Three things seem certain about Allen Iverson every season. He'll be in the race for the scoring title. His name will be tossed around in _ often unfounded _ trade rumors. And, Iverson will start for the Eastern Conference in the All-Star game.

All three are true again this season. Iverson is second in the league in scoring with 33.6 points a game, the debate over whether or not the Philadelphia 76ers are better off without him is in full blast, and he's an All-Star starter for the seventh straight season.

"When you're able to keep on doing it when they say you're getting worse as a player or not getting any better or say maybe you're getting too old, to keep making All-Star teams is obviously them not knowing what they're talking about," Iverson said Thursday.

Iverson Grateful for All-Star Appearance

Iverson Grateful for All-Star Appearance

Friday February 3, 5:05 PM

Three things seem certain about Allen Iverson every season. He'll be in the race for the scoring title. His name will be tossed around in _ often unfounded _ trade rumors. And, Iverson will start for the Eastern Conference in the All-Star game.

All three are true again this season. Iverson is second in the league in scoring with 33.6 points a game, the debate over whether or not the Philadelphia 76ers are better off without him is in full blast, and he's an All-Star starter for the seventh straight season.

"When you're able to keep on doing it when they say you're getting worse as a player or not getting any better or say maybe you're getting too old, to keep making All-Star teams is obviously them not knowing what they're talking about," Iverson said Thursday.

Iverson gets a chance to defend his All-Star game MVP award after being named to the starting roster Thursday. He'll be joined by Cleveland's LeBron James, the top Eastern Conference votegetter, Miami's Shaquille O'Neal and first-year starter Dwyane Wade, and Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal _ who'll miss the game with an injury. Detroit's Rasheed Wallace finished third in the voting among East forwards, meaning he'll likely be a strong candidate for that starting spot.

Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady give the host Houston Rockets two starters for the Western Conference in the Feb. 19 game. Yao edged Kobe Bryant as the top votegetter in fan balloting, and will be joined by San Antonio's Tim Duncan and reigning MVP Steve Nash of Phoenix.

James edged Shaquille O'Neal, the fifth player in league history to earn 13 consecutive selections, by 15,155 votes. It's the second straight All-Star trip for James, who says he's still drawing motivation from being snubbed during his rookie season.

"What happened two years ago, that really motivated me to come out and play even harder," James said.

Yao edged Bryant by 71,107 votes for the top overall spot in the balloting, despite missing 21 games following surgery to clean out an infection in his left big toe. Yao finished with 2,342,738 votes; Bryant had 2,271,631 in the closest finish among the top two players in All-Star balloting since Vince Carter, then of Toronto, edged Miami's Alonzo Mourning by 33,385 votes in 2000.

Iverson is happy to be an All-Star again, but he used Thursday's announcement to defend himself from critics who believe the Sixers should trade their franchise player. He's heard all the complaints before: He's too selfish. The Sixers play team ball without him. His all-out style means he's going to wear out sooner than later.

No matter the noise, the 30-year-old former MVP doesn't want to be traded before the Feb. 23 deadline.

"Every single year that I've been here, there've been talks about me being traded," Iverson said. "It comes up every year. I understand that a lot of other players, other superstar players don't go through this. I talked to other guys and they don't tell me that every year they deal with people talk about trading them. It's something I have to deal with. This is my life. I love this place. I love the fans. I love my teammates."

Team president Billy King denies he's shopping Iverson, saying only the Sixers need him back in the lineup. Iverson missed the last three games and will probably skip Friday's game against Detroit because he has two injured ankles.

Iverson hasn't played since he was hurt in the fourth quarter against Orlando last week. Iverson did not practice Thursday, and said a bone bruise on his right ankle bothered him more than his sprained left one.

Iverson hopes to return for Saturday's game at Cleveland.

"I'm going to make the trip to Cleveland," Iverson said. "I don't know if I'll be able to (play), but I'll definitely go on the trip. Pregame, I'll see if I can go."

Iverson has developed a thick-tattooed skin in his 10 years in Philadelphia. He's clashed with coaches, had run-ins with the law and once was nearly traded to Detroit. But the last two years have seen a public maturation and he's mostly made headlines for what he's done on the court instead of off it.

Iverson already led the Sixers to the NBA Finals once. He'd like to win a title in Philadelphia before his contract ends after the 2008-09 season _ even if it means he takes public hits along the way.

"I swear, I'd be lying if I'd tell you it doesn't bother me, it doesn't hurt me at all, because it does," Iverson said. "But it's just something that I know in my heart that I'm going to always have to deal with as long as I'm here. But the flip side of that is, I know how to deal with it."