All Star Center - Yao Ming

The 2008 NBA All Star team starting lineups were announced yesterday, and Houston’s very own Yao Ming proved to be a fan favorite. The Rockets’ big man was voted in as the starting center for the Western Conference squad, ahead of such luminaries as Amare Stoudemire (2nd leading vote-getter amongst Western Conference centers), reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year - Marcus Camby (3rd), and Pau Gasol (6th).

Yao was selected to start in the All Star Game for the sixth consecutive year, having been the leading vote-getter every season since his inauguration into the NBA in 2002. With this honor, Yao joins former legend Hakeem Olajuwon as the only two Houston Rockets to be voted to six All Star Games in a career while playing in Clutch City.

Yao earned 1,709,180 votes through online and paper ballots, making him the third leading vote-getter in the West, behind Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (2,004,940) and Denver’s Carmelo Anthony (1,723,701).

Yao has averaged 22.4 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game under new head coach Rick Adelman’s offensive scheme, registering career highs in boards and swats. Yao ranks sixth in the NBA with 25 double-doubles this year.

“I would like to thank all fans from around the world for voting again for me this season,” said Yao when told of the voting results. “It is always an honor to be named to the All-Star Game. I really look forward to this year’s game since I was unable to play last year even though I was voted as a starter,” proclaimed Yao – citing last year’s All-Star events in which he could not participate because of a fractured knee suffered two months before the game.

Yao could be making the trip to New Orleans alone, as teammate Tracy McGrady did not finish amongst the Western Conference’s top two guards in fan voting. Despite maintaining a position atop the West with Kobe Bryant at the previous ballot update, McGrady fell to third behind Denver’s Allen Iverson when the final votes were announced. Iverson earned the starting position over McGrady by a 10,410 vote margin – the closest race in the NBA. Having suffered through an injury plagued season, McGrady is not a likely candidate to be chosen as an All Star reserve.

Photo: flickr user presson_on