NBA All-Star fan voting has come to an end so it is time for me to put out my ballot for the 12 roster spots in each conference. The teams are chosen with 4 guards, 6 forwards and 2 wild card players. This year is going to be divided into 3 teams of 8 drafted by Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith. There will be a tournament between those three teams and the winner of the Rising Stars Challenge. The league is hoping this will add more competitiveness to the event, though it probably won’t. With that, let’s get into it.
West
Starters
G: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
This is the year for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to win the MVP. With his averages 31.5 points, 6.1 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game and the Thunder being the top seed in the West, SGA is having an elite season and is the front runner for MVP right now.
G: Anthony Edwards
The Timberwolves have been one of the disappointments of the NBA but Edwards has been very good. Averaging 26.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, Edwards has had another awesome season on what is a disappointing team.
F: Kevin Durant
The Suns have also been disappointing but Durant has been awesome. Averaging 27.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists Durant has been a bright spot for the Suns this season.
F: LeBron James
The Lakers have been up and down this season and so has LeBron. With averages of 23.8 points, 8.9 assists and 7.4 rebounds, LeBron hasn’t been scoring like he did in seasons past but he has played well and has earned a starting spot on the All-Star team.
F: Nikola Jokic
Jokic is having maybe his best season yet, averaging 30.1 points, 13.2 rebounds and 9.9 assists. An all-time caliber season so it will be interesting to see if the Nuggets can become a true contender in the West.
Bench
G: Devin Booker
Booker shooting percentages are down but he is still having a solid season. The Suns are still very reliant on Booker for their offense as they score 5.2 more points per 100 possessions with Booker on the court than when he is not.
G: Stephen Curry
Curry is taking less shots so his scoring is down but all his shooting percentages are at the same spot they were a season ago. However his assists, rebounds and steals per game are up from a season ago. It is also Steph Curry so he gets my vote to be an All-Star.
F: Victor Wembanyama
After an outstanding rookie season, Victor Wembanyama is having an even better season in year 2. Averaging 24.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.0 blocks (yes, blocks) per game on shooting splits of .47/.35/.85, all up from a season ago, there is no sophomore slump for Wemby this season.
F: Domantas Sabonis
Leading the league in rebounding and three point percentage, Sabonis is having an awesome season. Averaging 20.8 points, a league leading 14.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game, Sabonis has been the main reason for Sacramento’s recent turnaround.
F: Anthony Davis
We don’t talk about how good Anthony Davis is nearly enough, he is so good and so fun to watch. With averages of 25.6 points and 11.8 rebounds, Davis is having yet another great season.
WC: Norman Powell
All-Star Norm Powell, you say? That’s right, it is the first time that Powell is averaging over 20 points per game, at 23.7, on shooting splits of .49/.44/83. He has been a key reason to the Clippers being over .500 with Kawhi Leonard missing so much time.
WC: Jaren Jackson Jr.
Triple J has been awesome for the Grizzlies this season, averaging 22.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Their defense is far better with Jackson on the floor than when he is not, 4.5 points per 100 possessions better.
East
Starters
G: Jalen Brunson
Brunson has taken more of a playmaker role this season with the additions of Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. His scoring is down but his assists numbers are up, 26.2 points and 7.4 assists per game after 28.7 points and 6.7 assists per game last season. Brunson has had another great season for the Knicks.
G: Donovan Mitchell
The Cavaliers are 36-6, owners of the best record in the NBA, that is what pushed Mitchell into the second starting spot. His numbers are down averaging 23.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game but Mitchell’s backseat has allowed the Cavs to take a huge leap this season.
F: Jayson Tatum
Tatum is following up his championship with a better season than he had a year ago. After a shooting slump in the playoffs, Tatum’s three pointer has come and gone throughout the season this year. However, the rest of his game is still at that high level it always has been. Averaging 27.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists, Jayson Tatum is having another All-NBA caliber season.
F: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Antetokounmpo is having another monster season averaging 31.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists. Though the Bucks have been up and down the Greek Freak has not been and he is the reason Milwaukee is able to stay afloat in the east.
F: Karl Anthony-Towns
Through his first half season in Manhattan, KAT has been as good as the Knicks could have dreamed. He has completely changed New York’s spacing and their offense as a whole, the Knicks score 7.2 points more per 100 possessions when Towns is on the court than when he is not.
Bench
G: Trae Young
There were some Trae Young trade rumors this summer and it sounds like no one wanted him. We often forget how good at basketball Young truly is. He is averaging 23.3 points and a league leading 11.7 assists per game and keeps the Hawks functioning as they try to make the playoffs.
G: Cade Cunningham
The Pistons have been the story of the league this season and Cunningham has been a huge part of that. Averaging 24.5 points, 9.3 assists and 6.5 rebounds per game and with the Pistons being 22-21, Cunningham is going to be an All-Star.
F: Evan Mobley
Mobley has had his best NBA season this year and it coincides with the Cavs best season since the championship year in 2016. That is not a coincidence. Averaging 18.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, the Cavaliers are 5.6 points per 100 possessions better with Mobley on the court than when he is off the court.
F: Jaylen Brown
The reigning Finals MVP is having another All-Star season, even though the Celtics have struggled as of late. Averaging 23.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and a career high 4.8 assists per game this season, Jaylen Brown is having another elite season.
F: Pascal Siakam
This was a tough one that came down to Siakam and Jarrett Allen and would have been Franz Wagner had he stayed healthy. However, Siakam won out due to the Pacers relyance on him on both sides of the court. Scoring 20.5 points a night, the Pacers are 9.7 points better on defense when Siakam is on the floor than when he is not. Siakam has been the Pacers best player this season.
WC: LaMelo Ball
Ball is having a very good season numbers wise and is leading Eastern Conference guards in the fan vote. The wins just have not been there for Charlotte for me to have him as a starter. However, averaging 29.3 points, 7.6 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game will get him onto my ballot.
WC: Tyler Herro
This last spot was between Herro and Damian Lillard and Herro won out due to him becoming the top option on a pretty good Miami team. Averaging 24.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists, Miami’s offense plummets by 7.8 per 100 possessions when Herro is not on the court.
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