Yahoo Movies The biggest 2023 All-Star snubs
Just like every other year, it was difficult for the NBA’s fans, coaches and players to come up with just 24 All-Stars.
After the starters for the 2022-23 game – LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic from the West and Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyrie Irving, Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum out of the East – were announced, the league had just 14 more All-Star spots to fill, meaning multiple players were going to be snubbed.
And, of course, that was just the case, as there are simply too many All-Star-level players these days for merely 24 spots.
Regardless, here are the biggest All-Star snubs for the 2022-23 NBA season.
Trae Young (Atlanta)
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Between the Atlanta Hawks’ disappointing season and Trae Young’s issues with head coach Nate McMillan, the campaign as a whole has been a letdown for Young and Atlanta fans alike, culminating in an All-Star snub for a player who has received the honor twice already in his career. Young’s numbers are down and his efficiency has bottomed out in a pretty ugly manner, but he’s still putting up 27.0 points and 9.9 assists per game, All-Star-level numbers for the player who will almost certainly receive the accolade again in his career.
For a list of Trae Young’s other accolades and a scouting report, click here.
Anthony Edwards (Minnesota)
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After a slightly slow start to the season, Anthony Edwards has exploded over recent weeks, putting up nearly 30 points and over six rebounds and five assists nightly to go with almost two takeaways per game since mid-January, a stretch in which the Minnesota Timberwolves have won more than they have lost. Edwards will have to wait at least one more year for the first All-Star nod of his career, an honor we are sure is coming at some point, as the explosive 2-guard is a monster scorer, a respectable rebounder and creator, and a disruptive defender.
For a list of Anthony Edwards’ other accolades and a scouting report, click here.
Jalen Brunson (New York)
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In his first year in New York and tasked with the all-important job of Knicks starting point guard, Jalen Brunson has handled the newfound responsibility with aplomb, playing some of the best basketball we’ve seen from a Knicks point guard in quite some time, making this snub all the more confusing. Brunson is putting up over 22 points and six assists nightly and has New York comfortably in a playoff position just a year after it missed out on the postseason festivities.
For a list of Jalen Brunson’s other accolades and a scouting report, click here.
Pascal Siakam (Toronto)
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This one doesn’t require much overthinking, as if it were not for the Toronto Raptors having their worst season in quite some time, with trade rumors surrounding the franchise like a black cloud on an ugly day, Pascal Siakam would have been an All-Star this year. Siakam is averaging career-highs in points (right around 25) and assists (six-plus) in 2022-23, to go with roughly eight rebounds nightly, All-Star-level marks through and through. Still, with the Raptors languishing on the campaign despite a very solid roster, Siakam got snubbed for the All-Star Game anyway.
For a list of Pascal Siakam’s other accolades and a scouting report, click here.
Jimmy Butler (Miami)
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Missed time is the primary culprit for Jimmy Butler’s absence in this year’s All-Star game, as Butler has missed 15 games already this season, which has made it difficult for the Miami Heat to find a true rhythm to this point in the campaign. Still, when he’s been out there, Butler remains an All-Star-level player and a borderline All-NBA guy, ranking Top 5 in BPM on the year and Top 2 in Win Shares per 48 Minutes.
For a list of Jimmy Butler’s other accolades and a scouting report, click here.
De'Aaron Fox (Sacramento)
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It might surprise you to learn De’Aaron Fox has yet to garner one single accolade from his NBA career, not even 1st or 2nd Team All-Rookie, as the trend continues this year now that he is officially an All-Star snub. That is unless he makes one of the three All-NBA Teams or an All-Defensive Team at year’s end. Fox was a shocking omission from this year’s All-Star festivities, as he’s been possibly the Kings’ best player in a year they look playoff-bound for the first time in 16 seasons.
For a list of De’Aaron Fox’s other accolades and a scouting report, click here.
Darius Garland (Cleveland)
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After earning his first career All-Star nod last season, Darius Garland surprisingly missed out on the honor this year despite the Cleveland Cavaliers performing like one of the best teams in the East on the campaign. Garland’s stagnation in production this year compared to last might have something to do with that, as his numbers have remained roughly around what they were last year, even with the addition of an All-Star backcourt mate to the fold in Mitchell, a player who demands a lot of the ball in his hands to succeed.
For a list of Darius Garland’s other accolades and a scouting report, click here.
Aaron Gordon (Denver)
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With the Denver Nuggets performing like favorites in the Western Conference this season and Aaron Gordon being arguably the team’s second-most impactful player, there were many who believed that might have led to first-time All-Star honors for the high-flying swingman. Alas, it was not to be for Gordon, which is somewhat reasonable considering how loaded the NBA is with talent and how mundane his numbers (not even 17 points and seven rebounds per game) appear to be. Still, a closer examination shows us how crazy Gordon’s two-way impact has been, as the Nuggets are an astronomical 20-plus points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor.
For a list of Aaron Gordon’s other accolades and a scouting report, click here.
Devin Booker (Phoenix)
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This one isn’t hard to figure out either, as Devin Booker has played in just three games since early December, causing him to miss out on being an All-Star this season. Had he been healthy, there’s little chance he would not have received the honor, as Booker was putting up a career-high 27.1 points per game before going down.
For a list of Devin Booker’s other accolades and a scouting report, click here.
Anthony Davis (LA Lakers)
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Another injury-related All-Star casualty, Anthony Davis misses out on All-Star honors for the second season in a row. There’s no doubt when he’s out there, Davis remains an All-NBA-level player. The problem is, his availability – or lack thereof – is starting to get more and more scarce, as Davis has already missed 24 games this season after suiting up in just 40 last season and 36 the year prior.
For a list of Anthony Davis’ other accolades and a scouting report, click here.
