"If the All-Star weekend in Orlando is going to be a celebration of Dwight Howard by the Magic, the Nets will have an inside man to whisper words like "Brooklyn … Prokhorov … business opportunities" in the superstar center's ear throughout the event. And that would be Deron Williams.

Williams, a close friend of Howard, became the sixth Nets point guard in the team's NBA era to be selected to play in an All-Star Game when he was announced among the reserves selected by a ballot of coaches last night.

"Definitely, it's an honor to make the All-Star team," said Williams, an All-Star with Utah in 2010 and 2011. "I've made it twice [before], and it's always great to go down there and be a part of the All-Star weekend. The festivities are great. The NBA does a great job of putting on a lot of events. It's not just basketball events, but in the community and giving back. It's a great thing to be a part of.""