Even in a season in which he has played in just six games, a Laker was named a starter for the Western Conference All-Stars.
Kobe Bryant was named a starter for the Western Conference All-Stars that was announced on TNT. According to Mike Bresnahan of the LA Times, Bryant has said that he will not be playing in the game:
Kobe says he appreciates being voted an All-Star but “with all due respect” doesn’t want to play in the game.
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) January 24, 2014
For Bryant, it is the 16th consecutive time he has been named a starter in the All-Star game, adding to his NBA record for consecutive appearances, and drawing him closer to Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s record of 19 All-Star appearances. He has been named an All-Star starter every year since his second year of his career by the fans. Bryant has participated in every All-Star game except for the 2010 season, when he missed with an injury. He was the youngest All-Star starter in NBA history at the age of 19. The Western Conference’s record in games Bryant participated in is 10-5.
The 36-year-old guard owns more than a few All-Star records, including four All-Star Game MVPs which he shares with Bob Pettit. Bryant took home the trophy in 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011, although 2011 was shared with former Laker teammate Shaquille O’Neal. The Laker guard scored 31, 31 and 27 points in those games all won by the West. His best performance came in 2011 at Staples Center when he dropped 37 points and added 14 rebounds. Bryant broke the record for most offensive rebounds in an All-Star game with 10. The 2002 MVP came in his home town of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Bryant also owns the record for most career points in All-Star games with 280 total points and most field goals made in All-Star history with 115. Last season, Bryant scored nine points in 27 minutes in a Western Conference win. He also added an NBA Slam Dunk Contest victory in 1997 and became the youngest winner of the contest at age of 18.
Other Western Conference starters include Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, and Blake Griffin.
See Kobe Bryant’s 2011 All-Star Performance
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