O’Neal Gets the Popular Vote as a Rookie : NBA: He becomes one of the rare players to be voted a starting spot in the All-Star game in his first season.
NEW YORK — Shaquille O’Neal of the Orlando Magic has become the first NBA rookie since Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls in 1985 to be voted into the All-Star game as a starter.
O’Neal will be the starting center on the Eastern Conference team after receiving a total of 826,767 votes.
The No. 1 choice in last summer’s draft finished nearly 250,000 votes ahead of Patrick Ewing of the New York Knicks, who started the last three All-Star games for the Eastern Conference. Ewing received 578,368 votes.
Larry Johnson, the NBA’s No. 1 draft choice and rookie of the year last season, received his first All-Star berth with 658,236 votes. He joins Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls, who had 932,912 votes, at forward for the East.
In the backcourt, the East will have Jordan, who led all vote-getters for a record seventh consecutive season, and Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons.
Jordan, who has the highest scoring average in All-Star game history with 21 points per game, received 1,035,824 votes. Thomas, a two-time MVP in the All-Star game and the game’s all-time leader in steals with 29, received 397,747 votes.
The Utah Jazz placed guard John Stockton and forward Karl Malone on the Western Conference team for the Feb. 21 game on their home court in Salt Lake City.
Stockton received 507,951 votes and will start in the backcourt alongside Clyde Drexler of the Portland Trail Blazers, who had 823,482 votes.
Up front, the Western Conference will have Malone, who had 563,627 votes, and Charles Barkley of the Phoenix Suns, 858,947 votes, at forward, and David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs, 803,696 votes, at center.
Eight teams are represented in the starting lineups for the two conferences.
Seven reserves will be named for each team by the coaches next week.
The West coach will be Paul Westphal of Phoenix, whose Suns are assured of the best record in the Conference on Sunday’s cutoff date to determine the All-Star coaches.
The coach for the Eastern Conference team has not been determined, although Phil Jackson of Chicago is ineligible because he coached in last year’s game.
All-Star Starters
The starters, as determined by fan voting, for the Eastern and Western Conference teams for the NBA All-Star game to be played Feb. 21 at Salt Lake City.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Po. Player Team Votes F Scottie Pippen Chicago 932,912 F Larry Johnson Charlotte 658,236 C Shaquille O’Neal Orlando 826,767 G Michael Jordan Chicago 1,035,824 G Isiah Thomas Detroit 397,747
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Po. Player Team Votes F Charles Barkley Phoenix 858,947 F Karl Malone Utah 563,627 C David Robinson San Antonio 803,696 G Clyde Drexler Portland 823,482 G John Stockton Utah 507,951
Complete vote totals, C11
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