By Dave Goldstein
Enquirer contributor

In this 2002 photo, Kentucky wide receiver Dougie Allen is shown outside of the W.T. Young Library in Lexington. Allen was one of six inaugural recipients that year of the Kentucky Excel Incentive Scholarship. The scholarship was developed in 1994 with a $500,000 gift from Jamal Mashburn, a former Kentucky basketball All-American. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

TORONTO - In a league where names like Michael, Shaq and Yao command the headlines, Jamal Mashburn of the New Orleans Hornets is flying below the radar, quietly producing big numbers in the 10th season of what has become a remarkably underrated career.

Mashburn shares a trait with stars such as Kobe Bryant, Steve Francis, Kevin Garnett and Chris Webber: The forward's name is sprinkled all over the box score.

Entering the weekend, the former Kentucky Wildcat was averaging more than 21 points, six boards and five assists a game.

With Baron Davis battling back problems, Mashburn has carried the load for a team that was 23-20 entering Friday night's game, good for third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division.

Hornets coach Paul Silas has given Mashburn dual responsibilities: run the offense and be the go-to guy.

It's a lot for one player to take on, and it could land Mashburn in his first All-Star Game, Feb. 9 in Atlanta. Reserves for the game will be announced Tuesday.

Mashburn has the highest career scoring average of any NBA player never to be selected to an All-Star team.

"I don't know why (Mashburn doesn't get more credit)," Silas said. "I'm certainly going to start talking him up - for the All-Star Game, the Olympic team and so forth. He makes everyone around him better and I think he belongs right up there with any guy that plays this game."

In his second season in the league, Mashburn was the NBA's fifth-leading scorer, pouring in more than 24 points a game for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2000-01, Mashburn's first season in Charlotte, he averaged 20.1 points a game and a career-high 7.6 rebounds a game but still garnered little credit.

Though those slights have frustrated Mashburn's coaches and fans, the player himself remains unaffected.

"That's not the reason I play hard. I'm into winning," Mashburn said.

Mashburn took his high school team to a New York City championship, led Kentucky to a Final Four and has appeared in the NBA playoffs for six straight seasons.

Now he's aiming for the NBA Finals.

"Hopefully we can be a championship team," Mashburn said. "That's what you strive for, what keeps you working out in the summertime, going on no matter how tired you get. You want to be a champion."