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NBA: 25 Least-Deserving NBA All-Stars

By Phil Watson

February 15, 2015; New York, NY, USA; General view of the opening tipoff as Eastern Conference forward Pau Gasol of the Chicago Bulls (16) and Western Conference center Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies (33) during the first quarter of the 2015 NBA All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden.Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
February 15, 2015; New York, NY, USA; General view of the opening tipoff as Eastern Conference forward Pau Gasol of the Chicago Bulls (16) and Western Conference center Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies (33) during the first quarter of the 2015 NBA All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden.Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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UNITED STATES - FEBRUARY 09: Basketball: All Star Game, West's Magic Johnson (32) in action vs East, Orlando, FL 2/9/1992 (Photo by Damian Strohmeyer/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (SetNumber: X42409 TK4 R6 F21)
UNITED STATES – FEBRUARY 09: Basketball: All Star Game, West’s Magic Johnson (32) in action vs East, Orlando, FL 2/9/1992 (Photo by Damian Strohmeyer/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (SetNumber: X42409 TK4 R6 F21) /

2. Magic Johnson, 1992

How Chosen: Fan voting

Have I mentioned yet this piece is not based upon sentimentality?

Because it’s hard to argue that a guy who retired six months before the All-Star Game and didn’t play a single NBA game all season deserved to be voted into the All-Star Game.

But this was 1991-92. There was no Internet voting because, well, there was hardly an Internet. The ballots had already been printed and were on their way to various distribution spots when Magic Johnson announced he had tested positive for HIV and retired from the NBA on Nov. 7, 1991, in one of the most shocking news events in NBA history.

Johnson still received more than 650,000 votes, far more than enough to be voted to start alongside Clyde Drexler of the Portland Trail Blazers.

The story was pure Hollywood. Johnson played 29 minutes, scored 25 points, dished out nine assists, grabbed five rebounds, nabbed two steals and hit all three of his 3-point attempts, earning MVP honors at Orlando Arena in a 153-113 blowout victory for the West.

There’s not even any point in listing the players who could have been chosen.

Johnson wasn’t quite done playing. He represented the U.S. as part of the Dream Team at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and attempted a comeback with the Lakers in 1992-93, but returned to retirement after several players—notably Karl Malone—raised objections to being on the same court with an HIV-positive player.

He did come back for 32 games in 1996 and also coached the Lakers for the final 16 games of the 1993-94 season.

Next: Less Deserving Than A Guy Who Didn’t Play? Really?