The Eastern and Western Conference All-Star reserves were announced on Thursday. Every year, players from both conferences get snubbed from being an All-Star.
This year, it seems that there are three from each conference that have been snubbed. Players such as Jaylen Brown, Bradley Beal, and Zach LaVine are having tremendous seasons with their respective teams but did not get selected.
Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards is having yet another year of dominance. The former All-Star is averaging 28.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.3 assists with shooting splits of 45 percent from the field and 51 percent with effective field goal percentage. He has been a two-time All-Star prior to this year and is currently on a John Wall-less Washington Wizards team, fighting hard to win games on a roster that does not help him. Beal is deserving of an All-Star spot over some of the players that have been named.
Jaylen Brown is having another breakout year with the Boston Celtics as he continues to grow in the NBA. Jaylen Brown has never been an All-Star in his career. However, this year was supposed to be different. Brown is averaging 20.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals. Brown has improved every aspect of his game and is one of the leaders of the Celtics’ regime as he is shooting 49 percent from the field and 39 percent from three. These numbers are incredible when compared to others that made the All-Star selection. The 23-year-old guard/forward is becoming one of the NBA’s brightest future stars and is helping the Celtics to become one of the better teams in the league.
Zach LaVine has played fantastically on a struggling Chicago Bulls team, basically carrying a team full of young talent to a promising future. LaVine has impressed many in the All-Star weekend before. Although he was never selected as an All-Star, LaVine has participated in the Dunk Contest a few times. LaVine has upgraded his game from just being an explosive dunker into becoming one of the better guards in the Eastern Conference. Averaging 25.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists, LaVine has been one of the most consistent players this season. Although his Chicago Bulls are struggling slightly with a young roster, LaVine has been a bright spot for the team.
For the Western Conference, players such as Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker and DeMar DeRozan should have received spots on the roster.
Karl-Anthony Towns is a franchise player putting up big numbers on a depleted Minnesota Timberwolves team. Towns is averaging a double-double (26.9 points and 10.7 rebounds) and has been the leader of the Minnesota Timberwolves this year. The 24-year-old center is arguably one of the best big men in the league. He has proven that by being named an All-Star the past two years. There should be absolutely no reason to leave out the NBA’s best center from All-Star weekend.
Devin Booker has yet again been snubbed for an All-Star appearance; what more can he possibly do to finally get the nod? Just like Damian Lillard early in his career, it seems as if voters, players, and coaches are sleeping on the young guard from Phoenix. Booker is yet again having a tremendous season for the Suns. Averaging 27.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists, Booker is looking at a possible All-NBA selection. Yet, he won’t be an All-Star.
DeMar Derozan isn’t the typical All-Star this year. His team, the San Antonio Spurs, has been quite disappointing this year, but even with his team’s lack of success, Derozan has been one of the league’s most efficient players. Shooting 53.5 percent from the field as a guard is incredible. He is averaging 23 points a night along with five rebounds and assists. Although he lacks a three-point game, his efficiency should be rewarded with an All-Star selection.
