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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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The Washington Bullets’ Elvin Hayes (Getty Images)
The Washington Bullets’ Elvin Hayes (Getty Images) /

21. Elvin Hayes, 1980

How Chosen: Reserve

Elvin Hayes was selected by the Eastern Conference coaches in 1980 for his 12th consecutive All-Star appearance. It would also be the last in a 16-season career that ended at the Hall of Fame in Springfield.

Hayes went into the All-Star break averaging 21.6 points per game (more detailed splits are unavailable prior to 1985-86) and he finished the season averaging 23 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game on .454/3-for-13/.699 shooting.

The Washington Bullets had played in the NBA Finals in each of the previous two seasons, winning their lone title in 1978, but the decline was very real in 1979-80—the Bullets were just 23-29 at the break, third in the Atlantic and eighth in the East. A strong second half got them into the sixth and final playoff spot, but they were quickly swept in the first round.

There were other Eastern Conference forwards, such as Mike Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cedric Maxwell of the Boston Celtics, who would have been stronger selections.

Maxwell, in particular, was a glaring omission. While Larry Bird gets most of the credit for the turnaround of the Celtics in 1979-80, Maxwell’s emergence at the small forward position is often overlooked.

He led the NBA in field-goal percentage that season at 60.9 percent and averaged 16.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game for a team that was 40-13 at the break—the best in the NBA—one season removed from a 29-53 disaster of a campaign.

Throw in that he was a terrific defender at a stage in Hayes’ career where he was no longer even average and Maxwell was a deserving choice.

Particularly considering that the 11-year pro was never chosen.

More hoops habit: 50 Greatest NBA Players Not in the Hall of Fame

Hayes played 29 minutes in the East’s 144-136 overtime win at the Capital Centre (also a likely factor in his selection, as he was the lone member of the host Bullets picked), scoring 12 points with five rebounds, four assists, four blocked shots and a steal while going 5-for-10 from the floor.

Next: Not Great Even Before Slump