Last year I wrote a piece about why the NBA All-Star selection process was flawed, and this year I’m going to do the same- but in more of a presumptuous manner. Last year I identified that the selection process included a numbered ranking system based on the three factors in the voting (fans, players, and the media) allowed the fan vote to have an influence on the outcome that would prevent deserving players a realistic chance at making the team. This year’s selection process is going to be draft-based by a captain. This will abandon the traditional East v. West precedent, which I’m not particularly a fan of. This new style could allow LeBron James and Kevin Durant to play on the same team, but hopefully these changes will make the game more competitive.

The players available for selection, however, will be based on the same voting process. The selection will be determined by 50% fan voting, 25% players and coaches, and 25% media. Click here to see more about how these factors are taken into account. After careful consideration of the voting returns and the reported statistics, here are 5 players who will undeservingly miss out on the midseason game, and 5 who undeservingly will be in Los Angeles. I’ll start with the 5 players that should be on the team, but won’t be.

Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Buckets, a new member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, has brought a new look to the underachieving Western Conference cellar dweller who are now 4th in the West at 27-16, 6.5 games back of Golden State. Butler leads the team in scoring at 21.6 PPG (10th in the NBA), and is 2nd in assists at 5.2 APG, and his 1.95 steals per game are 3rd in the West. His presence has clearly revamped the Minnesota playing style of extreme youth that lies in Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, who have established themselves as very talented young players. Butler currently 9th in Western Conference guard voting, 480,000 votes out of the top 5. I hope that his fellow players find a way to get him in as the media and Minnesota fans are not doing him any justice.

Devin Booker

Devin Booker showed just what he’s capable of last season as he scored 70 points in a late-season game against a stout Boston Celtics defense. Last year, he struggled to retain form throughout the year and his statistics were not special enough to garner him as an elite player in the league. He generally was never considered to be consistent, averaging 22.1 points on more than 18 shots per game last year. This year, he is 7th in the West in scoring at 24.9 PPG on the same amount of shots per game, and also has the 4th lowest assist to turnover ratio. He’s also shooting the 3-ball at 39.4%, up from his 36.3% last year. He’s definitely not a starter, but definitely deserves a trip to Los Angeles.

Tobias Harris

This one is a little bit of a stretch… but I think Tobias Harris is one of the most underrated players in the NBA alongside Al Horford and Bradley Beal. Harris is nowhere to be seen on the fan voting returns, mostly because the Detroit Pistons are team that’s hovering around the end of the playoff picture in the East. Harris is averging just under 19 PPG, nothing to write home about. What’s astounding is he’s doing so in just 32 minutes per game on the floor. He’s also near the NBA’s elite in 3-point shooting this season at 43.9% (6th in the East). I truly believe that the lack of Detroit voting is going to forever prevent players from making the All-Star game. But I believe Harris deserves to be there more than fellow Piston Andre Drummond, and 76er’s rookie Ben Simmons, who averages less points in more minutes, but is somehow 3rd in Eastern Conference guard voting behind Kyrie Irving and DeMar DeRozan.

Karl-Anthony Towns

Karl-Anthony Towns does everything at an extremely high level. He averages 20 and 10, is 3rd in the West in blocks and 2nd in rebounds, shoots the three at over 40%, which is stellar for a big man, and has played the 2nd most minutes in the West, only behind teammate Andrew Wiggins. This guy does it all, but sits at 9th in Western forward voting. Sadly, Minnesota fans are not appreciative of their revamped Timberwolves team. The talk of the league also does not suggest that he is particularly impressed by his fellow players. It would be a shame for Towns to not be considered an All-Star, as he will more than likely make an All-NBA team for the first time.

Bradley Beal

The 5th year man out of Florida might be the purest shooter in the NBA behind Steph Curry. He recently achieved his career high in points scored in a game with 51, and also became the youngest player to make 700 3-pointers. He currently is 9th in Eastern Conference guard voting, while his teammate John Wall is 6th. His 23.6 PPG are 7th in the East, more than 4 more than Wall and plays more minutes than his 4x All-Star teammate as well. Out of all of these players, I think Beal deserves his first All-Star nod more than anyone on this list. Being a Celtics fan, it is controversial for me to like Beal, but his game suggests that he has the one of the most under-appreciated talents in the league. He likely will not make it to the midseason showdown.

And now the 5 players that really should not be there:

Manu Ginobili

The 40-year old Argentinian is 5th in Western Conference guard voting, for absolutely no reason. He doesn’t start, is nowhere to be found near the top of any statistical leaderboard. Ginobili has had a few good games this year off the bench, but there is a key phrase there. “Off the bench” should be an immediate red flag for All-Star game selection. I truly don’t understand how Ginobili can get more than 600,000 fan votes, while LaMarcus Aldridge, how is far superior at the game than he is liked, can’t get more than 350,000. The only 40-year old allowed to make an All-Star team of any sort is Tom Brady, we all know that.

Kevin Love

Kevin Love averages just under 20 PPG, which is fine. Love is currently 5th in Eastern frontcourt fan voting, which is also about right. I just don’t see any reason for Love to be seen in Los Angeles unless he’s in the 3-point contest, because that’s all he seems to do. He doesn’t do anything flashy, Just catches and sometimes makes corner 3’s and rebounds the ball at a slightly above average level. I hope Boston fans have gotten their act together to get Al Horford in, who is much more deserving of the selection.

Dwayne Wade

Dwayne Wade continues to play well as he ages, but he and Ginobili have something in common: they come off the BENCH. Wade is somehow 5th in Eastern Conference guard voting, in front of John Wall and Kyle Lowry, who are far more worthy of a selection based on both team roles, minutes, and statistics. Wade is capable of playing the ball that would get him onto an All-Star team if he played for, say, the Sacramento Kings. He’s capable of scoring 25+ PPG, but a trip to L.A. for Wade would mean the robbery of someone else’s selection, like Bradley Beal.

Paul George OR Carmelo Anthony

“Why this picture?” You may ask. “Raise your hand if you deserve an All-Star selection,” is probably what was asked of these three when the picture was taken. The new Big-3 in Oklahoma City is very underachieving, and the only reason Russell Westbrook will be headed to Los Angeles is because he is a statistical monster. He does everything right. George and Anthony are just glorified scorers. One is very overrated, and the other is past his prime. I don’t understand how Carmelo made the Eastern team last year, and I will not understand if he makes it this year. George and Anthony are 5th and 7th in Western forward voting. If anything, it should be George if one of these two should make it. Barely.

Hopefully the selection process will allow the deserving players make the trip, and the players who don’t to be more motivated to help their teams in the second half of the season.

Posted by Hempdad

Sports Writer, Scratch Golfer, Momentum Provider Skidmore '19