Luis Scola.

Joining Rose on the Rookie team are two sets of teammates ? guard O.J. Mayo and center Marc Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies and center Greg Oden and guard Rudy Fernandez from the Portland Trail Blazers.  Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, Clippers' guard Eric Gordon, Heat forward Michael Beasley, and New Jersey Nets' center Brook Lopez round out the Rookie team.