Five Sixers selected to 2012 NBA All-Star Ballot - 1/4/2012

PHILADELPHIA, PA. – JANUARY 4, 2012 – 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. The Sixers have five players featured on the ballot. Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young are all listed as forwards for the Eastern Conference, while Jrue Holiday represents the Sixers at guard and Spencer Hawes is Philadelphia’s option at center.

Sixer fans will need to write-in votes for leading scorer Lou Williams, who currently ranks 11th in the league with 20.3 points per game. He has scored 10-plus points in the fourth quarter in three of the four games this season.

Brand is a two-time All-Star (2002 and 2006) and is the only current Sixer with All-Star experience. He started all but one game last season and averaged team-highs of 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.31 blocks.

Hawes currently leads the NBA in field goal percentage (.676) and is third in rebounding (12.5 rpg). He has grabbed at least 10 boards in all four games this season, which is the longest streak of his career, and has recorded three double-doubles.

Holiday, who turned 21-years-old back in June, has started the past 127 games for the Sixers dating back to his rookie season in 2009-10. Last season, he was one of eight players who averaged at least 14 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds.

Iguodala is currently averaging 16.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.25 steals and 1.25 blocks while shooting 52.4% from the floor and 66.7% from 3-point range. Last season, he was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team and joined LeBron James as the only players to average at least 14 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds.

Young had the highest point/rebound/assist total of any reserve last season and finished third in voting for the Kia Sixth Man of the Year Award. He ranked ninth in the NBA in field goal percentage last season (.541) and is shooting over 50% for his career.

The 61st 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 the Amway Center on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.

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. Message and data rates may apply. 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. After submitting their All-Star selections, fans will have the ability to share them with their friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter, and encourage others to cast their ballots.

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).