After a poor start to the 2015-16 Los Angeles Lakers season, Kobe Bryant deferred to his teammates during the road trip and his play has improved as a result.
In the past five games, Kobe is averaging 18.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 28.8 minutes.
With the five-time champion officially announcing his retirement at the end of the season, one topic that has come up is the All-Star Game. As fan voting is underway, the five-time champion shares ‘it would be great’ to make his 18th appearance according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News:
Kobe on ASG: "It would be great to play in it. But if I'm not in it, I won't beat myself up either. I'll support the game no matter what."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) December 16, 2015
If Kobe is selected to this year’s All-Star game, it would continue his record for most consecutive selections with 18. However, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record for most selections with 19.
While some believe there are more deserving players, NBA commissioner Adam Silver believes Kobe ‘deserves’ to be an All-Star in his final season. With fans already showing their appreciation for what Kobe has done in his career, playing in the All-Star Game would provide another opportunity.
Should Kobe be voted in as an All-Star, it will be interesting to see if he tries to win his fifth Most Valuable Player award, which would surpass Bob Pettit and set a new record.