There's been a lot written about San Antonio Spurs guard Gary Neal recently.

I covered his storybook journey to an NBA career in a feature this week, Jeff Garcia talked to him about the rookie game and several other media outlets covered Neal and the adversity he faced when he was accused of rape and how far he's come since then.

It was only fitting that after Neal scored 20 points (including six in the final minutes) in 26 minutes at the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge, ESPN chose to feature him in this morning's edition of "Outside The Lines."

The "Outside the Lines" crew spoke to Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, R.C. Buford and Gregg Popovich about Neal and his journey from his initial workout with 20 plus other guards.

Luckily for Spurs fans and Neal, his shots did fall that day whether the coaches knew his name or not. If not, as Buford noted, he might be back overseas.

The 2011 NBA All-Star game kicks off tonight and the San Antonio Spurs will be well represented.

Tim Duncan will be starting for the Western Conference team while Manu Ginobili will be a reserve for the West squad coached by Spurs' Gregg Popovich.

However, one Spurs' player notably left off the All-Star squad is Tony Parker. 

Many felt Parker deserved a spot on the West roster especially with the season he is having. Parker is averaging 17.4 points, 6.7 assists, 1.3 steals per game. Basically all his numbers are up from last season.

There was also the argument that if the Boston Celtics can have four players in the All-Star game based on their record then Spurs should have the "Big Three" in Los Angeles seeing how San Antonio has maintained their league-leading record.

While I was in Philadelphia during the Rodeo Road Trip, Spurs' Richard Jefferson spoke to me on Parker's snub and had this to say:

"You look at we have the best record in the best conference and he wasn't able to make it. I know the West is loaded but that should put even more of an emphasis on how impressive our record is and how great he has been," said Jefferson. 

"We've blown out a lot of teams, so him and Tim (Duncan) might not play in the fourth quarter so their numbers aren't indicative of guys that are going to be playing 40 minutes every single night because their teams need that."

Jefferson continued, "He does what our team needs for us. Again I would never disrespect somebody and say they don't deserve it but that being said, I definitely believe my teammate deserved it."

I believe all Spurs fans throughout the world will agree with Jefferson.

What do you have to say Spurs fans? You read what Jefferson had to say but do you think Parker should be playing tonight?

• San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says he doesn't have rules for the players and treats them as adults:

“We have basically no rules,” said Popovich, coach of the West All-Stars Sunday. “If I gave my team rules, they’d be offended. For the last 15 years, they’ve conducted themselves in an exemplary manner, and I wouldn’t humiliate them by making them believe I had to give them rules like they were children.” (nba.com)

• Spurs' Tim Duncan weighs in on if Boston Celtics' Kevin Garnett is a dirty player:

“That’s part of his game. He tries to get under your skin,” the San Antonio Spurs star said. “He tries to get into your head. He tries to talk to you, whatever it takes. He’s a competitor. I don’t think he’s blatantly dirty. I don’t think he’s out there to hurt anyone. But it’s kind of part of his tactics.” (nba.com)

• Duncan also weighed in on the possible NBA work-stoppage next season:

"Am I concerned there is going to be a lockout? As everybody is saying, there is probably going to be," said San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan. "I just want to make sure, however many years from now, the guys that come in have a good deal on the table. Just like when I came in, my second year in the league, that's what the veterans did for us. It was set up for the years now, that we have good deals and we're getting a fair share. That's the concern, not for myself or a missed season, that we get the right deal." (washingtonpost.com)

• Spurs' Manu Ginobili is not only representing the Spurs at the All-Star game tomorrow, but Argentina and Latin America as well:

“It’s another big achievement to have three (Spanish-speaking) players (in Sunday’s game at Los Angeles’ Staples Center), which will give a greater push to the sport of basketball in all our countries,” Ginobili said.

“Basketball in Latin America has grown enormously. I hope that trend continues,” the 33-year-old Ginobili said. “There’s not much difference compared to my first All-Star Game, except for my age, but I feel honored and happy (to be named for the team) and of course I’m excited and have more experience.” (laht.com)

• Spurs' Popovich on second-year player DeJuan Blair is becoming a better player:

He's becoming more and more professional, more consistent, understanding game situations, what's appropriate and what's not; Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says of Blair. (usatoday.com)

Hit the jump to read about how to win free tickets to the upcoming Spurs-Oklahoma City Thunder game next week in San Antonio, age impacts the Spurs, Duncan likes to use his inner-voice, and more.

Several San Antonio Spurs alumni were selected for and played in today's D-League All-Star game.

Marcus Cousin, who was with the Spurs in training camp and preseason is currently the starting center for the Austin Toros and he was selected to start at center for the West.

In just over 20 minutes, Cousin finished the game with 19 points, five rebounds and one blocked shot for the losing West team, good enough for second in scoring for the West and fourth overall.

Larry Owens, who recently played through two 10-day contracts with the Spurs before rejoining the Tulsa 66ers, finished with 12 points, four rebound and three assists.

Also joining Cousin and Owens on the West squad was Cedric Jackson, who was called up from the Erie Bayhawks and played through a 10-day contract last season. Jackson came off the bench for the West, but made his presence felt with six points, seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals.

