Yao, LeBron among all-star vote leaders

NEW YORK: Yao Ming, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant were among the leaders in the first balloting information for the 58th National Basketball Association All-Star Game released on Thursday.

But it was Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard, the reigning NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion, who garnered the most votes of any player in the first hint at ballots favorites for starting roles in the February 15 game at Phoenix.

Howard had 775,933 votes to lead his nearest Eastern Conference rival, Samuel Dalembert of Philadelphia, by more than 659,000 votes.