HOUSTON – In one corner of the massive Hilton Americas ballroom that served as the NBA All-Star Game interview area, Memphis' Zach Randolph held court before a group of reporters. Nearby, the Trail Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge did his media duties.
At the other end of the room, San Antonio assistant coach Ime Udoka surveyed the scene.
"There's nothing better than this," said Udoka, who as a member of Gregg Popovich's staff, will help coach Randolph and Aldridge on the Western Conference team in Sunday's game at the Toyota Center.
Six years ago, the three were teammates on the Trail Blazers during a major transitional season for the franchise. Neither Randolph nor Udoka would play for Portland again after 2006-07, but that season put them and Aldridge on paths that will intersect again today.
In 2006, Portland was coming off a season in which it went an NBA-worst 21-61. Randolph was the team's best and highest-paid player, but the Blazers made major draft-day trades to land Aldridge, the No. 2 pick, and Brandon Roy, who was taken at No. 6.
Roy made an immediate impact, winning the trust of coach Nate McMillan, who quickly named him the starting shooting guard. Aldridge, however, did not participate in training camp after having shoulder surgery in August. He returned in the season's seventh game and infused some freshness into practice.
"We were probably set in our rotation," said Udoka, who started at small forward. "When he came back, he was a rookie, and Brandon was doing what he was doing, Zach was our leading scorer, but LaMarcus kind of wanted to emerge, kind of get into that role."
Ime Udoka and Zach Randolph grapple with Utah's Andrei Kirilenko early in the 2006-07 season.
For Aldridge, the Blazers' practices introduced him to the demanding post play of NBA basketball. That season, the Blazers had physical veteran posts in Joel Przybilla, Jamaal Magloire and Raef LaFrentz, along with Randolph, all of whom Aldridge had to go against.
"When I came in, it was intense," Aldridge recalled.
For Randolph, Aldridge presented something different in practice – a long, 6-foot-11 post who could run up and down the court like few others.
"Oh man, LaMarcus," Randolph said, lighting up at a question about his former teammate. "I call him 'The Deer.' The way he runs, you know. In the running drills, I tried to stay (just) behind him, and I couldn't stay behind him."
Udoka, meanwhile, carved out a spot on the team in an unlikely fashion, as a late training camp invitee. After complete his college career at Portland State in 2000, he had spent years playing in minor leagues and overseas while trying to get his NBA break, which at the time amounted to brief stints with the Knicks and Lakers.
LaMarcus Aldridge on his former Portland teammate Ime Udoka: "He's a really, really good guy, and I respect him a lot."
But in Blazers training camp, Udoka so impressed his teammates with his hard play, defense and knowledge, they lobbied for the team to keep him. Point guard Jarrett Jack threatened to picket the practice facility, and Randolph went to president/general manager Steve Patterson and implored him to keep Udoka.
The team not only kept Udoka, McMillan started him at small forward. The Blazers had the more athletic Travis Outlaw and Martell Webster on their roster, and Udoka said they, like Aldridge, battled hard in practice trying to gain playing time.
"Nate had us going pretty hard," said Udoka, a graduate of Portland's Jefferson High School. "I had Martell and Travis on my heels, young guys trying to do the same thing, competing hard. Nothing crazy, just guys fighting for minutes. Practices were intense, but they were great."
For stretches when Przybilla – the team's starting center -- was injured, Randolph and Aldridge started together, with Aldridge playing center. Their 17 games together in the first unit were especially helpful to Randolph, who benefited from the inside room that Aldridge's shooting range helped clear. Randolph's 23.6-point scoring average that season remains the highest of his career, although the Blazers' record (they finished 32-50) likely kept him from making the All-Star Game.
Randolph, in fact, said he believes he and Aldridge could have continued to play together as starters.
"I flourished in Portland," Randolph said. "I know he needed to flourish because we play the same position, but LaMarcus can play center, too."
It seemed unlikely, however, as the Blazers had signed Przybilla to a five-year contract before the season, and the following summer they got the No. 1 pick in the draft, which they would use to pick Greg Oden.
To Aldridge, the Blazers' trade of Randolph to New York after the 2006-07 season was necessary for him to grow into an All-Star.
"If they wanted me to be where I am today, we couldn't play together," Aldridge said. "Because he's a four and I am too, and it wouldn't work out."
Randolph played for the Knicks and Clippers before finding a home in 2009 in Memphis, where he has made two All-Star Games. After several off-court issues during his stint in Portland, Randolph has become a community pillar in Memphis, twice winning the NBA's Kia Community Assist award, which recognizes community, philanthropic and charitable work.
"I love the city of Memphis, the people in it, giving back, interacting with the kids, the charity," he said. "I'd like to retire a Grizzly. That's my home. I just bought a house there, my daughter's going to school there."
After Randolph's departure, Aldridge improved annually with the Blazers and became their franchise player after Roy's knee problems slowed him. Aldridge will play in his second All-Star Game on Sunday.
"It's great, I'm happy for him," Randolph said. "When I saw him earlier, I told him, 'I'm proud of you, keep working, get to them playoffs.'"
Udoka, whose playing career was a model of patience, has taken the fast track in coaching. He was still contemplating playing in Europe last summer when the opportunity with Popovich – for whom he played twice – arose. In his first season as a coach, he finds himself on a staff of the team with the best record in the NBA, and an opportunity to coach in the All-Star Game. His former teammate couldn't be happier.
"He's a really, really good guy, and I respect him a lot," Aldridge said. "Just working with him and seeing him in the position he's in, I'm just happy for him."
-- Mike Tokito