The rosters for the 2015 NBA All-Star Game were announced on Thursday, and as expected a mix of shock and stoicism rippled through the players and fans alike as the selections were announced.
For the East Team, John Wall and Kyle Lowry will be at the guard positions, with Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Pau Gasol in the frontcourt.
For the West, Steph Curry and Kobe Bryant have been selected at one and two, while Blake Griffin, Marc Gasol and Anthony Davis will be manning the forward and centre spots.
Nobody can disagree with the selection of Steph Curry – the Warriors have been lighting it up all season, and a big reason is due to the play of their point guard. Kobe is where fans have the hang-up; having just been diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder, he is expected to be out for the season.
Despite these setbacks, he currently holds the record for most consecutive NBA All-Star selections at 16, being selected from 2000 all the way through until 2015.
Nobody is denying that Kobe is one of the most competitive players in the NBA. His willingness to play through adversity is unmatched. But the fact that he has been selected as an All-Star for the second straight year when he won’t even be able to play is unfair on the other great players in the NBA.
What about James Harden, who is the best shooting guard in the league right now? Or Klay Thompson, who put up a record-breaking 37 points in a single quarter on Friday night? What about the other great guards like Chris Paul, Damian Lillard and Russell Westbrook? Kobe got in on his name, and not his play, for a second year.
Davis, Gasol and Griffin are all worthy in most people’s eyes. Yes, there were some big exclusions in the West, most notably that of Kevin Durant. Big time players such as Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard and Dirk Nowitzki all missed out too.
Moving onto the East, Lowry’s play, combined with the Raptors 28-15 record, has earned the Philadelphia native his first All-Star selection. Wall continues to prove why he’s one of the most electrifying point guards in the league, helping the Wizards to a 29-14 record, second in the Eastern Conference, one spot ahead of Toronto.
At first glance, one would be forgiven for being slightly outraged at the East frontcourt, before realising that they’re probably the best three forwards in the East. No doubt that Pau is deserving, enjoying a renaissance in Chicago and locking down the paint with Joakim Noah (who finished eighth in Eastern frontcourt voting).
The issue many fans have is with the selection of LeBron and Carmelo, who both appeared to have gotten in on their name rather than their play, much like Kobe. There is no question that LeBron is one of the best players in the league, and one of the most popular – not only was he second in total votes to Steph Curry, who garnered over 1.5 million, but he beat out Kevin Durant, the reigning MVP.
However, it still stands that the Cavaliers are 24-20, and only with a recent five-game winning streak (that coincided with LeBron’s return to the floor) have they managed to go over .500. Is that winning streak proof of LeBron’s talent? Sure, but the Cavs have still under-performed, and LeBron has not played at an All-Star level.
Melo’s selection is even more ludicrous, and that’s coming from a Knicks fan. Much like LeBron, Carmelo has sat out a number of games due to niggling injuries. For someone to be playing at an All-Star level, they have to energise their team to success – I don’t think an NBA worst 8-37 record is worthy of an All-Star selection.
With every year that rolls around, there will be always be players who fans feel warrant an All-Star selection. There will be players, like Kobe, LeBron and Carmelo, who despite their play on the court will always be selected due to their persona and popularity off the court. For now, we will sit back, relax and enjoy the 64th instalment of the NBA All-Star Game in New York City.
We can only hope the fans get it right next year.
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