View gallery
Los Angeles (AFP) - Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant gained the 18th All-Star nod of his career as the starters for the NBA mid-season showcase were announced.
Bryant, the five-time NBA champion who has announced he will retire this year after the conclusion of his 20th season, had paced fan voting for All-Star starters for weeks, despite his own on-court struggles and those of the Lakers.