by Conrad Brunner
January 2, 2003
New York, January 2, 2003 - Kobe Bryant, from the three-time defending NBA
Champion Los Angeles Lakers and Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets lead all
players in the Western Conference, and Toronto's Vince Carter and Orlando's
Tracy McGrady lead all players in the Eastern Conference in votes received
after the second returns in the 2003 NBA All-Star Balloting program.
Jermaine O'Neal is the highest-ranking Pacers player at third among East forwards.
The fans, through the 2003 NBA All-Star Balloting program, will
determine starters for the 2003 NBA All-Star Game, to be played at Philips
Arena in Atlanta on Sunday, February 9. The game will be broadcast live on
TNT, Rogers Sportsnet, ESPN radio and audio in several languages on NBA.com
(https://www.nba.com) at 8 p.m. ET.
Bryant leads all players with 958,695 votes. Following Bryant at the
guard position in the Western Conference is Houston's Steve Francis
(652,210). Houston's Yao Ming leads all West centers with 814,393 votes,
followed by Los Angeles Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal (655,744). San Antonio's
Tim Duncan (758,754) and Minnesota's Kevin Garnett (710,394) lead all West
forwards.
Carter leads all Eastern Conference players with 871,189 votes. He is
followed at the forward position by Orlando's Grant Hill (586,664).
Detroit's Ben Wallace leads all Eastern Conference centers with 687,337,
followed by New Jersey's Dikembe Mutombo (399,653), while Orlando's Tracy
McGrady leads all East guards with 822,034 votes, followed by
Philadelphia's Allen Iverson (755,409).
With 556,675 votes, O'Neal is closing in on the second-place Hill. Brad Miller is third among East centers (138,843), while Reggie Miller is eighth at guard (105,252).
Balloting for this year's All-Star Game will continue through January
12, and updated results for the Eastern and Western Conferences will be
issued regularly concluding with the announcement of the All-Star starters
on Thursday, January 23. After the fan voting is completed and the starters
are announced, the head coaches in each conference will vote to determine
the remaining All-Stars in their respective conferences.
2003 NBA ALL-STAR BALLOTING
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Forwards: Vince Carter (Tor) 871,189; Grant Hill (Orl) 586,664; Jermaine
O'Neal (Ind) 556,675; Antoine Walker (Bos) 326,582; Kenyon Martin (NJ)
247,254; Shareef Abdur-Rahim (Atl) 169,000; Latrell Sprewell (NY) 162,883;
Darius Miles (Cle) 150,441; Keith Van Horn (Phi) 146,042; Richard Jefferson
(NJ) 134,268.
Guards: Tracy McGrady (Orl) 822,034; Allen Iverson (Phi) 755,409; Michael
Jordan (Was) 654,849; Jason Kidd (NJ) 596,118; Paul Pierce (Bos) 208,188;
Ray Allen (Mil) 159,756; Jerry Stackhouse (Was) 105,308; Reggie Miller
(Ind) 105,252; Baron Davis (NO) 101,538; Ricky Davis (Cle) 89,884.
Centers: Ben Wallace (Det) 687,337; Dikembe Mutombo (NJ) 399,653; Zydrunas
Ilgauskas (Cle) 192,794; Antonio Davis (Tor) 149,573; Brad Miller (Ind)
138,843; Brian Grant (Mia) 103,413; Theo Ratliff (Atl) 86,153; Todd
MacCulloch (Phi) 81,386; Tony Battie (Bos) 78,931; Kurt Thomas (NY) 54,597.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Forwards: Tim Duncan (SA) 758,754; Kevin Garnett (Min) 710,394; Dirk
Nowitzki (Dal) 673,076; Chris Webber (Sac) 534,155; Elton Brand (LAC)
159,625; Peja Stojakovic (Sac) 148,056; Pau Gasol (Mem) 135,471; Scottie
Pippen (Por) 115,657; Rasheed Wallace (Por) 112,255; Robert Horry (LAL)
111,151.
Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 958,695; Steve Francis (Hou) 652,210; Steve Nash
(Dal) 467,803; Gary Payton (Sea) 343,065; Mike Bibby (Sac) 321,911; Michael
Finley (Dal) 270,890; Tony Parker (San) 119,734; Cuttino Mobley (Hou)
112,745; Andre Miller (LAC) 110,926; John Stockton (Uta) 107,870.
Centers: Yao Ming (Hou) 814,393; Shaquille O'Neal (LAL) 655,744; Vlade
Divac (Sac) 181,917; David Robinson (SA) 163,547; Raef LaFrentz (Dal)
110,679; Michael Olowokandi (LAC) 91,149; Arvydas Sabonis (Por) 49,308;
Marcus Camby (Den) 45,382; Erick Dampier (GS) 36,880; Radoslav Nesterovic
(Min) 22,557.
TOP 10 OVERALL
1. Kobe Bryant (LAL) 958,695
2. Vince Carter (Tor) 871,189
3. Tracy McGrady (Orl) 822,034
4. Yao Ming (Hou) 814,393
5. Tim Duncan (SA) 758,754
6. Allen Iverson (Phi) 755,409
7. Kevin Garnett (Min) 710,394
8. Ben Wallace (Det) 687,337
9. Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 673,076
10. Shaquille O'Neal (LAL) 655,744