The Clone Wars are returning to Planet Orange! The NBA's Phoenix Suns will hold their second Star Wars: The Clone Wars Night on Sunday, Feb. 13. Fans who purchase tickets for the game vs. the Sacramento Kings will receive an exclusive Suns Clone Wars T-shirt, and enjoy an evening filled with Star Wars entertainment.
Phoenix Suns Head Coach Alvin Gentry is particularly excited about the event, having attended a private screening of several Star Wars: The Clone Wars episodes in Tempe, Arizona last month with his family. Here's what the coach has to say about the popular Cartoon Network series, his history as a Star Wars fan, and the Suns' upcoming theme night.
You and your family attended the special screening of "The Nightsisters Trilogy" in early December. When you came out of the theater, you were pretending to shoot Force lightning all over the lobby. You must have enjoyed it?
Oh, it was a great event! I was surprised by it all. They did such a great job. Animation has come so far now. It's taken a huge leap, what they can do with computer animation. It's almost like you're watching a regular movie. Going in, my kids were telling me all about The Clone Wars between the Separatist armies and the clones.
They filled me in on the story about Count Dooku, and explained that Padmé is Princess Leia's mom. When the kids saw some special clone troopers walking out of a spaceship, they went, "Oh, wow! These guys are so cool." They absolutely love the show. They TiVo it every week. I love the fact that my kids are so engaged in it, and know all that's going on, and they enjoy filling me in. I just think it's great family entertainment.
Do your kids have all the toys, too?
My 13-year-old is really, really a Star Wars guy. He knows every character, the whole story, everything that's ever happened. He has every computer game and video game. My 10-year-old has a giant Boba Fett Fathead on his wall. They've got the LEGOs. It's fascinating how it has really stood the test of time. I remember sitting down and watching the original Star Wars for the first time in the theater, and now today's generation is just as fascinated by it.
It's one of those things that I think 25 years from now, people are still going to be celebrating and talking about. You know, it's part of our culture now, the whole Star Wars phenomenon. Everybody knows R2-D2 and C-3PO, and Chewbacca and Han Solo, Princess Leia and all of them. It's a part of our every day life.
What are you memories of the first time you saw the original film?
It was everything from sci-fi to comedy to drama. I don't think anybody had ever made a movie like that before. I think if you go back and ask all the old Star War fans like me, what's the most interesting thing you've ever seen (in a movie), obviously the bar scene in the original movie would be it. It's still, I think, what everyone remembers from that movie.
The Phoenix Suns held their first Star Wars: The Clone Wars night last April. What did you think when you saw more than 20 Star Wars characters march out onto the court during the player introductions? Or were you too focused on the game to even notice?
I was getting ready for the game, but it did catch my eye! I thought the costumes that they had were phenomenal. I loved the clone troopers in their white armor, and just the audience in the arena, coming in dressed up and ready to participate. I think it's great. Like I said, I think 25 years from now, we'll still be seeing events like Star Wars Night.
Get more info about Phoenix Suns Clone Wars Night.
Read more Star Wars interviews from team members of the Phoenix Suns.
