That’s good news for seven of the 17 former Kansas University basketball players fortunate enough to call The Association home. They have a chance to bask in the national spotlight today, when fans take a break from the holiday bustle and family gatherings.

Washington at New York, featuring Paul Pierce, Drew Gooden and Cole Aldrich: The biggest bang for a KU fan’s buck comes in the first game of the day (11 a.m., ESPN).

Pierce, now in his 17th season and playing in his third consecutive Christmas Day game (with three different teams), told the AP’s Tim Reynolds the Wizards need to understand this is a unique opportunity.

“By Christmas, you should know what type of team you are,” Pierce said. “You should have an identity. Around Christmas, this is the time you should be showing everybody, ‘This is who we are.’ You’re in it or you’re out of it. This the time for the rest of the league, the rest of the world to find out, this is who we are.”

With the help of Pierce (13.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists), who signed with Washington this past offseason, and rising star point guard John Wall, the Wizards have gone 19-8, good enough for the third-best record in the Eastern Conference.

They shouldn’t have too much trouble disposing of the Knicks (5-25, the third-worst record in the NBA), especially considering what this type of stage means to the up-and-coming Wizards and their veteran leader.

“You remember as a kid, ‘Oh, man, we get to watch Michael Jordan on Christmas,’ Magic Johnson, all your favorite players, all the key matchups,” Pierce told Reynolds. “And now being a part of it six, seven, eight times, you’re kind of used to it, you kind of embrace it, but you’re still up for it.”

Gooden, another KU product in D.C., has only played in four of Washington’s past 10 games, averaging just 7.3 minutes, 1.0 point and 1.3 rebounds.

On the other side of the court, Aldrich’s playing time has gone up of late for the Knicks. Though the 6-foot-11 center has only appeared in 18 games for New York, he has played 21.7 minutes during the previous three games and produced 13 points and 10 rebounds a week ago, against Chicago.

Cleveland at Miami, featuring Mario Chalmers: LeBron James is taking his talents back to South Beach, as a Cavalier, for this game (4 p.m., ABC), so the hoopla will focus on that story line.

Equally interesting, though, is how James’ former teammates, such as Chalmers, play against the guy who helped them reach four straight NBA Finals and win two championships.

Now in his seventh year with the Heat, Chalmers is averaging a career-best 12.4 points a game, with 4.3 assists and 1.8 steals, though he has started just 11 games for Miami (13-16). While he has scored in double figures six consecutive games, simultaneously the Heat are going through a funk — 2-4 without Chris Bosh (injured calf).

On Wednesday, Chalmers told the AP he and his teammates didn’t know whether their all-star forward would be available for the showdown with Cleveland (17-10), but they shouldn’t worry about it.

“It’s an early game (in the season),” he said, “and I would rather have us at full strength later in the season than right now in December. So we just have to take it. Not having that option with Chris is making everybody else have to step up.”

Oklahoma City at San Antonio, featuring Nick Collison: A role player through and through, 11th-year veteran Collison plays the fewest minutes (17.5 a game) of any of the Thunder’s regular rotation players.

But the former KU star will be just as eager to beat defending champion San Antonio — 1:30 p.m. tipoff, on ABC — as OKC franchise player Russell Westbrook (Kevin Durant is listed as out because of an ankle injury).

Collison averages 4.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in his limited role.

L.A. Lakers at Chicago, featuring (maybe) Kirk Hinrich: When the league announced its Christmas schedule, this game (7 p.m., TNT) looked like a chance for two former Jayhawks to play against each other.

However, KU might not be represented at all. The Lakers’ Xavier Henry ruptured his left Achilles in November and is done for the season. Chicago’s Hinrich, meanwhile, didn’t travel with the Bulls to Washington due to an injured right knee and is unlikely to play today.

Hinrich is averaging 7.6 points and 3.3 assists off the bench for Chicago (19-9).

Golden State at L.A. Clippers, featuring (possibly) Brandon Rush: The Warriors (23-4) have emerged as the NBA’s best team, but those hoping to watch Rush contribute might not want to stay up if they’ve had an exhausting holiday.

First-year coach Steve Kerr has only played the former KU standout in 14 games, and Rush is averaging just 8.6 minutes and 0.8 points for the Western Conference’s top offense (108.1 points per game).