THE 2020 NBA All-Star reserves were announced last week, meaning all 24 selections for this year’s game are now known and ripe for debate ahead of Team Giannis taking on Team LeBron a week Sunday.
Here, we’ve put together an alternative All-Star line-up consisting of players worthy of recognition who were overlooked in the vote.
Back Court
Devin Booker – Phoenix Suns
Suns guard Booker is the name most widely cited as being the biggest snub since the All-Star reserves were announced last week, and with good reason. The 23-year-old has the eighth-highest scoring average in the NBA this season, with 26.8 points per game for Phoenix, behind reigning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard – who has played nine fewer games – and ahead of, among others notable names, Russell Westbrook and Donovan Mitchell, two guards who were selected for the West All-Star team.
It’s the Suns’ disappointing record of 20-30 for the season so far which has held Booker back in the eyes of those casting their All-Star ballot. But, individually, with his elite, consistent scoring and improvement on defence, Booker is more than holding up his end of the bargain.
Bradley Beal – Washington Wizards
Putting up 35.6 points per game this season, Beal has the highest scoring average of any All-Star snub ever. So you can understand why he might be aggrieved at not making the cut. “It's disrespectful,” the Wizards guard said, “but the real ones know so I'm just gonna keep competing and try to get my team to the playoffs for sure."
And his fiancée, actress Kamiah Adams, sounded off on social media in defence of Beal’s All-Star credentials. “It’s a popularity contest,” she said, after posting his admittedly impressive stats. “It’s about who has the most followers on Instagram, who has the most likes, and it’s a joke to me because my thing is you can’t name five people that were selected for reserves on either the East or the West who are outplaying Bradley right now.”
Like Booker, Beal has been penalised for his team’s lack of wins – Washington are 17-32, good enough only for 10th spot in the East. But while his defensive effort and efficiency can be questioned this season, his scoring can’t. That’s why he gets the nod here ahead of some other worthy contenders.
Honourable mentions: Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls), Lou Williams (LA Clippers), Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)
Front Court
Paul George – L.A. Clippers
The only thing preventing George from being an All Star this year is his relative lack of games for the Clippers. After moving to LA to join Kawhi Leonard as the Clippers grabbed summer headlines by assembling a championship-calibre team, the Western Conference contenders have taken few risks with their star duo, affording them rest when needed and giving them ample opportunity to recover from injuries.
In the 29 games that he has played since sealing his seismic move from the Oklahoma City Thunder, George has been typically outstanding, averaging 22.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting 39.1 per cent from three-point range and sinking 90.2 per cent of his free throws.
Jaylen Brown – Boston Celtics
Before the All-Star teams were announced, there was much debate about whether Jayson Tatum or Brown would be named alongside Celtics team-mate and starting guard for the East Kemba Walker. In the end, it was Tatum who received his first All-Star call-up, but few would have argued had Brown been chosen.
A dearth of snubbed All-Star-calibre forwards means the 23-year-old, who often features at small forward but starts as the Celtics’ shooting guard when they have a full complement of options, is selected here as a forward. One of the league’s most-improved players this year, Brown is putting up career-high averages in points (20.4), rebounds (6.6) and assists (2.3). Once regularly discussed as a potential trade asset for Boston, Brown is now considered a vital piece in any success the Celtics achieve in the near future.
Karl-Anthony Towns – Minnesota Timberwolves
Chosen here for the want of including a genuine big in the line-up, Towns has been some way out of the running in the All-Star discussion this season for a combination of the factors that have held others back – he has played on 32 games and, with a 15-34 record, Minnesota are the second-worst team in the West.
But, make no mistake, Towns is among the most gifted centres in the NBA and, still only 24, is seen as talent capable of being one of the best five players in the league if he develops as expected. His numbers when he’s been on the court this season are All-Star level, too, with career highs in points (26.9) and assists (4.3) added to 10.8 rebounds. Shooting 50.8 per cent from the field and 40.8 on 8.1 three-point attempts per game, the 6ft 11ins Towns is a scarily efficient all-round threat.
Honourable mentions: DeMar DeRozan (San Antonio Spurs)
