It’s that time of year again, where the entire NBA All-Star Game roster is confirmed and we dwell on the biggest snubs.
There’s not much of a case to be made against those who have been selected. It speaks to the league’s talent depth of the league that there are players missing out on the game who will still be good enough for All-NBA consideration come the end of the season.
The league’s fourth- and seventh-leading scorers aren’t there, nor the league’s top rebounder. The league leader in assists? No place for him, either.
What has been historically proven when it comes to the All-Star reserve spots — selections made by the 30 head coaches — is team records play a significant role. If it were purely down to ability and individual performance, these rosters might look a little different.
How different? Here are the six biggest snubs based on performance this season:
Domantas Sabonis – Sacramento Kings
2024-25 stats: 20.9 PTS, 14.5 REB, 6.6 AST
This is the third straight season Sabonis is leading the league in rebounding. It’s not as if he’s some sort of rebounding specialist, either. He averages 20.9 points and is second among centers in assists behind only Nikola Jokic.
Sabonis also leads the league in double-doubles, is third in triple-doubles and his shooting percentages are terrific. So, what gives?
It appears this big man spot came down to a battle between him and fellow European Alperen Şengün. The Houston Rockets center has the advantage of a better team that sits second in the West standings. Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings are a disappointing 24-23.
Coaches may also have a microscope on Sabonis’s defense, believing he doesn’t offer the rim protection a big man should. He also doesn’t defend the pick-and-roll too well. This is an All-Star game, though, where defense is far from a priority.
Trae Young – Atlanta Hawks
2024-25 stats: 22.5 PTS, 3.3 REB, 11.4 AST, 1.3 STL
Here we have the NBA’s league leader in assists. Trae Young is having a strong year, even if his scoring is down from the last couple seasons. Getting him on the ball more via the departure of Dejounte Murray has brought back some vintage Young moments, especially in the clutch.
In fact, Young also leads the league in clutch points this season with 86. That has included shooting 40.7 percent from three in the big moments and his team is a plus-27 in those crunch-time minutes when he’s on the floor.
One has to wonder just how much recency bias figured into Young’s exclusion, as the Atlanta Hawks are currently riding a seven-game losing streak. At 22-26 and ninth in the East, it’s not a bulletproof case.
Tyrese Maxey – Philadelphia 76ers
2024-25 stats: 27.1 PTS, 3.5 REB, 6.0 AST, 1.9 STL
Someone who perhaps should have had recency bias work more in his favor is Tyrese Maxey. Through 15 January games, Maxey has put up a monstrous 29.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.8 steals.
He has almost singlehandedly kept the Philadelphia 76ers relevant in the Play-In Tournament picture and has had some clutch moments himself. He is tied with Young for the most clutch points this season at 86 and has done so while shooting 55.2 percent on twos, 38.9 percent on threes and 84.6 percent at the free-throw line.
Coaches seem to be holding Philadelphia’s dismal record (19-27) relative to expectations against him. There’s only so much he can do with Joel Embiid having missed most of the season and Paul George spending a decent chunk of time on the shelf as well.
Nikola Vucevic – Chicago Bulls
2024-25 stats: 19.8 PTS, 10.3 REB, 3.4 AST, 0.9 STL
There’s a reason his name has consistently floated around in trade rumors all season. Nikola Vucevic may have defensive faults but his offensive numbers have been terrific this season.
He is shooting a career-best 61.7 percent on twos, 39.3 percent on threes and 82 percent at the foul line. He is also sixth in the league in double-doubles. It’s really hard to top all of that as a big man.
It’s certainly debatable whether Zach LaVine or Vucevic is the bigger snub from the Bulls. But considering the guard depth in the East, Vucevic probably had a more realistic path to an All-Star spot, not that it mattered in the end.
Kyrie Irving – Dallas Mavericks
2024-25 stats: 24.2 PTS, 4.6 REB, 4.9 AST, 1.2 STL
If All-Star selections were based purely on entertainment value, Irving would be a lock to start every game. He is as skilled with the Spalding in his hands as they come, and has thrived in the eight All-Star appearances he’s had thus far, including winning MVP in 2013-14.
His numbers are great, and one would have thought Luka Doncic’s absence would have made for a better case for Irving. For example, Devin Booker’s case was difficult to make because the Phoenix Suns probably don’t deserve two All-Stars (Kevin Durant was named as a starter) with a 24-22 record.
The man who has been rewarded for winning is Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder. That’s likely why the Dallas Mavericks will have no All-Star presence at the big game, despite a 26-22 record.
LaMelo Ball – Charlotte Hornets
2024-25 stats: 28.2 PTS, 5.3 REB, 7.3 AST, 1.4 STL
If LaMelo Ball is seeking solace, he can at least take pride in the fact he led fan voting for the All-Star Game. If he’s looking to add a chip on his shoulder, he can taste the bitterness of landing seventh in media voting.
He is fourth in the league in scoring and is another player who would thoroughly entertain in an All-Star environment. His funky passes and one-legged threes would make for a fun watch but that’s not how the coaches — or media for that matter — were thinking.
The bottom line is the Charlotte Hornets sit 14th in the East at 12-32. His defense is probably a bit too carefree and undisciplined, and missing 13 games to this point doesn’t help, either.
