The 2024 All-Star game is rapidly approaching. This is a time to celebrate some of the best players the NBA has to offer. With the starters announced many fans have voiced their displeasure, claiming that certain players should have started but were snubbed of a rightful spot. Here are four players who are NBA All-Star Game starter snubs.
Four 2024 NBA All-Star Game Starter Snubs
Donovan Mitchell has been the biggest bright spot for the Cavs so far this season. The explosive guard is averaging 27.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists on 58.5% true shooting. Combine this with leading a team that is the 4th seed and their conference and you have one of the best players in the association. Despite the team and individual achievements, Mitchell will be wearing a warmup uniform at the start of the All-Star game. Fans are upset that the guard didn’t get in over Bucks star Damian Lillard.
While Lillard is worth an All-Star nod, the guard has taken a step back from his fantastic 2022-2023 campaign. 25.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists on 60.3% true shooting is amazing for almost any player, but for Lillard, it’s almost become the bare minimum. The argument you can make for Lillard would be how the Bucks have been the 2nd best team in the Eastern Conference and his stats are very comparable with Mitchell’s.
This can be countered by pointing out that the Bucks have been a consistent top seed for the last several years without the top 50 all-time player, and a team with Dame and Giannis Antetokounmpo should be one of the best teams in the league every year. Combine this with the Cavs having less talent than the Bucks as a team and Mitchell having comparable if not better stats, and you have a solid case for the Cavs’s talisman. While most fans are likely to go with DMitch, there is a decent enough case for Lillard that can’t be completely dismissed.
The Big Apple’s Brightest All-Star
Jalen Brunson has also been great this season. 26.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists on 59.5% true shooting is a career-best. The Knicks have also been solid this year with a 5th seed in the east. Once again, a comparison to Lillard comes up when talking about Eastern Conference guards. Who you think is better between the two is largely based on your views on their teams’ records. But just taking into account records can lead to lacking context. The Bucks are arguably the best team in the East. The Knicks are in a bracket below that much like the previously mentioned Cavs. How you feel about the debates between these three guards depends on your perspective. If you want to take into account the impact each player has on their team and the rosters of each then you are likely to prefer Brunson or Mitchell. But if you value the team rankings then you probably will prefer Dame as an All-Star. Neither choice is inherently wrong. All three players have strong cases depending on your viewpoint.
The Brow vs. The King
Here’s where things get a bit murkier. As the two L.A. stars both have great cases to start. Because they are both on the same team, all there is to look at is the stats. Anthony Davis is averaging 25 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.2 blocks on 62.4% true shooting. LeBron James is averaging 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.8 assists on 61.2% true shooting. Who should start is a cut-and-dry case of who you think is better this season. Do you prefer James’s playmaking and scoring efficiency? Or do you think that Davis’s incredible defense puts him over the edge? Are you more of a fan of Bron’s ability to stretch the floor? Or do you think “The Brow” and his paint dominance are too good to pass up? There is far less to mull over for this segment.
Davis and James have both been excellent this season and are both on the same team. This leaves who you think should start in the All-Star game up to who you think has been more valuable to the Lakers’ success (or lack thereof) this season.
Out Of The Repair Shop
Kawhi Leonard has had a very rough injury history. But currently, the two-time champion is proving that has no bearing on his current health. 23.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists on 62.9% true shooting is nothing to sneeze at. But the real reason you would think Kawhi deserved an All-Star starting spot comes down to his team’s record. The Clippers are 4th in the west while the Lakers are down at 9th. This huge divide combined with Leonard’s stats not being too far off from the Lakers’ duo made him a decent snub as a starter. Although when you consider the Lakers are far worse off as a roster there is at least a valid reason for each team’s situation.
This is similar to the debate between Brunson, Dame, and DMitch but a larger divide between the teams. Do you prefer team dominance with very good counting stats, or elite stats and impact, but little team success? How much you value individuals or teams will determine your answer, but this shouldn’t be taken in a life-or-death manner. All of the players listed will likely make the All-Star game anyhow, this is just a fun way for fans to advocate for their favorite players. Starter or reserve, every player in this year’s festivities is the best the association has to offer either way.