Garrett Temple, who played with the Spurs last season and was with the team before being waived this season, started for the East and finished the game with nine points and four rebounds.

Be sure to keep it here on Project Spurs for all your Spurs All-Star coverage. 

With the plethora of young stars taking the stage in Los Angeles last night, San Antonio Spurs sophomore forward DeJuan Blair and rookie Gary Neal provided fans with some remarkable highlights.

Blair wowed fans with his highlight dunking ability, as Neal showed Hollywood his accurate shooting and ability to hit big baskets in closing moments, as the rookies defeated the sophomores 148 to 140.

DeJuan Blair began the night by scoring the first basket of the game for the sophomores with a 21-foot jumper over rookie phenom Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers.

At the ten-minute mark, Blair played eight minutes and had 12 points (6-7 FG). His only miss was a three pointer. He also caught a one-handed alley-oop dunk to “Wow” the crowd.

Gary Neal started for the rookies and in his first six minutes of action shot two three pointers and made one of them. He had 3 points. The rookies led 33-32 at the ten-minute mark

Blair had a potential play of the night by throwing a pass off the backboard to himself, then he one handed tomahawked the ball on the way down.

Blair had 14 points (7-9, only misses were two three pointers) and 3 rebounds in 12 minutes of action going at the end of the first period.

The San Antonio Spurs will be well represented tomorrow night at the 60th NBA All-Star game with Manu Ginobili as a Western Conference reserve, Tim Duncan starting for the West and coach Gregg Popovich leading the West team.

While in Los Angeles, Ginobili, Duncan, DeJuan Blair, and Assistant Coach Mike Budenholzer weighed in on their amazing NBA-leading record at 46-10, Manu speaks on his MVP chances, the Spurs stealing the spotlight in Los Angeles, and more. Take a look.

(videos woai.com)

San Antonio Spurs forward Matt Bonner is averaging 50% from the three-point line this season and leads the NBA in three-point field-goal percentage yet he did not receive an invite from the NBA to participate in the 2011 NBA Three-Point Shootout at All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.

So what does Bonner have to say about this?

"Yeah it bothers me. Obviously that's kind of like my All-Star game. It's what I do. I shoot threes. It didn't happen again this year. I think I hurt my knee. I got a bone bruise and I missed three or four weeks. I guess that was cause enough for them (NBA) to keep me out again."

Those who will be invited are Ray Allen, Kevin Durant, Daniel Gibson, James Jones, Paul Pierce, and Dorell Wright.

Bonner's three-point shooting percentage is still better than each of the players invited. Just saying.

In case you missed it, San Antonio Spurs' DeJuan Blair had an insane off the backboard one-handed slam in the 2011 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge for the sophomore team. Check it out!

But this wasn't the first time Blair did the same dunk.

When he played for the rookie team in last year's Rookie Challenge, he had a similar dunk.

By the way, did anyone else feel Blair was robbed of the Rookie Challenge MVP award?

• Sure the San Antonio Spurs lost to the Chicago Bulls last night to end the Rodeo Road Trip but Manu Ginobili had this tasty dunk on Bulls' Carlos Boozer:

• Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who will be coaching the Western Conference All-Star team this Sunday, shared his thoughts on Justin Bieber playing in the celebrity game:

San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich turned music critic during Friday's media gathering at  NBA All-Star weekend.

Asked "what does it mean at the celebrity game, Justin Bieber is going to be with with us [in the celebrity game]," Popovich said, "It would be disingenuous of me if I told you how excited I was to see Justin." (latimes.com)

• ProBasketBallTalk.com says the Spurs feel their hot start will be meaningless if they flounder in the second half of the season:

“It is going to be hard, because we have a bulls-eye on the back now,” Ginobili said. “We are leading the NBA. Same with the Lakers or Celtics, everybody wants to beat you. They want to test themselves against the best in the league, so it’s going to be harder to maintain.

“But we don’t want had one of the great first half of the season. We want to complete it. We want to complete it, we want to win the championship.”

• Spurs coach did an interview with Ole.com and said the Spurs are not going to be champions without Manu Ginobili:

Pop se deshace en elogios para Ginóbili. “No podemos ser campeones sin él”, asegura el coach.

• Mikkayla Guillett and yours truly of the Project Spurs affiliate site Toros Nation, shared our thoughts on the Spurs' D-League affiliate Austin Toros at the break:

At the break, the Toros are a game and a half out of the playoff hunt. Unless things turn around for the better, there’s a possibility the team will miss the post season. Something that hasn’t happened since the San Antonio Spurs gained full control of the team four seasons ago.

Hit the jump to find out how to win free tickets to the Spurs-Oklahoma City Thunder game this month, what Tim Duncan eats on gameday, and more.

You hear him on TNT on Thursday nights and he has made it known he isn't a fan of the San Antonio Spurs. NBA great Charles Barkley has repeatedly said the Spurs are not the best team in the NBA let alone in Texas.

But has he had a change of heart? Check out the video from WOAI.