Kobe Bryant top vote-getter for 18th and final All-Star Game
Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant is an All-Star for the 18th time, and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is notably not among the West's starting five.
Fans overwhelmingly chose Bryant to be an All-Star starter, voting for him almost 1.9 million times, the most among all players. Bryant will start alongside Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, Thunder swingman Kevin Durant and San Antonio Spurs wing Kawhi Leonard.
Durant and Westbrook are All-Stars together for the fifth time, breaking a tie with Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp for most appearances by Thunder/SuperSonics teammates. Durant has scored more than 30 points in four straight All-Star Games, and Westbrook was MVP of the 2015 game.
Curry, the reigning NBA MVP, was second among fans with 1.6 million votes.
The Eastern Conference starters are Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, Indiana Pacers forward Paul George, New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade and Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry. James was the top fan choice for the East team with 1.1 million votes.
Anthony edged the Chicago Bulls' Pau Gasol by 360 votes, 567,348 to 566,988, for the final frontcourt spot in the East. Lowry overcame a 32,000-vote deficit to Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving in the last update to claim the second backcourt spot and the right to start on his home court in Toronto.
Dallas Mavericks center Zaza Pachulia was also ahead of Green in voting for the West frontcourt. Clippers point guard Chris Paul trailed Curry and Westbrook in the West backcourt.
Green has been a linchpin of the Warriors' NBA-best 39-4 start, averaging 14.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game.
Warriors interim coach Luke Walton said Green's success this season is a reflection of "what hard work does for somebody."
"He 100 percent deserves to be an All-Star this year," Walton said earlier this month, according to the Bay Area News Group. "He does everything right, anything you want out of a player. He plays hard every night. He's skilled. He passes. He shoots. He dribbles. He sacrifices for the team."
All-Star Game reserves, voted on by the league's coaches, will be revealed Jan. 28.
Bryant, playing in his 20th season, announced in November that he would retire at the end of the season.
Assuming he plays, Bryant would be the fourth player to start an All-Star Game at age 37 or older, joining Michael Jordan, John Havlicek and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Since 1998, Bryant has been an All-Star every season except for the 1999 All-Star Game, which was canceled because of the lockout. Only Abdul-Jabbar has more All-Star honors, with 19. Bryant's 16 selections as a starter are the most in NBA history.
Bryant was the leading vote-getter for the fourth-time in his career, also earning the honor in 2003, '11 and '13. He recently said he was "very thankful" for the high volume of votes he was receiving.
"I look forward to hopefully being healthy and going out there and playing well," said Bryant, a four-time All-Star MVP (2002, '07, '09 and '11).
Bryant holds several All-Star Game records, including for most points scored (280) and most field goals made (115). He also became the youngest slam dunk champion during the 1997 All-Star weekend, when he was 18. He earned his first All-Star selection the following year.
The 2016 All-Star Game will held Feb. 14 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant is an All-Star for the 18th time, and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is notably not among the West's starting five.
Fans overwhelmingly chose Bryant to be an All-Star starter, voting for him almost 1.9 million times, the most among all players. Bryant will start alongside Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, Thunder swingman Kevin Durant and San Antonio Spurs wing Kawhi Leonard.
Durant and Westbrook are All-Stars together for the fifth time, breaking a tie with Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp for most appearances by Thunder/SuperSonics teammates. Durant has scored more than 30 points in four straight All-Star Games, and Westbrook was MVP of the 2015 game.
Curry, the reigning NBA MVP, was second among fans with 1.6 million votes.
The Eastern Conference starters are Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, Indiana Pacers forward Paul George, New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade and Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry. James was the top fan choice for the East team with 1.1 million votes.
Anthony edged the Chicago Bulls' Pau Gasol by 360 votes, 567,348 to 566,988, for the final frontcourt spot in the East. Lowry overcame a 32,000-vote deficit to Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving in the last update to claim the second backcourt spot and the right to start on his home court in Toronto.
Dallas Mavericks center Zaza Pachulia was also ahead of Green in voting for the West frontcourt. Clippers point guard Chris Paul trailed Curry and Westbrook in the West backcourt.
Green has been a linchpin of the Warriors' NBA-best 39-4 start, averaging 14.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game.
Warriors interim coach Luke Walton said Green's success this season is a reflection of "what hard work does for somebody."
"He 100 percent deserves to be an All-Star this year," Walton said earlier this month, according to the Bay Area News Group. "He does everything right, anything you want out of a player. He plays hard every night. He's skilled. He passes. He shoots. He dribbles. He sacrifices for the team."
All-Star Game reserves, voted on by the league's coaches, will be revealed Jan. 28.
Bryant, playing in his 20th season, announced in November that he would retire at the end of the season.
Assuming he plays, Bryant would be the fourth player to start an All-Star Game at age 37 or older, joining Michael Jordan, John Havlicek and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Since 1998, Bryant has been an All-Star every season except for the 1999 All-Star Game, which was canceled because of the lockout. Only Abdul-Jabbar has more All-Star honors, with 19. Bryant's 16 selections as a starter are the most in NBA history.
Bryant was the leading vote-getter for the fourth-time in his career, also earning the honor in 2003, '11 and '13. He recently said he was "very thankful" for the high volume of votes he was receiving.
"I look forward to hopefully being healthy and going out there and playing well," said Bryant, a four-time All-Star MVP (2002, '07, '09 and '11).
Bryant holds several All-Star Game records, including for most points scored (280) and most field goals made (115). He also became the youngest slam dunk champion during the 1997 All-Star weekend, when he was 18. He earned his first All-Star selection the following year.
The 2016 All-Star Game will held Feb. 14 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
Kobe
