DeMarcus Cousins Was Snubbed from NBA All-Star Game, It’s Time To Change The System

Every year there are snubs in the NBA all-star game, heck there are snubs in every all-star game in any sport, but the past 2 years in the NBA it has been so bad it is a joke. Granted Cousins is actually going to be an all-star now, the way the voting is done needs fixed. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, it’s time you change the way people vote on all-stars. No more should the most deserving players from that particular season have to sit and watch the all-star game from home. It’s time to change the voting system from a popularity contest into a “who has had the better season” contest. It’s getting out of hand.

Change the voting system.

That leads me to the reason I am writing this post, DeMarcus Cousins had been royally screwed out of a spot on the NBA All-Star team, for the second year in a row. There have only been two players in the NBA who have not been voted to the all-star game in which they were in the top 10 in the league in both points and top 10 in rebounds, the two players were DeMarcus Cousins of this year, and DeMarcus Cousins of last year. Whether or not you don’t like DeMarcus because you think he is a “head case” or a “hot head” doesn’t mean you can deny how good of a player he is. That’s exactly what fans have done, they have denied Cousins his right to play in the all-star game not because of his play, but because of a popularity vote. It’s incredibly stupid.

Change the voting system.

I’m going to give you stats of 3 players from the same position, from the same conference, I want you to vote in your head based on the stats. I want you to pick the best player and put that in your back pocket, then I want you to pick the second best player, based on stats, and who you think should be in the all-star game.

Player Averages

Player 1: 14.7 points, 10.1 rebounds, 0.98 blocks, 48% field goal

Player 2: 23.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.18 blocks, 46% field goal

Player 3: 23.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.63 blocks, 48% field goal

Based on those stats, who is your best player? And who is your second best player? Obviously, the best player is Player #3 and your second best is Player #2. Now, what if I told you that Player #1 beat out Player #3 (best) for a spot on the all-star team? It’s ridiculous to think that, that actually happened this year. The stats that Player #1 put up are just average at best. Player #1 is Tim Duncan, yes Duncan has been the best power forward in the league for many years, aside from this year however. Player #2 was LaMarcus Aldridge who I think should be in the all-star game, in which he actually is in the game. Player #3 was DeMarcus Cousins, Cousins with those numbers was beat out by Tim Duncan with the numbers Duncan put up.

Change the voting system.

I can’t just bash the voting system and keep saying change the system without proposing an idea of a way to fix it. So, here is my proposal. The NBA must choose 5 players from each position for each conference based on who is having the best season. If a guy who has been a very good player in the league for many years isn’t having a good season, that’s just tough luck, they should have done better. From those 5 players from each position let the fans vote 2 players from each position and then let the coaches pick from the remaining that didn’t get voted as their reserves. It’s not a perfect concept, but it’s 10 times better than the one in place now.

If you don’t think the all-star voting isn’t a popularity contest, here’s some you can’t deny, argue with or whatever, it is what it is. Last season, the beloved, and rightfully so, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles was voted to the all-star game. Kobe Bryant could not play in the game though, because of an injury. Last year, Kobe Bryant only played 6… SIX games! He was still voted to the all-star game! That’s irresponsible and unfair to other players that did not have a chance to be voted in but had to be his replacement because of the all-star game being a popularity contest. We’re looking at you now NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. It’s time for you to fix this and quit the shenanigans that happen every year. It’s time to change the system.