Top vote-getter Kobe earns record 15th straight All-Star trip
NEW YORK -- The Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant (1,591,437) edged the Miami Heat's LeBron James (1,583,646) as this year's leading vote-getter in the 2013 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint, earning his record 15th consecutive All-Star nod. Bryant breaks a tie with Jerry West, Karl Malone and Shaquille O'Neal for the most consecutive NBA All-Star selections. A four-time Kia NBA All-Star MVP (2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011), Bryant holds the distinction as the youngest All-Star in NBA history (1998, when he was 19 years old). In last year's All-Star Game in Orlando, he passed Michael Jordan as the game's all-time scoring leader.