Yao Ming Slam Dunks Shaq in All-Star Voting

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, January 24, 2003

Yao Ming Slam Dunks Shaq in All-Star Voting

Houston Rockets rookie star Yao Ming displaced Shaquille O'Neal as the starting centre for the Western Conference in final fan balloting for the National Basketball Association All-Star Game.

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Houston Rockets rookie star Yao Ming displaced Shaquille O'Neal as the starting centre for the Western Conference in final fan balloting for the National Basketball Association All-Star Game.

O'Neal was not the only superstar on the outside looking in when the vote totals were released on Thursday.

Michael Jordan finished third among guards in the Eastern Conference and may not participate in what would be his final All-Star Game.

Yao will become the first rookie to start an All-Star Game since Grant Hill did so for the Eastern Conference in 1995.

"To have this opportunity makes me very happy," said Yao, the first rookie in an All-Star Game since Tim Duncan in 1998. "I'm very honoured and I hope that I can play well in the game."

He most certainly was helped by online voting, which allowed fans in his native China to vote in Chinese on the NBA's official web site.

The top overall pick of the 2002 draft by the Houston Rockets, Yao received 1.28 million votes, while O'Neal - a nine-time All-Star and co-MVP of the 2000 game - received 1.05 million votes.

After arriving in the United States midway through training camp and getting off to a slow start, Yao is averaging 12.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.03 blocks while shooting 51.8 percent.

O'Neal, who has led the Los Angeles Lakers to three straight championships, missed the first 12 games recovering from offseason toe surgery.

He is averaging 26.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.10 blocks while shooting a league-best 60.6 percent.

Last week, Yao faced O'Neal for the first time and while O'Neal won the statistical battle Yao held his own.

He had 10 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks, swatting O'Neal's shot five times. O'Neal had 31 points and 13 rebounds in a 108-104 overtime loss.

On February 9 in Atlanta, Yao and O'Neal likely will be teammates. O'Neal figures to be chosen by coaches as a reserve on Tuesday.

Yao will be joined on the Western Conference squad by teammate Steve Francis and Kobe Bryant of the Lakers at guard and Duncan and Minnesota's Kevin Garnett at forward.

"The fans definitely showed us a lot of support," Francis said.

Francis was voted as a starter for the second straight year and gives the Rockets the only starting All-Star teammates. Bryant, a five-time All-Star and the MVP in last year's game, was the leading vote-getter for the first time in his career with 1.47 million.

Jordan, who turns 40 next month, is the all-time leading vote-getter. But the swingman of the Washington Wizards was listed as an Eastern Conference guard and finished about 73,000 votes behind Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers, who received 1.15 million.

Jordan has said that if not elected as a starter, he would decline a selection as a substitute. It is hard to imagine an All-Star Game without him, but that may be the case.

Iverson will be joined in the backcourt by NBA leading scorer Tracy McGrady of the Orlando Magic, who received the most votes of any Eastern Conference player with 1.32 million votes.

The forwards will be Jermaine O'Neal of the Indiana Pacers and Vince Carter of the Toronto Raptors. Carter received 1.30 million votes despite playing just 10 games this season due to a knee injury. He may be healthy in time for the game.

The centre is Ben Wallace of the Detroit Pistons, the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year.

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