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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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Dec 13, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) dribbles the ball around of Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) dribbles the ball around of Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Kobe Bryant, 2014

How Chosen: Fan voting

Kobe Bryant wasn’t the leading vote-getter for the 2014 All-Star Game in New Orleans, but he easily beat out Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers for a starting nod.

Not bad for a guy who played six games and averaged 13.8 points, 6.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game on .425/.188/.857 shooting before having to be shut down for the season with a broken bone in his knee.

Bryant was returning to the Los Angeles Lakers after tearing his Achilles tendon late the previous season and he returned faster than anyone anticipated he could, debuting Dec. 8, 2013—less than eight months after he was injured in an April 12 game.

There were other Western Conference guards having far better seasons—OK, having actual seasons—than Bryant, among them Isaiah Thomas of the Sacramento Kings, Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzlies, Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs and Goran Dragic of the Phoenix Suns.

Dragic was the engine behind the shocking turnaround in Phoenix in 2013-14. The Suns rolled into the break with a 30-21 record—already ahead of the previous season’s 25-57 mark.

The Dragon was averaging 20.3 points, 6.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game on .508/.410/.784 shooting at the break.

Bryant, of course, didn’t play in the All-Star Game, being replaced by Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans on the roster and by James Harden of the Houston Rockets in the lineup.

More hoops habit: NBA Finals History: Ranking The Last 50 Champions

Dragic is still waiting for his first All-Star bid.