Who is the leading vote-getter for the bj-league¡¯s ninth annual All-Star Game?

In a news release issued on Friday afternoon, at the top of the list is Ryukyu¡¯s Draelon Burns, the Golden Kings¡¯ dynamic 194-cm, do-it-all super reserve. His versatility enables him to play multiple forward and guard positions. He has a knack for making clutch baskets, big steals and big assists. Burns, listed as a forward, has 24,994 fan votes, according to the news release.

Burns, a DePaul University alum, played a key role for the past two championship-winning clubs: the Golden Kings in May and the Yokohama B-Corsairs in 2013.

The next four vote-getters are also from the Western Conference and are listed in the forward/center category: Ryukyu¡¯s Anthony McHenry (22,981), Hamamatsu¡¯s Atsuya Ota (21,467), Kyoto¡¯s David Palmer (20,942) and Kyoto¡¯s Reggie Warren (19,057).

In the backcourt, the West¡¯s top five vote-getters are Ryukyu¡¯s Ryuichi Kishimoto (16,296), Fukuoka¡¯s eight-time All-Star Cohey Aoki (15,785), Ryukyu¡¯s Narito Namizato (12,864), Kyoto¡¯s Shun Watanuki (9,899) and Kyoto¡¯s Hikaru Kusaka (9,276).

For the East¡¯s guards, the top five are Akita¡¯s Shigehiro Taguchi (16,643), Fukushima¡¯s Masaya Karimata (15,600), Aomori¡¯s Yuki Kitamuki (13,646), Gunma¡¯s Kenya Tomori (13,207) and reigning regular-season MVP Masashi Joho of Toyama (13,182).

In the frontcourt, the East¡¯s top-five vote-getters are Akita¡¯s Richard Roby (15,333), Niigata¡¯s Yuichi Ikeda (14,755), Toyama¡¯s Joe Werner (13,779), Iwate¡¯s Hayato Kantake (13,513) and Akita¡¯s Deshawn Stephens (13,429).

Fan voting for the two conferences¡¯ starting lineups will conclude on Jan. 4 at 11:59 p.m.

Twelve players will be named to the East and West squads, which will be held Feb. 1 in Gunma. The reserves will be chosen by the league.

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The Saitama Broncos on Friday evening announced that head coach Kazuaki Shimoji, who has been battling bacterial endocarditis, a heart illness, remains hospitalized and will not be on the bench this weekend for the home series against Ryukyu.

Broncos trainer/strength and conditioning coach Takahisa Yamaguchi remains in charge during Shimoji¡¯s absence.

Shimoji, 38, has not coached a game since Dec. 7.

The Broncos are 0-20 in Shimoji¡¯s first season at the helm. They went 5-47 under Takatoshi Ishibashi in 2013-14.