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SPORTS Friday 31 January 2020
Too many players making mockery of All-Star voting

By TIM REYNOLDS Siakam and a whopping la, which is one more vote
AP Basketball Writer 83% of players didn't vote than he has NBA points.
Once again, LeBron James for Trae Young. — Thanasis Antetok-
and Giannis Antetok- If there can be two days of ounmpo got six player
ounmpo are All-Star cap- outrage and counting over votes. Kostas Antetok-
tains. Derek Jeter getting 99.7% ounmpo got five, a big
Once again, the fans — of the vote from the Base- number for someone who
mostly, anyway — got who ball Writers Association of hasn't scored yet this sea-
they wanted as the game's America for inclusion into son. Perhaps players got
starters. the Hall of Fame — missing confused. Perhaps those
And once again, too many a unanimous selection by votes were supposed to go
NBA players made a mock- one measly vote — then to Giannis. Who knows.
ery of their vote to decide there should be some out- — Bol Bol got a vote. He
which colleagues should rage for this. hasn't played yet. Miye
start the league's show- The Pro Bowl is less than ide- Oni got a vote. He's made Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo shoots during a
case exhibition. al, given that players who three scoreless appear- training session ahead of the NBA basketball game against
It's time for the NBA to take made the Super Bowl aren't ances. The list of 'this-guy- Charlotte Hornets, in Paris, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020.
Associated Press
the vote away from the taking part and neither got-votes?' goes on and on
players. It's clear too many are plenty of other players and on and on. people voted for Zaza Pa- The NBA was right to act
don't want the job. who could be on the field In all, 292 players got at chulia in 2016 and nearly then and change the rules,
While fan voting pretty in Orlando this weekend. least one vote from their made him a starter. Pachul- going to a formula where
much set the tone for who The NHL All-Star game this peers. That's a new record, ia's "candidacy" was fueled starters get picked in a sys-
will start Feb. 16 in Chicago, weekend is missing Alex three more than the ridicu- by social-media influencers tem where fans make up
an AP analysis of the num- Ovechkin. The latter innings lous number set last year. and many votes from the 50% of the vote, media 25%
bers shows that 380 play- of baseball's All-Star Game The system changed four former Soviet republic of and players the other 25%.
ers took part in the voting. are usually featuring play- years ago after 768,112 Georgia, his homeland. Change the rules again.q
The players, like the media ers who most fans didn't
and fans, voted for three vote for, because the start-
frontcourt players and two ers' evenings have long
guards apiece from the been over.
Eastern and Western Con- And the NBA's All-Star
ferences. game gets ripped most
A look inside those numbers every year for being a no-
reveals a growing concern. defense exhibition.
Antetokounmpo — the It's doubtful any of that
league's reigning MVP — will change. The days of
got the most player votes, Pete Rose running over Ray
with 258. That means 67.9% Fosse at home plate in an
of players who voted All-Star game are over.
thought he was worthy But that doesn't mean NBA
of an All-Star start. More players shouldn't take the
importantly, that means vote seriously.
32.1% of players who voted The players made their
thought he should either voice heard in some cases.
come off the bench or not Fan-pick Kyrie Irving wasn't
be an All-Star at all. named a starter; Walker
James didn't appear on got that nod instead —
38.2% of the player ballots. based on player and me-
If there's one thing that can dia voting.
be agreed upon, it's An- Irving or Walker can be
tetokounmpo and James a legit debate, but some
have been among the player voting was comical.
three best forwards in their — Zion Williamson got two
conferences this season. votes, which on the surface
Sounds reasonable, but doesn't look so bad; after
apparently it's not obvious all, he was the No. 1 over-
to their peers. all pick last season. Con-
James and Antetok- sider, however, that the
ounmpo were the only two two votes were cast before
starters who got more than he made his NBA debut on
50% of the vote from their Wednesday.
player peers. Put another — Tacko Fall — the 7-foot-
way: 52% of players didn't 5 Boston center who has
think Anthony Davis should spent most of his rookie
be a starter, 56% didn't vote season in the G League —
for Luka Doncic, 59% didn't got seven votes from play-
vote for Kawhi Leonard, ers. He has appeared in
62% didn't vote for James four games.
Harden, 67% didn't vote — Justise Winslow, who has
for Joel Embiid, 70% didn't missed most of Miami's sea-
vote for Kemba Walker, son, got one vote. So did
72% didn't vote for Pascal Heat teammate KZ Okpa-