St. Louisan David Lee broke two long droughts with his participation in Sunday night’s National Basketball Association All-Star Game in Dallas. The former Chaminade star was the first player from St. Louis to play in the All-Star Game since the 1970’s when Jo Jo White of the Boston Celtics made the last of his seven All-Star Game appearances in 1977. Lee was also the first player from the New York Knicks to play in the game in nearly a decade. Latrelle Sprewell and Allan Houston were the last Knicks to play in the game back in 2001.

It was Lee’s first appearance in the All-Star Game and he picked the best time to have the best season of his young career. The game drew a record crowd of 108, 713 fans to Jerry Jones’ Cowboys Stadium, which was the largest crowd ever to watch a basketball game.

  In the game, D-Lee contributed four points, two rebounds and an assist to the Eastern Conference’s 141-139 victory over the Western Conference All-Stars.

  Lee was not selected as one of the seven reserves for the Eastern squad, but he got the call from NBA commissioner David Stern on Saturday and Knicks president Donnie Walsh telling him that he was added to the team when Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson pulled out of the game to tend to family matters back at home.

  In 51 games, Lee is averaging 19.9 points and 11 rebounds a game while compiling 30 double-doubles, which is fifth in the league. He has been a consistent force for a Knicks team that has been struggling throughout the season with a 19-32 record.

  Congratulations to St. Louis’ own David Lee: an NBA All-Star.

  Well done, D-Lee.