NBA All-Star – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama ranked among top NBA All-Star snubs

San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama was listed among some of the top NBA All-Star snubs this year.

The NBA just announced its full roster of 2024 NBA All-Stars, but unfortunately, the San Antonio Spurs don’t have any guys who were named. The closest chance they had was rookie Victor Wembanyama, but he didn’t end up making the cut, likely due to his team’s overall lack of success.

Wembanyama has been a human highlight reel this season, dominating social media with every crazy dunk and insane block he records in each game. Opposing players and coaches have been extremely impressed with him whenever they take on the Spurs, yet it still wasn’t enough for him to earn a spot in the All-Star Game.

After the teams were announced, Ricky O’Donnell of SB Nation ranked his top nine snubs by the level of egregiousness, and Wembanyama just cracked the list at number nine.

“The NBA’s last rookie All-Star was Blake Griffin in 2010, and that streak will hold for another year despite Wembanyama’s outstanding close to the first half,” O’Donnell wrote. “Wemby is unstoppable at the rim on both ends of the floor, already leading the NBA in blocks at 20 years old, and also dunking everything in sight. He needs to cut out some outside shots and keep playing more at the rim, and he needs a real point guard to set him up. Either way, don’t expect him to miss the All-Star Game again as long as he stays healthy.”

So far this season, Wembanyama is averaging 20.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and a league-leading 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field and 30.1% from behind the three-point line.

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NBA All-Star Game 2024: The biggest snubs after reserves unveiling

Rookie Wire took a look at some of the biggest snubs from the 2024 NBA All-Star Game.

The NBA on Thursday unveiled the seven reserve players from each conference to complete the rosters for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 18 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo led all players in fan voting to represent the Eastern Conference as a starter. Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James was the lead vote-getter in the Western Conference and will be one of the two captains in the game.

Joining Antetokounmpo in the starting lineup are Joel Embiid (Philadelphia), Jayson Tatum (Boston), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana) and Damian Lillard (Milwaukee). In the West: Kevin Durant (Phoenix), Nikola Jokic (Denver), Luka Doncic (Dallas) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City).

The 30 head coaches in the NBA voted on the seven reserves in each conference. Each selected two guards, three frontcourt players and two additional players from any position but were not permitted to choose players from their team.

The 14 reserve players that will join the 10 starters:

Eastern Conference	Western Conference
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat	Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic	Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics	Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks	Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers	Paul George, LA Clippers
Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers	Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
Julius Randle, New York Knicks	Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves

With the rosters set, Rookie Wire took a look at some of the biggest snubs from the announcement of the reserves. The players listed figure to have the best chance of replacing Embiid (knee) and Randle (shoulder), who are injured and not expected to play in the game.

Note: Toronto forward Scottie Barnes and Atlanta guard Trae Young were named as injury replacements by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for Embiid and Randle.

These are the top NBA players who were snubbed for the 2024 All-Star Game, including Domantas Sabonis

Some of these players will get the nod from the commissioner as injury replacements.

The list of 2024 NBA All-Stars was now announced by the NBA on TNT’s crew and several noteworthy players did not make the list.

We already knew the 10 starters for the game in Indianapolis on Feb. 18. Those players were chosen based on weighted voting by fans (50 percent), the media (25 percent), and other players (25 percent).

Seven more players from each conference got the call that they as well. Those candidates were selected based on voting by the 30 coaches in the league. But that left some big names on the outside looking in.

Here is a look at the players who perhaps could have made the 2023 NBA All-Star Game but did not:

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Jamal Crawford is happy to see Scoot Henderson make the Rising Stars game

Jamal Crawford was a big fan of Scoot Henderson entering the season, and the NBA legend was happy to see him make the Rising Stars game.

Jamal Crawford was a big fan of Scoot Henderson entering the season, and the former 20-year veteran was happy to see the rookie make the NBA Rising Stars game.

Henderson was among 11 first-year players selected to compete in the annual showcase at All-Star Weekend on Feb. 16 in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is his third selection to the game after previously representing the G League Ignite in the competition.

The third pick is averaging 12.2 points, 4.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds on 37% shooting from the field in 38 games this season with the Portland Trail Blazers. He is fifth among rookies in scoring and one of six first-year players with a 30-point game.

