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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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22. Bernard King, 1991

How Chosen: Reserve (started game in place of injured Larry Bird)

We revisit the 1991 All-Star Game at Charlotte Coliseum, where Hall of Famer Bernard King made the last of his four All-Star Game appearances while the 34-year-old was playing for the Washington Bullets.

He had made a remarkable comeback from a devastating knee injury that cost him the second half of the 1984-85 season, all of 1985-86 and all but six games in 1986-87.

King was putting up huge numbers at the break—29.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game on .478/.217/.784 shooting.

Washington, meanwhile, was 21-27—third in the Atlantic Division and seventh in the East. When King went down with an injury late in the season, the Bullets faded from playoff contention.

But there were other forwards in the East having better all-around seasons. King’s production stemmed in large part from the Bullets simply not having another option; his 34.4 percent usage rate was the highest in the NBA in 1990-91.

Detlef Schrempf of the Indiana Pacers, Larry Nance of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls were other viable candidates at forward for the East.

Pippen had been a somewhat questionable All-Star choice in 1990, a year in which King would have been the better choice, so perhaps it was simply karma at work.

Pippen was averaging 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.1 assists on .505/.214/.670 shooting at the break and was also nabbing 2.2 steals a night for the 32-14 Bulls, who would go on to win the franchise’s first championship later that year.

Pippen would go on to play in the next six All-Star games and was a Hall of Famer himself, so it didn’t turn out badly for him.

King played 26 minutes in the East’s 116-114 win at Charlotte Coliseum, scoring eight points with three rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot on 2-of-8 shooting.

Next: Not Such A Big E