Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James led all players in votes received in the NBA All-Star Balloting program presented by T-Mobile that determines starters for the 2007 NBA All-Star Game. James, who earned Most Valuable Player honors in last year?s midseason classic in Houston, received 2,516,049 votes, the second-highest total in history behind Yao Ming?s 2005 total of 2,558,278. This year, Yao finished second receiving 2,451,718 votes, the fourth-highest total ever.

The closest voting race in this year?s balloting was among Eastern Conference guards. Miami?s Dwyane Wade secured one starting spot with 2,029,591 votes and Washington?s Gilbert Arenas (1,454,166) edged New Jersey?s Vince Carter (1,451,156) by 3,010 votes in the closest race in 17 years since A.C. Green/Karl Malone (1,226 votes) and John Stockton/Derek Harper (2,562 votes), both in 1990.

Miami center Shaquille O?Neal (1,622,446) was selected to his 14th straight All-Star team, tying Lakers legend Jerry West (14; 1961-1974) and Utah great Karl Malone (14; 1988-2002) for the most consecutive selections. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record for most All-Star Game selections with 19.

Joining Yao as part of the Western Conference starting lineup is his Rockets? teammate Tracy McGrady (1,942,796), who will be appearing in his seventh All-Star Game. San Antonio?s Tim Duncan (1,436,584), who has been selected to every All-Star team since he entered the league in 1997, and Minnesota?s Kevin Garnett (1,616,575), who captured All-Star MVP honors in 2003, will be the starting forwards. L.A. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (2,138,777), who was the youngest All-Star in NBA history in 1998, makes his ninth All-Star trip.