Crawford, speaking Tuesday on “NBA on TNT” with Adam Lefkoe, Vince Carter and Candace Parker, was excited to see Henderson earn the nod after a slow start this year.

I like Scoot Henderson. The fact that he started out rough, it wasn’t pretty from the start. He has found his footing and has figured out pace and figured out how to get going, so to see him make this game, I’m really, really happy for him.

Henderson, as Crawford mentioned, had a bit of a rough start.

He played in the first five games of the season and was then sidelined for nine games due to an ankle injury. He struggled with efficiency over his first 19 games, averaging 10.8 points, 4.1 assists and 2.7 rebounds on 36.7% shooting from the field, including 25% from 3-point range.

The 19-year-old has since improved, posting 13.7 points, 5.1 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 19 games on 36% shooting from beyond the arc. He has four 20-point games in that stretch, including a career-high 33 points, nine assists and seven rebounds on Jan. 14.

Henderson looks to have progressed with each game, which was to be expected after missing time. He is developing into a franchise cornerstone and proving himself as a top-three pick last year.

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NBA Rising Stars 2024: Player pool revealed for annual showcase at All-Star Weekend

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the list of 28 players set to participate in the annual Rising Stars game on Feb. 16 at All-Star Weekend.

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the list of 28 players set to participate in the annual Rising Stars game on Feb. 16 as part of All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The event will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament for the third straight year. The two semifinal games will be played to a target score of 40. The championship game will be played to a target score of 25.

The pool of players for the game consists of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The 21 players in the NBA will be drafted onto three teams and the seven players in the G League will comprise the fourth team.

Four seven-player teams will compete in the Rising Stars mini-tournament.

The annual showcase of premier young talent will air live on Friday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. ET on TNT.

More: https://t.co/12AeEaq9cH

Format ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/AgtIY4420R

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 30, 2024

The players from the NBA were selected by assistant coaches. The players from the G League were selected by the league office. Each team submitted a rookie ballot and a sophomore ballot featuring four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players of any position.

Hall of Famer Pau Gasol will return as one of the four honorary head coaches for the event. Joining Gasol are Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings and former Indiana Pacers standouts Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf, who will lead the G League team.

Assistant coaches from the NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs will join the honorary head coaches in coaching the Rising Stars teams. The NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs for both the Eastern and Western Conferences have yet to be determined.

TNT will televise the competition beginning at 9 p.m. EST.

Raptors guard Markquis Nowell among players selected for G League Up Next Game

Raptors 905 guard Markquis Nowell was among the players selected to compete in the G League Up Next Game during NBA All-Star Weekend.

Toronto Raptors rookie Markquis Nowell was among the players selected to compete in the G League Up Next Game during NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The event will feature four teams of seven players competing in two semifinal games. The winners face off in the championship on Feb. 18 at 1:30 p.m. EST. The teams will be drafted by an influencer general manager, who will also customize their teams’ jerseys.

The 28 players include 10 selected by a fan vote. The remaining 18 players were selected by the G League and include eight members of the Ignite and one from the Indiana Mad Ants as the host team.

The stage is set for our G League stars to shine in Indy at #NBAAllStar! Check out the full pool of 28 players participating in the #GLeagueUpNextGame presented by @ATT. Follow along this week to see which team your favorite player ends up on as we reveal our Creator GM squads! pic.twitter.com/xW0UCLxQYi

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) January 29, 2024

Nowell, who is signed to a two-way contract, finished in the top 10 of the fan voting after averaging 15.3 points, 8.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and two steals in 20 games with the Raptors 905. He is seventh in the G League in steals and 11th in assists during the regular season.

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Rockets’ Cam Whitmore declined invitation to participate in Slam Dunk Contest

Rockets rookie Cam Whitmore has declined an invitation to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend.

Houston Rockets rookie Cam Whitmore said Monday he declined an invitation to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Whitmore has emerged as an exciting player on the court this season, given his elite athleticism and ability to throw down emphatic dunks. He has had several highlight-reel jams, whether during his time in the G League or with the Rockets.

The 20th pick was likely viewed as a good option to participate in the contest, but he will pass on it for now, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

I got asked twice for the dunk contest, and I said ‘no.’ I’m waiting until the time comes. I don’t see myself as a dunker. I don’t have anything up my sleeve right now. But in Year 2, Year 3, when I establish myself as somebody in this league, yeah, I’ll do it.

