Bulls’ Derrick Rose voted an All-Star starter

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Derrick Rose

Updated: February 2, 2012 7:22PM

NEW YORK (AP) — The Bull’s Derrick Rose has been voted by fans to be a starter in the All-Star game.

Rose collected 1.5 million votes to finish third among all players, a year after becoming Chicago’s first starter since Michael Jordan.

“I remember not being in the All-Star game, just wanting to be in the game. It’s something you should take to heart, that I take to heart,” Rose said before the Bulls’ game against the Knicks. “Just want to accomplish something special while I’m in the league, and one of the accomplishments is being on the All-Star team.”

Dwight Howard of the host Magic — unless he’s traded first — was the leading vote-getter with 1.6 million. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are going together again from Miami, and New York’s Carmelo Anthony round out the East starters.

Blake Griffin and Andrew Bynum have been voted to the All-Star game, joining Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul to give the city of Los Angeles four starters.

Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant kept the West from being an entire L.A. story by earning a forward spot for the Feb. 26 game in Orlando. Griffin and Bynum are first-time starters, while Bryant earned his record-tying 14th consecutive nod.

Starters were chosen by fan balloting. The reserves will be chosen by voting of the head coaches from each conference and will be announced next Thursday.