LA Lakers Guard Kobe Bryant Won't Be NBA-All Star? Adam Silver Defends Future Hall-of-Famer

Despite his struggles, Los Angeles Lakers' franchise player Kobe Bryant looks like he is going to be an All-Star again this year. Despite critics constantly blasting his inefficiency and performance, he has the assurance that he has the backing of NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Adam Silver recently expressed his support for the retiring superstar.

"I hope to see him there," Silver said. "I think he deserves to be there. He's going to retire as one of the NBA's greatest players."

"He's done, even beyond his play on the floor, he's played as great a role as anyone in international expansion of the game," he added. "Right now, I'd say in China, there's still Kobe and everyone else. I think because he was such a hit there when he was there with the national team for the Beijing Olympics, and I know he's made so many trips to China over the course of his career in the NBA. I think the same thing in Indiana and Africa and Latin America and of course Europe, where he grew up."

Silver then concluded "He's just one of those great global ambassadors of the NBA. And I hope in the same way that Dikembe Mutombo now is a global ambassador of the NBA that we find a way to keep Kobe involved. So, we'll what the fans and the coaches decide, and then, we'll go from there."

According to hoopshype.com, "Kobe is making just 37.9 percent of his many attempts. These numbers are historically bad not just for him, but NBA-wise. No other player averaging 25-plus points per game aside from Allen Iverson has shot worse percentages in the last 55 years." With these statistics, experts believe that Bryant should not be an All-Star despite his tenure in the league.

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