The NBA typically asks rookies and other young players to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest. Miami Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. has expressed interest in participating, while Mac McClung of the Osceola Magic is expected to defend his title this year.

Whitmore is averaging 10.5 points and 3.8 rebounds in 22 games on 39.8% shooting from 3-point range. He ranks eighth in scoring among rookies and has produced two games with at least 20 points, including a season-high 24 points and 11 rebounds on Friday.

After declining to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest, Whitmore could still attend the All-Star Weekend festivities as a participant in the Rising Stars game. He has come on strong of late and is emerging as a key player for the team.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander comments on first All-Star starter nod

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander comments on first All-Star starter nod.

Over halfway through the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder have quickly established themselves as a title contender. A 32-13 record puts them in first place in the Western Conference standings.

Much of OKC’s strong start can be attributed to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s ascension to an MVP candidate. In 44 games, he’s averaged 31.1 points on 54.5% shooting, 6.4 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 steals. He leads the league in 30-point outings this season.

The 25-year-old’s stellar campaign earned him an All-Star starter nod, the first of his career. It is his second All-Star selection.

Following the Thunder’s blowout win over the Pelicans, Gilgeous-Alexander talked about the starting nod and being voted as one of the 10 best players in the league this season.

“It’s an honor, it’s a blessing,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Obviously, there’s so many talented players in the NBA, so many talented guards, especially in the West. To be voted first by my peers — people that do the same job as me every night — is a really good feeling.”

The other two players in OKC’s young trio — Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams — also sounded off on Gilgeous-Alexander’s selection, saying it validates what they already knew about their teammate.

“Well deserved and obvious that it was gonna happen,” Holmgren said. “He’s very deserving and I’m sure it’s not gonna be the last time. It’s good to see that people around the league — other than us — as players respect him, too, because it’s pretty undeniable what he does every single night.

“I’m sure there’s people on every team voting for him because there’s not a night where it’s like he wasn’t an All-Star tonight. He brings it every night and that’s huge for us. He’s gonna continue to do that for a long time.”

Williams kept it short and sweet about Gilgeous-Alexander’s selection: “Duh! That’s all I got.”

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault also spoke about Gilgeous-Alexander’s selection, saying his consistency and elevating his teammates is what impresses him the most.

“He does it inside the team,” Daigneault said. “His success also impacts the whole and somehow creates space for other guys to elevate and other guys to improve and other guys to rock out a little bit. …

“He’s able to balance high ambition and high production also with creating the level of space he does for the rest of the team. To me, is the most impressive thing. He’s a great player.”

While Gilgeous-Alexander gets the highest honor, there’s a good shot that Daigneault, Holmgren and Williams join him in the All-Star weekend festivities.

Holmgren and Williams are a lock to be part of the Rising Stars challenge and the former also has an outside shot of being a rookie All-Star if enough injury replacements are needed.

Meanwhile, Daigneault will get chosen to be an All-Star head coach if the Thunder are still in first place by Feb. 4. There’s a decent chance the weekend extravaganza is littered with OKC representation.

The 2024 NBA All-Star game is set to be played on Sunday, Feb. 18 at Indiana.

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Here’s how many votes each OKC Thunder player tallied for 2024 All-Star starter

Here’s how many votes each OKC Thunder player tallied for 2024 All-Star starter:

The NBA announced its 2024 All-Star starters on Thursday. As the league returns to a traditional West vs. East format, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was awarded his first career All-Star starter selection.

It was the 25-year-old’s second All-Star career selection after being named one last season.

Gilgeous-Alexander edged out Stephen Curry for the starting backcourt spot. After trailing him in fan votes, the 25-year-old got the starting nod due to media and player votes.

Gilgeous-Alexander has led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 31-13 record and first place in the Western Conference standings. The 25-year-old has played like an MVP candidate this season.

In 43 games, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.1 points on 54.6% shooting, 6.4 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 steals.

The full All-Star starter voting results were revealed following the announcement. All 18 Thunder players appeared at least once among the fan, player, and media votes.

The 2024 NBA All-Star game is set to be played on Sunday, Feb. 18 at Indiana. Let’s break down every Thunder player’s vote total for an All-Star starter.