With the Western Conference NBA All-Star reserves having already been announced, there are plenty of deserving players who missed out.
2024 NBA West All-Star reserves: Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, Stephen Curry, Paul George, Karl-Anthony Towns.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 2, 2024
Here are the three biggest Western Conference snubs from the 2023 All-Star game.
Biggest Western Conference 2024 All-Star Snubs
Western Conference All-Star Snub #2: De’Aaron Fox
Guard|Sacramento Kings|1 All-Star appearance(2023)
De’Aaron Fox has managed to increase his production from last year, averaging 27.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists on 38% three-point shooting. All that still did not earn him another All-Star nod.
The West is loaded at the guard position, but Fox should definitely have made the cut.
The fifth-seeded Kings will have zero All-Stars, yet the 9th seeded Lakers will have two. Fox is averaging similar stats to Stephen Curry, and the Kings are six games ahead of the 12th-seeded Warriors.
The case can be made for his teammate Domantas Sabonis as well, who was an All-Star last year.
Western Conference All-Star Snub #2: James Harden
Guard|Los Angeles Clippers|10 All-Star appearances(2013-2022)
While Paul George and Kawhi Leonard both earned selections, Harden will not be an All-Star this year. His return to form has been key in the Clippers resurgence this season.
Having been traded from the Philadelphia 76ers, Harden and the Clippers endured early pains, after losing their first five games together. The Clippers proceeded to win 29 of their next 37 games.
They now sit third in the West with a record of 31-15.
Harden is averaging 17.2 points, 8.5 assists, and 4.9 rebounds.
Western Conference All-Star Snub #3: Alperen Şengün
Center|Houston Rockets|0 All-Star appearances
Şengün has been dubbed “Mini-Jokic”, and for good reason. The 21 year-old is averaging 21.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists.
Only in his third season, Şengün is showing that he is next up in the line of elite big men, and he has the Rockets contending for a play in spot, only a year after they finished with a record of 22-60.
Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns deserves his spot due to the Timberwolves being top of the West, but it could just as easily have gone to Şengün.
Honorable Mentions:
Rudy Gobert(Minnesota Timberwolves)
Jamal Murray(Denver Nuggets)
Domantas Sabonis(Sacramento Kings)
Lauri Markannen(Utah Jazz)
Victor Wembanyama(San Antonio Spurs)
Brandon Ingram(New Orleans Pelicans)
The West is absolutely bursting with top end talent, so there was bound to be some controversy. One of the best rookies of all time in Wembanyama will not participate.
Markannen is averaging 23.7 points and 8.4 rebounds and didn’t get in, while Murray has put up 21.2 points on one of the best teams in the NBA, and he didn’t even have a chance.
2024 All-Star Game Schedule
This year’s All-Star Weekend will be in Indianapolis, home of the Indiana Pacers.
The festivities will begin on Friday with the Ruffles Celebrity All-Star Game and the Panini Rising Stars game, before Saturday night brings about the Kia Skills Challenge, the Starry 3 Point Contest, and the AT&T Slam Dunk contest
An exclusive and exciting addition will see Curry and WNBA phenom Sabrina Ionescu face off in a three-point contest, also on Saturday night.
The All-Star game will be on Sunday, February 18th at 8:00 pm Eastern Time.
Don’t forget to check out the Biggest Eastern Conference 2024 All-Star Snubs
