When Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant announced his impending retirement at the end of this season, it was never really in doubt that he was going to make it into the NBA All-Star Game. It’s almost a rite of passage for legends on their way out to get voted in as a starter one last time.
In addition, Kobe has also almost always been voted in without it being his last season in the NBA. Even in recent years when he hasn’t been healthy, his global fan-base has voted him as a starter in the All-Star Game.