Only 12 players from the Eastern Conference and only 12 players from the Western Conference receive the honor of being called NBA All-Stars every single season. After the five starters from both conferences were announced a week ago, highlighted by LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the NBA revealed the seven remaining All-Star reserves from each conference during TNT NBA Tip-Off on Thursday night.
Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard were named the four other starters in the East alongside Antetokounmpo, while the reserves are Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, Jaylen Brown, Bam Adebayo, Tyrese Maxey, Paolo Banchero, and Julius Randle.
In the West, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Kevin Durant join James in the starting lineup, while the reserves are Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Devin Booker.
When you look at the 24 players that will be All-Stars this season, there is really nothing bad to be said. However, some of the league’s best were left off this year’s All-Star roster, making them the biggest NBA All-Star snubs. If anything has become clear, it is that commissioner Adam Silver and the league need to expand these roster sizes, allowing for more All-Stars to be named.
Nonetheless, the discussion coming from the All-Star Game rosters being announced is not focused on those we should be honoring. Instead, the spotlight has been cast on those who were not selected and left wondering what else they needed to do in order to make it to All-Star Weekend.
As a result, here are the biggest 2024 NBA All-Star Game snubs, starting with a pair of teammates who made last season’s All-Star Game.
Domantas Sabonis – Sacramento Kings
Currently leading the league in rebounding and double-doubles, as well as ranking second in triple-doubles, it is absolutely crazy to see Domantas Sabonis left off of this year’s All-Star roster. Obviously, Nikola Jokic deserves to be the starting center of the Western Conference during All-Star Weekend. However, one could make a really strong argument that Sabonis has had a better season than Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis, who made it in over Sabonis. This is absolutely true when comparing Sabonis to Karl-Anthony Towns, who got in because of his team’s record.
Not to mention, Sabonis and the Sacramento Kings are fifth in the West right now. Not seeing Sabonis in the 2024 All-Star Game should signal to the NBA that it is time to expand these rosters because this snub is ridiculous. Quite honestly, there is nothing else Sabonis could’ve done in order to improve his All-Star resume.
De’Aaron Fox has proven to be a better scorer this season than he was last year, when he was named an All-Star. In fact, Fox is even shooting a career-high 38 percent from three-point range with a higher usage rate. How could the Kings guard possibly be one of the biggest snubs in the NBA All-Star voting?
This right here is yet another example of why the NBA needs to tack on two more spots in the All-Star Game. Fox has played like an All-Star this season, and he is the Kings’ best player. If the All-Star Game was positionless, he probably would have earned such honors over others. Currently ranking 9th in scoring and helping the Kings move back up to the 5-seed in the Western Conference after some sluggish weeks last month, it’s definitely puzzling to see Fox left off of the Western Conference All-Star list.
The likeliest reason for Jimmy Butler being left out of this year’s All-Star Game is due to the Miami Heat struggling in the Eastern Conference. Team success definitely plays a role in who the coaches pick as All-Star reserves, and Butler’s Heat have lost seven of their last eight games to fall to 25-23 overall. With Bam Adebayo being viewed as the better All-Star candidate this season, it is hard to come up with an argument for two players from a team in the play-in tournament region of the standings to be honored.
Butler has also missed a total of 15 games this season. Availability ended up being a key reason why he was a snub from last year’s All-Star Game as well. In 33 games this season, Butler has averaged 21.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 49.8 percent from the floor and a career-high 43.7 percent from three-point range. An elite two-way wing who always shows up in the biggest moments, Butler’s only focus is on getting the Heat back to the playoffs to try and reclaim their Eastern Conference championship title.
It is certainly possible that Butler ends up being named an All-Star due to Julius Randle’s shoulder injury.
Kristaps Porzingis – Boston Celtics
It seems like the Boston Celtics have sat at the top of the Eastern Conference standings since the very start of the year. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were both named All-Stars, but it just feels right for the best team in the league to have three players in the event. That is why it is a little shocking to see Kristaps Porzingis left off this year’s list.
