When it was announced that Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry would not be participating in the All-Star Game, that left the possibility of the San Antonio Spurs getting another selection. With Victor Wembanyama already in, both De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle have been putting up All-Star seasons for the Spurs. Neither one was selected, with the NBA opting to go with Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram instead.
Following the announcement that Ingram would replace Curry in the All-Star game, Spurs veteran Harrison Barnes was in disbelief that neither De’Aaron Fox nor Stephon Castle was named as the replacement.
“It would be criminal if him [Castle] and Fox didn’t get a look. We’re No. 2 in the West,” Barnes said. “I think for what we’ve done, for the teams that are below us that had two All-Stars, I don’t know a case if we’re talking about impact on winning and playing high-level basketball, why either of them shouldn’t be selected and/or highly under consideration for those spots.”
Stephon Castle was selected to participate in over All-Star Weekend as part of the Rising Stars competition alongside Spurs teammates Dylan Harper and David Jones Garcia. Jones Garcia is injured though and unable to take part in the event. Carter Bryant is also set to represent the Spurs at All-Star Weekend in the Dunk Contest.
But Castle has made the case as an All-Star this year, averaging 16.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.3 steals with splits of 46.8 percent shooting from the field, 28.9 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 72.2 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
As for Fox, it’s almost criminal, as Barnes said, that he has only made one All-Star team in his entire nine-year career thus far. This season he’s averaging 19.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.2 steals with splits of 47.9 percent shooting from the field, 34.8 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 79.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
