Las Vegas Weekly

April 18, 2009 · 6:55 AM

Photo Gallery: A Hall of Champions — Miss USA Pageant and the NBA

By Robin Leach

Miss California USA Carrie Prejean, Miss Massachusetts USA Alison Cronin, Miss Texas USA Brooke Daniels and Miss Ohio USA Natasha Vivoda and the NBA Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy at Hoop Hall Experience in Planet Hollywood.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

The NBA Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy has arrived from Boston for display in the Basketball Hall of Fame’s Hoop Hall Experience at Planet Hollywood.

The trophy’s arrival marks the start of the NBA playoffs this weekend. With the Miss USA 2009 Pageant telecast set for tomorrow night at Planet Hollywood, who else but Miss Massachusetts USA Alison Cronin would stop in HHX to check out her Boston Celtics’ prize trophy.

However, she was followed by some top contenders who also wanted to get their hands on the spectacular trophy: Miss California USA Carrie Prejean, a big Los Angeles Lakers fan; Miss Ohio USA Natasha Vivoda, an avid Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James supporter; and Miss Texas USA Brooke Daniels, who admits to rooting for the three Texas teams -- the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs.

Our contributing photographer Tom Donoghue scored a three-pointer of his own with these great photos.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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