(East Rutherford,NJ), NOVEMBER 14, 2002 - The NBA announced today that 5-time All-Star Jason Kidd and 8-time All-Star Dikembe Mutombo as well as teammates Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittles and Richard Jefferson will represent the New Jersey Nets as All-Star Balloting begins today, giving fans around the world the chance to select their favorite players as starters to the 52nd NBA All-Star Game to be played at Philips Arena in Atlanta on Sunday, February 9, 2003. Fans will also have the opportunity to vote more ways than ever before with the addition of Chinese and Spanish language ballots on NBA.com and new partners Best Buy and 989 Sports who join AOL, Sprite, Champs Sports and Reebok.

The Nets, the defending Eastern Conference Champions, have only had two members of an All-Star team once in their history (1994-Derrick Coleman & Kenny Anderson). While Kidd and Mutombo are looking to add to their All-Star resumes, Martin, Kittles and Jefferson are all seeking their first All-Star appearance.

Kidd, who started in the 2002 contest in his first season as a Net, has tallied 31 points while handing out 38 assists in his five appearances with Dallas, Phoenix and New Jersey. Mutombo has appeared in the All-Star Game as a member of the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers, scoring 50 points, pulling down 74 rebounds and blocking 10 shots. Nets fans can pick up their All-Star ballots on the concourse at all Nets home games as well as participate in an All-Star essay contest, with details available on the team's website, www.njnets.com.

The 52nd NBA All-Star Game will serve as an All-Star reunion of the NBA's legendary players with today's greatest players involved in a variety of events and activities celebrating the NBA's storied past. Known for its historical significance, famous Southern hospitality and the home of the Hawks, Atlanta is the ideal city to showcase the NBA's midseason weeklong basketball celebration and bask in the game's history. The reunion begins today as the Hawks players are joined by NBA greats Dominique Wilkins, Bob Petit, Lou Hudson and Dan Roundfield to unveil the complete list of players on the 2003 NBA All-Star Ballot.

Now through January 12, 2003, fans can vote for the starters of the Eastern and Western Conference teams in all 29 NBA arenas, at more than 1,000 retail locations including Champs Sports and Best Buy stores and online at NBA.com and America Online (AOL Keyword:NBA.com). NBA All-Star Ballots will also be available for the first time in three languages - English, Chinese and Spanish -- on NBA.com. In addition to AOL's online ballot, the balloting partners will provide links to the NBA.com All-Star Ballot from their homepages.

A total of 120 players-60 each from the Eastern and Western Conferences-are listed on the NBA All-Star ballot, with 24 guards, 24 forwards and 12 centers from each conference.

Voters select two guards, two forwards and one center from each conference. Starters for the Eastern and Western Conference All-Star teams will be announced on Thursday, January 23rd.

The 120 players on the ballot were selected by a panel of media experts who regularly cover the NBA. Comprising this year's panel were David Aldridge (ESPN), Hubie Brown (Turner Sports), Mike Monroe (FoxSports.com), Dr. Jack Ramsay (ESPN Radio), Sam Smith (Chicago Tribune and President, Professional Basketball Writers' Association) and Peter Vecsey (New York Post).

After the fan voting is completed and the starters are announced, the head coaches in each conference will vote to determine the remaining All-Stars in their respective conferences. The 2003 NBA All-Star Game will be broadcast on TNT, Rogers Sportsnet, NBA on ESPN Radio on Sunday, February 9 at 8 p.m. ET.