Suns' Star Promotes Sexual Abstinence

In the sleek, sexy atmosphere of the NBA, abstinence seems out of place. Yet there is A.C. Green, starting forward for the Phoenix Suns, shooting baskets amid the glitz and glitter, the scantily dressed dancers, the fans and groupies, some dressed to kill.

While Wilt Chamberlain writes about his thousands of sexual encounters, while Magic Johnson battles a sexually transmitted disease, Green talks about the power of celibacy.

"It's about respecting yourself," said Green, 30, who has been open about his celibacy. Green is not married, and does not plan to have sex until he is.

"It's unusual for a lot of people," Green said.

He regularly lectures high-school students on the virtues of abstinence, has made a rap video on the subject with San Antonio Spur David Robinson, and has even set up the A.C. Green Foundation for Youth complete with a toll-free phone number, (800) AC-YOUTH.

Since his college days at Oregon State, Green, a devout Christian and self-proclaimed virgin, has staunchly believed in abstaining.

"If you try to remove the physical part of a relationship, you can learn to really appreciate each other," said Green, who is involved in a relationship. "Then your relationship is built upon strong bonds, not unstable bonds of a sexual relationship."

Green goes one step further in preaching safe sex. He does not believe using condoms constitutes safe sex.

"It gives you a false sense of security," he said.

MAKING DO WITHOUT MIKE

Life after Michael Jordan, for the Chicago Bulls, has turned out to be a wonderful life after all.

The Bulls are the hottest team in the NBA, having won eight games in a row and 12 of their last 13 entering last night's game against Orlando. Since Scottie Pippen's return from an injury, the Bulls are 11-1. And they have done it largely with three free-agent rejects.

Pete Myers, who plays Jordan's old spot, came from the Continental Basektball Association franchise in Rockford, Ill. He is averaging more than nine points per game, a career high.

Guard Steve Kerr, who bounced from Cleveland to Orlando and now to Chicago, leads the league in three-point shooting. Center Bill Wennington, averaging about seven points per game, spent the last two seasons playing in Italy.

"This is not meant as a shot to Michael Jordan," Pippen said, "but he didn't win three titles by himself."

Said Detroit's Isiah Thomas, whose Pistons lost 81-72 to the Bulls on Thursday: "I have to say the Bulls are the top team in the East right now. I mean, who else is there?"

HARPER'S FRUSTRATION

Dallas guard Derek Harper wants out. The Mavericks have won only two games and Harper will do just about anything to get to another team.

"I'm tired of all this losing," Harper said. "It seems you have to do something bad to get traded. It used to be a way to reward a veteran. This is awful. Let the record show I want out. I'm willing to defer some of my money to make a deal possible."

CATALYST OR CATASTROPHE?

San Antonio's Dennis Rodman grabbed 13 rebounds Thursday but is giving his new team fits. Last week Rodman head-butted Chicago's Stacey King and ravaged the scorer's table.

Said Rodman: "I just head butted him to motivate the team. I needed a jolt in the ass."

Said teammate Terry Cummings: "We have Dennis for now, but it's just a matter of time before he does something stupid again."

KNICKS SHOPPING AROUND

So unconcerned was New York's Doc Rivers about his torn-up knee that he told doctors the night he injured it, "Let's do it (the magnetic resonance imaging test) early in the day so I can get to the game."

Because of Rivers' injury, the Knicks are looking to acquire a guard. At the moment, teams are asking too much.

"We're not going to break down the fiber of the team because we're being held hostage to an injury," Coach Pat Riley said.

HOOPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Opinions differed among players who had to play on Christmas Day. Said Orlando's Greg Kite, who has seven children under 8 years of age: "We had to write a letter to Santa, asking if it was possible to come early this year. He seemed to understand. I'd much rather not play on Christmas Day. I kind of wish the game would have been cancelled."

Houston's Otis Thorpe: "Christmas is a time to be with your family and other people close to you. Everybody deserves the right to wake up and see the looks on the faces of their loved ones when they open their presents."

Thorpe does not have any kids.

Houston's Scott Brooks: "To be at home with your family would be the ultimate. But the next best thing is to play on national television."

UNFAIR PORTRAYAL

The driver of the car that struck Bobby Hurley's vehicle says he's not getting a fair shake in the press. "The media has described me as the person who almost killed Bobby Hurley. Well Bobby Hurley almost killed me too," said Dan Wieland.

Wieland will be charged only with driving without his lights on.

`HEAT'-ED BATTLE

A battle is brewing at guard in Miami between second-year player Harold Miner and veteran Brian Shaw. Miner continues to start but Shaw gets the bulk of the minutes.

"If they go to me every night, I'll come through," Miner said. "It's obvious. Chemistry takes time to develop. If I can't play with the unit long enough, we'll never develop that chemistry."

THOMAS DECLINING

With Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson out of the league and Charles Barkley on his way out, Piston guard Isiah Thomas, his play noticeably inconsistent, is sensing the end.

"I'm not smart as Charles and Michael, who make these decisions ahead of time," said Thomas, in the last year of a contract that will pay him $2.25 million this year.

JOHNSON'S TROUBLES MOUNT

Charlotte forward Larry Johnson was hit with a paternity suit by a 25-year-old Baltimore woman whose daughter was born Oct. 4. She is seeking child support. Johnson asked that a blood test be done. But the test will have to wait several months, until the child is old enough to have one.

The suit is the latest woe for Johnson, whose herniated disk has sapped the strength in his right leg.

"I'm not bowing, mumbling," Johnson said. "I'm taking my hits. I'm a man. I just got the biggest contract ($84 million) in sports and I'm not having my best year. People are going to take their shots. But I'm always going to be Larry."

Said Hornet president Spencer Stolpen, who knew about Johnson's back before signing him to the contract: "We knew we wouldn't have the same Larry for one year. But over the length of the contract we knew we would."

CHARLES SPEAKS

Charles Barkley quote of the week, as recounted by Clipper guard Ron Harper:

"We had played Barkley in Phoenix and he comes up to me and says, `We know we're going to kick y'all's (behind) tonight, because y'all's used to it.' "

A COACH'S LIFE

Boston's Robert Parish, on sitting out five games with an injury: "Now I know what coaches go through. They're helpeless. Now I know why they have nervous stomachs and some of them are going bald."

NOTES

-- Shaquille O'Neal led the league last season with 322 dunks. He is averaging 5.1 per game this season, on pace to dunk 421 times.

-- When the Magic played the Clippers at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, it was only the fifth time in O'Neal's career he did not play to a sellout crowd.

-- The Timberwolves are 3-10 at home. Only Dallas and Milwaukee have won fewer home games.

Hugo Kugiya covers the Seattle SuperSonics and the NBA for The Times. Material for this notebook was taken from the Patriot Ledger, Charlotte Observer, Chicago Sun-Times, Forth Worth Star Telegram, Sacramento Bee, Los Angeles Times, Fort Lauderdale News/Sun-Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel, Minneapolis Star Tribune, the New York Post and Arizona Republic.