The 2023 NBA All-Star Game has already made news earlier in the week, but now that the starters for both teams have been officially announced, you could expect plenty of incredulous reactions to flood the internet.
With this season having arguably the most crowded MVP race in years, there were a few locks no one could scoff at, such as Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum. There are also icons of the game like LeBron James and Stephen Curry who will always rank at the top of vote-getters.
However, because of the way the league strictly adheres to an actual starting five, position-designated format, there are usually bound to be a couple NBA All-Star players who deserve to be acknowledged as one of the 10 best on the floor but are instead relegated to the reserves. Fans are also never discouraged from voting in injured players, and did so again with Zion Williamson being named a starter in the West (missed the last 12 games and counting with a hamstring injury). That means healthier, and therefore more reliable players were dismissed.
Let's get right down to it and dive into the NBA All-Star snubs. A two-time reigning MVP-runner up feels like a good place to start.
Joel Embiid- Philadelphia 76ers C
It is difficult to trust the All-Star selection process without having “The Process” himself included in the Eastern Conference's starting frontcourt. Joel Embiid has been a named a starter for the last five years and has hardly missed a step this season. The versatile Philadelphia 76ers big man is in the midst of a razor-tight scoring race with Doncic, averaging a career-high 33.4 points per game. Yes, there is no shortage of superstar talent in the conference, but Embiid has continued to be the linchpin of his team and is a big reason why they are currently enjoying a six-game winning streak and nipping at the heels of the Boston Celtics.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, yes, the man many fans consider the best player in the league right now, may have stolen Embiid's All-Star starter spot. It seems quite an absurd claim to make, especially given that the two-time MVP led all players in the Eastern Conference in votes and will join LeBron as a captain. However, his All-Star starter claim is not nearly as ironclad as it has been in the past, especially when compared to Embiid's.
Both stars have a big impact on offense and defense, get to the free throw line at a high rate and have missed roughly the same amount of games. Where Embiid separates himself, though, is his shooting. Embiid slashes a 53/35/86 line, all superior to the Bucks phenom with the three-point percentage being nearly 10 points better. Antetokounmpo has the edge in rebounds and assists, but Embiid just feels like the more deserving candidate when taking into account the first half of the 2022-23 season. Not to pick on Giannis, though, as Embiid can stand up next to anyone in the East's frontcourt.
Unfortunately for him, the voters did not see it that way.
Domantas Sabonis- Sacramento Kings PF
Moving over to the West, there was naturally going to be plenty to debate with the often-sidelined Zion Williamson snagging an NBA All-Star slot. He is a transcendent star in his own right, so it was probably easy for fans to gloss over the feel-good story of the season so far, the Sacramento Kings. Domantas Sabonis, specifically, has been a key catalyst of change, helping to unlock De'Aaron Fox's offensive potential and guide the Kings to third place in the conference standings. The long unheralded Sabonis may not be the juggernaut Jokic is, but he has been a lethal do-it-all 7-footer with 18.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game.
Sabonis is also on the verge of making franchise history, being the first Kings player since Chris Webber (1998-99) to lead the league in rebounds, according to StatMuse. Perhaps most important, Sabonis has played in all but two games for the Kings this season. He has displayed excellent ability and availability, which is something that simply cannot be said for the man who beat him out for an All-Star nod.
Jaylen Brown- Boston Celtics G
It is easy for Jaylen Brown to be overshadowed on his own team, let alone the Eastern Conference. Jayson Tatum is the face of the franchise. Marcus Smart is the heart and soul. Brown, though, is arguably the glue that is needed to bring the team's championship aspirations all together. He is averaging just under 27 points and more than seven rebounds per night while shooting 49 percent from the field (all career-highs).
Brown is no sidekick. He is an essential piece on arguably the best team in the league right now. Donovan Mitchell and Kyrie Irving are fine choices for a starting NBA All-Star backcourt, but few guards are as consistently as productive as Brown. Often underrated, he will now at least be recognized as a two-time NBA All-Star.
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