Minneapolis/St. Paul – The 2012 NBA All-Star Ballot was unveiled today during a special tip-off event in Orlando, the Official Host City of NBA All-Star 2012. Kevin Love, Michael Beasley and Ricky Rubio will represent the Timberwolves on the ballot as fans worldwide have the opportunity to vote for their favorite players as starters for the 61st NBA All-Star Game. The 2012 NBA All-Star Game, which will air live on TNT and ESPN Radio in the U.S., and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages, will be played at Amway Center on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.
Love, who made his first All-Star Game appearance last season, is averaging 25.4 points and 15.2 rebounds per game. He ranks second in rebounding, sixth in scoring and fifth in minutes per game (39.0). The fourth-year forward recorded 31 points and 20 rebounds at Milwaukee on Dec. 27, the fifth 30/20 game of his career. He tied his career-high with five three-pointers in a 99-82 win vs. Dallas on Jan. 1, and is currently shooting a career-high .440 from long distance. In 2010-11. Love averaged 20.2 points and a league-leading 15.2 rebounds per game, en route to being named the NBA's Most Improved Player.
Beasley currently is averaging 14.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. He tallied 19 points on 8-for-15 shooting, including 2-for-2 from three-point range, in the Wolves' 106-96 win vs. San Antonio on Jan. 2. In 2010-11, Beasley averaged a career-high 19.2 points per game.
In his rookie season, Rubio is averaging 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists in 26.8 minutes per game. He is shooting .517 (15-for-29) from the field and .500 (4-for-8) from three-point range. Rubio scored a career-high 14 points and dished out seven assists in the Wolves' 99-82 win vs. Dallas on Jan. 1. The rookie scored 12 points and tallied a career-high 12 assists in the Wolves' 103-101 loss to the World Champion Miami Heat on Dec. 30. Among rookies, Rubio ranks first in assists (17th overall), seventh in rebounding and ninth in scoring.
2012 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint gives fans around the world the opportunity to vote daily for their favorite players as starters for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. There are several ways fans can cast their votes as part of this season’s all-digital program, including in 16 languages on NBA.com and through mobile phones by texting the player's last name to 6-9-6-2-2 ("MYNBA") or by visiting m.NBA.com on any wireless carrier. Sprint customers can also access the ballot and vote through the new “Sprint NBA Mobile” application, the most comprehensive app in the marketplace for NBA fans.
2012 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint also includes expanded SMS voting. Fans can now vote for 10 different players per day, per phone number, via SMS voting by sending 10 separate SMS messages, each one with a different player's last name. Fans can vote for All-Stars via SMS at any time by texting from their mobile phones. Previously, fans could cast one SMS vote for one player per day.
Fans can vote directly on NBA.com or use their Facebook profile information to help create an NBA.com All-Access account, which enables them to complete a ballot.
Wireless and SMS balloting, as well as voting on NBA.com, will conclude on Jan. 31. Starters will be announced live on TNT on Feb. 2, during a special one-hour pregame show at 7 p.m. ET featuring Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith. The special will air prior to TNT’s exclusive doubleheader featuring the Chicago Bulls at the New York Knicks (8 p.m. ET) and the Denver Nuggets at the Los Angeles Clippers (10:30 p.m. ET).
The NBA All-Star ballot lists 120 players – 60 each from the Eastern and Western conferences – with 24 guards, 24 forwards, and 12 centers from each conference comprising the list. Voters select two guards, two forwards and one center from each conference.
The 120 players on the ballot were selected by a panel of media who regularly cover the NBA: Bill Simmons (Grantland), Sekou Smith (NBA.com), Doug Smith (Toronto Star/PBWA), and Ian Thomsen (Sports Illustrated).
NBA All-Star 2012 in Orlando will bring together some of the most talented and passionate players in the league’s history for a global celebration of the game. TNT will televise the All-Star Game for a 10th consecutive year, marking Turner Sports' 28th year of All-Star coverage. NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm will feature the Haier Shooting Stars, Taco Bell Skills Challenge, Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, and Sprite Slam Dunk. Other events at NBA All-Star 2012 will include the NBA Rising Stars Challenge, Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, and NBA All-Star Jam Session. Orlando also hosted NBA All-Star in 1992.
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