Hoops Habit
Fansided

Biggest All-Star Starter Snubs

By Zack Geoghegan

Feb 14, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Western Conference guard Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder (0) celebrates after being named MVP of the NBA All Star Game at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 14, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Western Conference guard Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder (0) celebrates after being named MVP of the NBA All Star Game at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 20, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks to pass as Portland Trail Blazers forward Noah Vonleh (21) defends during the fourth quarter of the game at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers won the game 93-92. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks to pass as Portland Trail Blazers forward Noah Vonleh (21) defends during the fourth quarter of the game at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers won the game 93-92. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports /

Joel Embiid

Only playing 25 MPG this season, Joel Embiid is still managing to average 19.8 PPG and 7.8 RPG along with 2.5 BPG while shooting 46 percent from the field and nearly 35 percent from 3, doing so on a Sixers team with one of the worst records in the NBA.

Even at 22 years old, Embiid may be the most popular player in the league right now, and it translated into him finishing third in the Eastern Conference frontcourt fan ballot with over 900,000 votes behind only Giannis (1.6 million votes) and LeBron (1.8 million votes, which led all ballots).

Only 8 players have made an All-Star game (starter or not) while averaging less than 25 MPG and that list includes Jordan, Yao Ming, Alonzo Mourning, Bobby Jones, Kareem, Bill Gabor, and Johnny Green. I’ve never even heard of two of those guys and three of them finished the season with less than 20 games played (meaning they got in solely because of their popularity and past success).

Joel deserved to get into the All-Star game, but not over Giannis and LeBron who are having incredible years, respectively.

There is a stronger case for Embiid over Butler but even Butler’s stats (25/7/5) are too good to leave out of the starting spot.

If the All-Star selections were to be made without the position restrictions, Embiid would have his best case against DeRozan and Kyrie. Embiid affects the game in his own right more than those two do because of his defense and his ability to shoot from behind the perimeter, something DeRozan isn’t capable of.

Embiid picked the perfect time to make his case for the staring spot though, as Philly is 8-2 in their last 10 games that featured a couple of game winners, a win over the Raptors, and the most fun I have seen the Sixers fans have in over a decade. Embiid averaged 22/9 during this promising stretch.