Fans of Anthony Davis were left disappointed this week when it was revealed that not only was the Los Angeles Lakers big man not an All-Star starter, but also wasn’t named as a reserve.
That means the eight-time All-Star won’t appear in the game at all.
It’s surprising to not see Davis’ name anywhere, especially since he’s still one of the most well-known and important players in the Western Conference. It’s just another unfortunate moment in a season that’s been full of them for Davis and his team.
Sometimes voters get it entirely wrong, but sometimes they’re attuned to the league in some accurate ways. So that makes you wonder if maybe Davis really is no longer suitable for the All-Star Game.
Was Anthony Davis snubbed from the 2022 NBA All-Star Game?
When you look at Davis’ game based on statistics alone, he was absolutely snubbed for a place in the game.
Davis is averaging 23.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks a game. Those are his highest numbers since his first season with the Lakers, yet it seems to be mostly overlooked by the media and All-Star voters.
It’s true that Davis has been putting up some incredible numbers, but he hasn’t been as showy as in previous years. Many of his plays haven’t been SportsCenter-worthy, and that’s likely one of the reasons why so many voters forgot about him.
They want monster dunks and incredible alley-oops – the stuff that lights up NBA Twitter. While Davis has provided some of that, it pales in comparison to what he has done in the past.
Additionally, the lackluster Lakers season has surely had an impact on Davis’ standing in the league. No matter how you cut it, the Los Angeles Lakers are just not good.
They’re struggling to stay in the top eight in the West and right now there are serious doubts about them even making it into the postseason.
Is this Davis’ fault? Absolutely not. The problems with LA are so widespread and far-reaching that everyone deserves a bit of blame. But the stench of the team is rubbing off on AD.
You may note that LeBron James is in the All-Star Game, but, well, he’s LeBron. In addition, he’s not afraid to create some of the aforementioned jaw-dropping plays that make the rounds on social media and TV.
In other words, since Davis is not the biggest presence on a very forgettable team, he himself has become forgotten.
Anthony Davis undoubtedly deserves to be in the All-Star Game and the fact that he isn’t is an absolute shame. But he shouldn’t let that get him down. In fact, he should use it as motivation to keep playing as hard as he has been.
There has been inconsistency in Davis’ game this year, but things are really coming together for him lately. With or without an All-Star Game appearance, the rest of the season could be very exciting for Davis fans.