2020-21 NBA All-Star Starters Announced

[RoseCityRebel]

When talking about something decided by fan vote, "deserving" is largely irrelevant. Blazer fans are going to vote for their guy, Warrior fans will vote for theirs, etc. According to the link below, Dallas is the 5th biggest market in the States, the Bay Area is the 6th while Portland is the 22nd. Math is math.

https://mediatracks.com/resources/nielsen-dma-rankings-2020/

Additionally, according to the spreadsheet I set up for my fantasy league to evaluate players based purely on our 8 stats (pnts, FG%, 3's made, FTs made, steals, blks, rbs, assts) Luka has put up the 5th best stats thus far, Steph the 7th & Dame the 9th. I love Dame but can be realistic about whats what. Those two are legit and enjoy the advantages of playing for much bigger markets. This went as expected.

STOMP

That’s interesting information but team record has to be considered as well, and what Dame is doing with legitimate stars out is not only All-Star starter, but also MVP-level.

 

[RoseCityRebel]

Yeah, that was a reference. It was a famous quote from Dennis Rodman about Larry Bird, which caused a great deal of consternation.

I think Doncic is the truth, an amazing talent, especially considering what he's doing at such a young age. I think he's popular because he's great and he's new, and the fact that he comes from a larger media market doesn't hurt.

Rodman was a kook even back then, his comment would have been ignored but when Isiah Thomas agreed it set off that huge controversy and a sequence of events that led to Stockton on the Dream Team while Zeke sat home because he was so hated by Jordan and Bird.

 

[Natebishop3]

This just adds to my issues with the AllStar game.

Either it's an event for the fans and carries no weight in terms of resume or standing. OR it is something that warrants mentioning and the fans should play no part. I don't like that it straddles both. Fans don't know shit. If you want to have an event for the fans, great, but the media and the league shouldn't put any weight behind an Allstar nod. All of the weight should be behind All-NBA nods. But that's not how it is. People talk about someone being an All-Star as if it means something. So the league either needs to shit or get off the pot. Take the fans out of the equation and actually make the honor valuable, OR go full retard and let the fans own the stupid event.

 

[e_blazer]

Really hoping that the coaches don’t put Westbrick on the East reserves.

 

[illmatic99]

Dirk started in the all star game twice in his career.

in 2010 as an injury replacement for Kobe.
in 2007 as an injury replacement for Yao.

He was not voted in on any of his 14 appearances.

It has nothing to do with market.

 

[Minstrel]

Rodman was a kook even back then, his comment would have been ignored but when Isiah Thomas agreed it set off that huge controversy and a sequence of events that led to Stockton on the Dream Team while Zeke sat home because he was so hated by Jordan and Bird.

While you're right that Thomas' agreement set off a huge controversy, all the accounts of that time suggest Thomas being left off the Olympic team was due to solely to Jordan, not Bird (Jordan apparently said "It's him or me"). And Jordan didn't care about that comment, he was focused on what he considered slights against him by Thomas, notably the supposed freeze-out of him in his first All Star game and the walk-off when the Bulls finally beat the Pistons in the playoffs, both organized by Thomas in Jordan's opinion.

 

[RoseCityRebel]

That's a good question. I'm certainly not saying race has no effect at all, but I don't think that's a big factor in Doncic's popularity. Doncic caught people's imaginations as a prospect, because he was doing remarkable things in Europe. Euroleague MVP at 17 or 18 or whatever is incredible. And he's lived up to the hype in the NBA...his first couple years were two of the best ever for someone that young. I think that's by and large what's driving his popularity. He's the new hotness. Does being white have any influence whatsoever? Maybe--I wouldn't be shocked if so, but it doesn't seem to me like the main thing. I think if he were black, he'd still be a phenomenon.

While you're right that Thomas' agreement set off a huge controversy, all the accounts of that time suggest Thomas being left off the Olympic team was due to solely to Jordan, not Bird (Jordan apparently said "It's him or me"). And Jordan didn't care about that comment, he was focused on what he considered slights against him by Thomas, notably the supposed freeze-out of him in his first All Star game and the walk-off when the Bulls finally beat the Pistons in the playoffs, both organized by Thomas in Jordan's opinion.

I know all of that but if you watch the Bad Boys documentary Bird hated Zeke after that garbage. Thomas somehow managed to piss off two of the biggest “chip on their shoulder” superstars in pro sports history to the point it cost him a Dream Team spot. Quite possibly Zeke’s greatest achievement outside of the two titles and NCAA title.

 

[illmatic99]

case in point. dame needs to do more of this crap and he'll get all the teenage vote

 

[Wizard Mentor]

in college, yes.

case in point. dame needs to do more of this crap and he'll get all the teenage vote

What an idiot.

 

[julius]

Maybe the league should have the fan voting weighted based on the country. I.e., US votes count for 60% of the vote, Non US counts for 40 or something.

I'd like to see the makeup of the vote based on country of origin for the vote.

 

[illmatic99]

Maybe the league should have the fan voting weighted based on the country. I.e., US votes count for 60% of the vote, Non US counts for 40 or something.

I'd like to see the makeup of the vote based on country of origin for the vote.

That's a rabbit hole I'm sure they do not want to get into, especially with the focus on globalization of the game. Besides, like 4 of the top ten players in the game now are from overseas (Giannis/Jokic/Embiid/Luka). The expansion of the game to other countries has been vital to its success. No reason to alienate that.

 

[julius]

That's a rabbit hole I'm sure they do not want to get into, especially with the focus on globalization of the game. Besides, like 4 of the top ten players in the game now are from overseas (Giannis/Jokic/Embiid/Luka). The expansion of the game to other countries has been vital to its success. No reason to alienate that.

I can understand that, but is it really "alienating" them by giving them slightly less power compared to those of the country that the game started in, is based in, has all but 1 team from, and the vast majority of their players are born in?

 

[illmatic99]

I can understand that, but is it really "alienating" them by giving them slightly less power compared to those of the country that the game started in, is based in, has all but 1 team from, and the vast majority of their players are born in?

it's a slippery slope

 

[Minstrel]

I can understand that, but is it really "alienating" them by giving them slightly less power compared to those of the country that the game started in, is based in, has all but 1 team from, and the vast majority of their players are born in?

That kind of move would say, "This is our league, not yours." That's the opposite of the message the league wants to send--they want Italy or Spain or any other nation to consider the NBA "their league" too.

 

[Natebishop3]

Orrrrrrr take our fan vote entirely because it’s fucking stupid and then have an All Fan team at the end of the year.

 

[stampedehero]

Steph Curry and Luka have worse records than Dame in the West...for either of them to be picked over Dame with Harden gone now is just wrong on many levels....Dame earned the start...got jobbed again

Even our outside women are pissed about it!
https://giphy.com/gifs/cbs-fight-cake-5tvYZSjQKOiQkOmhF4

 

[stampedehero]

Dame's First Shot! Next Game.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

 

[julius]

That kind of move would say, "This is our league, not yours." That's the opposite of the message the league wants to send--they want Italy or Spain or any other nation to consider the NBA "their league" too.

I wonder if the football leagues in Europe opened up fan online voting, if Americans (who don't have a team) would get equal say?

 

[Natebishop3]

I’m surprised nobody has found a way to rig the vote using Russian bots

 

[kjironman1]

 

[Duckhook]

Anyone want to bet Lillard will lead the west in points and minutes played?