NEW YORK – The Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant is the leading vote-getter in the first returns of NBA All-Star Voting 2016 presented by Verizon. Bryant, a 17-time All-Star, received 719,235 votes to claim the top spot, ahead of the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (510,202) and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James, who leads the Eastern Conference with 357,937 votes.
James, the Indiana Pacers’ Paul George (283,785) and the Detroit Pistons’ Andre Drummond (148,278) pace the East’s frontcourt players. The Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade (300,595) is the leading vote-getter among East guards, followed by the Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving (138,191).
Curry, who leads the NBA in scoring (31.2 ppg) for the 27-1 Warriors, is followed in the Western Conference guard voting by 2015 NBA All-Star Game MVP Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder (267,699). Bryant, the Thunder’s Kevin Durant (349,473) and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin (182,107) lead all West frontcourt players.
Bryant is the leading scorer in NBA All-Star Game history (280 points), and his 17 All-Star selections are second all time behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 19. A 20-year NBA veteran, Bryant announced last month that this will be his final season.
The 65th NBA All-Star Game will tip off Sunday, Feb. 14 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, the first All-Star Game to be held outside of the U.S. The game will be seen by fans in more than 200 countries and territories and will be heard in more than 40 languages. TNT will televise the All-Star Game in the U.S. for the 14th consecutive year, marking Turner Sports’ 31st year of NBA All-Star coverage.
NBA ALL-STAR 2016 VOTING PRESENTED BY VERIZON
Western Conference Frontcourt Kobe Bryant (LAL) 719,235 Kevin Durant (OKC) 349,473 Blake Griffin (LAC) 182,107 Kawhi Leonard (SA) 164,521 Draymond Green (GS) 160,350 Anthony Davis (NO) 156,161 Tim Duncan (SA) 127,543 DeMarcus Cousins (Sac) 101,930 Dwight Howard (Hou) 66,598 LaMarcus Aldridge (SA) 65,019 Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 56,377 DeAndre Jordan (LAC) 49,696 Enes Kanter (OKC) 47,806 Harrison Barnes (GS) 43,343 Kevin Garnett (Min) 42,285 Guards Stephen Curry (GS) 510,202 Russell Westbrook (OKC) 267,699 Chris Paul (LAC) 146,335 Klay Thompson (GS) 138,587 James Harden (Hou) 135,531 Rajon Rondo (Sac) 66,164 Andre Iguodala (GS) 62,407 Damian Lillard (Por) 47,615 Manu Ginobili (SA) 42,413 Tony Parker (SA) 40,693 Eastern Conference Frontcourt LeBron James (Cle) 357,937 Paul George (Ind) 283,785 Andre Drummond (Det) 148,278 Carmelo Anthony (NYK) 132,119 Pau Gasol (Chi) 109,585 Kevin Love (Cle) 92,177 Chris Bosh (Mia) 91,896 Kristaps Porzingis (NYK) 85,606 Hassan Whiteside (Mia) 72,923 Giannis Antetokounmpo (Mil) 25,926 Jonas Valanciunas (Tor) 12,341 Joakim Noah (Chi) 10,808 Paul Millsap (Atl) 10,501 Marcin Gortat (Was) 9,443 DeMarre Carroll (Tor) 8,885 Guards Dwyane Wade (Mia) 300,595 Kyrie Irving (Cle) 138,191 Kyle Lowry (Tor) 128,131 Jimmy Butler (Chi) 111,220 John Wall (Was) 103,094 Derrick Rose (Chi) 72,709 DeMar DeRozan (Tor) 69,042 Jeremy Lin (Cha) 61,832 Isaiah Thomas (Bos) 45,014 Nicolas Batum (Cha) 20,596
How to vote:
NBA.com voting page at NBA.com/vote: Fill out one full ballot per day on NBA.com/vote from a desktop or mobile browser.
NBA App: Access the ballot and vote through the app, which is available on Android and iOS. Fans can fill out one full ballot per day.
Twitter: Tweet, retweet or reply with the player’s first and last name, along with the hashtag #NBAVOTE. Each tweet may include only one player’s name. Fans can vote for 10 unique players each day throughout the All-Star voting period.
Facebook: Use the player’s first and last name along with the hashtag #NBAVOTE in a post on your personal Facebook account, or comment on another’s Facebook post. Fans can post votes for 10 unique players per day, and each vote may contain only one player’s name.
Instagram: Post an original photo with the hashtag #NBAVOTE and the player’s first and last name in the photo caption. Fans can vote for 10 unique players per day, and each vote may contain only one player’s name.
SMS: Text the player’s last name to 6-9-6-2-2 (“MYNBA”) on any wireless device. Fans can vote for 10 different players per day per phone number via SMS voting by sending 10 separate SMS messages, each one with a different player’s last name. Message and data rates may apply. Google Search: Search “NBA Vote All-Star” or “NBA Vote Team Name” (ex: NBA Vote Celtics) and use respective team cards to select players. Voters can submit one vote per player per day, with up to 10 total votes per day.
Voting will conclude Monday, Jan. 18, 2016, at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. Starters will be announced live on TNT on Thursday, Jan. 21 during a special one-hour edition of TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by Autotrader.com at 7 p.m. ET, featuring Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith. The special will air prior to TNT’s exclusive doubleheader featuring the Clippers at the Cavaliers (8 p.m. ET) and the San Antonio Spurs at the Phoenix Suns (10:30 p.m. ET).
