THE 76ERS' offseason plans for Thaddeus Young include, among other things, increasing his strength, expanding his shooting range and developing his ball-handling skills.

"I didn't really know too much about the game - I thought I did, but there was a lot of teaching, a lot of learning this year," the rookie forward said after his recent postseason exit interview.

The teaching and learning paid a dividend yesterday when Young was named to the NBA's All-Rookie second team, selected in voting by the league's 30 head coaches. The coaches each chose five players for the first and second teams, but were not permitted to vote for their own players.

The 6-7 Young, at 19 the league's second-youngest player, averaged 8.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in 21 minutes in 74 games; he received four first-team votes and 15 second-team votes. He started 22 of the last 38 games, averaging 10.6 points and 5 rebounds during that stretch, then contributed 10.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.17 steals in six playoff games against the Detroit Pistons.

"The progress that Thaddeus made during the course of his first NBA season reflects not only the talent he possesses, but also his disciplined work ethic and determination to succeed," Sixers president Ed Stefanski said in a statement.

Atlanta's Al Horford was the only player unanimously selected to the first team; Seattle's Kevin Durant, the rookie of the year, was named first team by 28 of the 29 voters. Houston's Luis Scola, the Los Angeles Clippers' Al Thornton and Seattle's Jeff Green completed the first team. Joining Young on the second team were Toronto's Jamario Moon, Memphis' Juan Carlos Navarro, Detroit's Rodney Stuckey and Houston's Carl Landry.

Sammy on the move

Sixers center Samuel Dalembert, former Sixer Kyle Korver, now with Utah, and former Temple coach Don Casey are slated to go to India July 3-6 with the league's Basketball Without Borders. One-time Villanova star Randy Foye, now with Minnesota, will travel to Turkey June 4-7.

Community outreach

Wali Jones, a former Overbrook High star and a starting guard with the Sixers' 1966-67 championship team, is spearheading a peer leadership/basketball skills clinic June 20-21 for about 50 pre-selected youngsters at the Carousel House.

The sessions honor Little Bobby Jones, Wali's late brother, with a special award going to Howie Horenstein. Little Bobby Jones and Horenstein were teammates at Overbrook.

"People don't remember, but Howie and my brother were one of the best high school backcourts ever in the city," said Wali, now a community relations specialist with the Miami Heat. *