In his first season with the Celtics, Porzingis has been fantastic, averaging 19.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 52.1 percent from the floor. Boston has been searching for a way to bring in an impactful frontcourt player last offseason, and Porzingis has been everything they had hoped for. A very efficient scorer who has clearly made a difference in the Celtics’ championship pursuit, it does come as a little bit of a shock to see the Latvian big man land as a one of the many NBA All-Star snubs.
Trae Young finds himself in a similar boat as Butler in the sense that he didn’t make the All-Star Game because of where his team falls in the standings. As good of a player as Young is, the Atlanta Hawks find themselves at 20-27 on the season, barely holding onto a play-in tournament spot in the East. Compared to the likes of Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Maxey, who have made a direct impact on their team’s championship aspirations, Young’s impressive numbers are not viewed as highly.
In a total of 42 games, Young has averaged 27.0 points, 10.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 36.8 percent from three-point range. The Hawks guard currently ranks 10th in scoring, seventh in threes made, and second behind Tyrese Haliburton in assists. Not making the All-Star Game with these numbers is certainly a disappointment for Young and the Hawks.
James Harden – Los Angeles Clippers
Although things did not appear to be going well when he first arrived to the Los Angeles Clippers, James Harden has suddenly helped this organization become one of the best teams in the entire league. In fact, the Clippers have lost just five games since the start of December. Harden’s numbers have declined as a result of playing alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, but he has still been one of the most efficient guards in the league when it comes to effective field goal percentage and VORP, also known as Value Above Replacement Player.
The Clippers had been searching for a reliable facilitator and playmaker alongside their stars. After trading for Harden, Los Angeles’ offense opened up tremendously. It is definitely not a coincidence that this team went from ranking 16th in offensive efficiency last season to now being inside the top five with Harden.
Again, like Irving, Harden was left off the All-Star roster because there were simply not enough spots for him. This is especially true since The Beard is the third-best player on his team.
The defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets have two star players: Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Unfortunately, there is so much talent in the Western Conference, resulting in Murray always being overlooked when it is time to name the All-Stars.
Murray has had yet another fantastic season for the Nuggets, averaging 21.2 points and 6.4 assists per game while shooting 41.4 percent from three-point range. What stands out about Murray’s stats compared to others is the fact that he has only played in 35 of Denver’s 49 games this season. Once again, availability and injuries impacted the star guard’s chances of being highlighted during All-Star Weekend.
Kyrie Irving – Dallas Mavericks
Injuries always play a role in who does and doesn’t make the All-Star Game. For Kyrie Irving, his entire season has been derailed by his inability to remain on the court. Irving has played in just 27 of the Dallas Mavericks’ 48 games this year, just over half of the year so far.
Although he is averaging 25.2 points and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 41.1 percent from three-point range, Irving just hasn’t played enough games to be considered an All-Star. It wouldn’t make much sense if he were to be in the All-Star Game over, say a player like Anthony Edwards, who is a young star that has taken his team to new heights while remaining on the court. The Mavs guard was never going to get in over Curry and Edwards, plus it’s hard to make a firm argument for him pertaining to one of the final two utility spots.
Irving is simply an All-Star talent that did not meet the unwritten requirements for this year’s festivities.
Victor Wembanyama – San Antonio Spurs
Everybody in the league always talks about how incredible Victor Wembanyama is. Every time he takes the floor, it is must-see television. The San Antonio Spurs are 10-38, the third-worst record in the NBA, but Wembanyama is what the people want to see!
In 42 games, the rookie phenom has averaged 20.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and a league-high 3.2 blocks per game. His 22 double-doubles rank 14th in the league. Wemby has been everything the Spurs had hoped for when they landed the first overall pick last summer, and the improvements he has made since entering the league are vast. If he wasn’t a rookie, there is a good chance Wembanyama would have been in the All-Star Game. The Spurs rookie is certainly one of the biggest snubs in the NBA All-Star Game
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