Wakil Atig
Sports Editor
Besides the NBA Finals, March Madness, and any news concerning LeBron James, basketball fans around the world salivate over All-Star weekend. All-Star weekend is a time for the best players from the eastern and western conferences to compete and represent their respective teams.
With All-Star weekend being in Chicago this year for the first time since 1988, fans around the world are anticipating nothing less than excitement from the players.
Over the years, the NBA has implemented a variety of voting methods to choose who will represent both teams. Fan voting, player and coach voting has all been a part of the process. Recently as of 2018, instead of their being an eastern and western conference team, there are now two captains that pick their team. Fans vote for the captain, starters and reserves.
This has given basketball players an opportunity to see some of their favorite players on the same team despite them being from separate conferences. For example, eastern conference point guard, Kyrie Irving could possibly be teamed up with western conference shooting guard, James Harden.
But what has the eyebrows raised raised of many with common sense is what is the criteria to become an All-Star? Is it based on popularity, skills, or politics? These are the questions that basketball fans have around the world since the list of final participants has been announced.
Devin Booker, a mild mannered shooting guard from the Phoenix Suns has been a force to be wreckin with since he entered the league back in 2015. He averages a smooth 26.8 points per game to go along with nearly 7 assists. He not only wasn’t named a starter, but he didn’t even make the reserves.
That can be hard to conceive considering players like Kyle Lowry and Domantas Sabonis average less in scoring and made the team despite not being as talented as Booker. Also amongst the many players to be snubbed by voters are Bradley Beal and Derrick Rose. These are two players that have definitely improved their game from the season before and made a mark this season so far.
Bradley Beal, similar to Devin Booker, is a versatile scoring machine. In fact, he and Booker are the only players in 35 years to average 26+ points per game without making the All-Star team. Beal averages 29 points per game and has been carrying the load for the Washington Wizards without their star point guard, John Wall.
Derrick Rose, whose career has been a rollercoaster ride since the moment he tore his ACL back in 2012, has returned back to his original form. A relentless offensive threat that commands the defenses attention all time. Rose has been essential to the success of the Detroit Pistons coming off the bench. Rose averages a little over 20 points per game and is playing at a high level. A lot of fans would have liked to see Derrick Rose be an All-Star considering the fact that this year’s game is in his hometown.
Keimyia Lewis, a sophomore social work major from Chicago, Ill., is not too pleased that Derrick Rose is not an all-star.
“I don’t really follow basketball as much as others, but being from Chicago I know how much Derrick Rose means to the city. He gives kids from all over the city inspiration to want to be great. I just feel like by the game finally coming back to Chicago, it would’ve been a no brainer to have him play in front of the city,” said Lewis.
Marcus Haynes, a junior physical education major from Pascagoula, Miss., remembers a time when All-Star weekend was exciting.
“I just feel like this year the NBA has done a little too much and has lost the fans with the new rules. I mean how does a player like Devin Booker not make the team? He has been top 5 at his position for the last three years,” said Haynes.
Be First to Comment