Voting for the NBA All-Star Game is close to concluding, and once the official All-Stars are announced, there will surely be some notable snubs.
With the amount of outstanding talent in the NBA currently, it should be a common theme that players who have great seasons will not get a chance to be an All-Star because there is simply too much talent ahead of them.
This concerns former Kentucky Wildcats as well. While several of John Calipari's prodigies will definitely be named All-Stars, some will likely not be receiving the honor despite being deserving of it.
Either that, or the ones that will get in still won't have the respect they deserve. Here are several former Kentucky Wildcats deserving of All-Star recognition, but likely will not get it.
Eric Bledsoe
Bledsoe had been flirting with All-Star contention last season before a season-ending injury, and has gotten right back where he left off this season. Putting up 20.1 points, 5.9 assists, five rebounds and 1.5 steals per game with the Phoenix Suns, Bledsoe has numbers that would certainly support an All-Star campaign in most seasons.
In today's NBA though, the number of top tier point guards will likely prevent Bledsoe from getting All-Star votes. Especially in the Western Conference names such as Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Stephen Curry, and Chris Paul will take up just about every guard spot available for the Western All-Stars. Still, it doesn't take away from the stellar season Eric is having.
Devin Booker
Eric Bledsoe's teammate in the desert, Devin Booker has been having an outstanding second season after being taken 13th in the 2015 NBA Draft. Averaging an impressive 20.3 points per game, Booker is already well on his way to becoming one of the best two guards in the Western Conference.
While he struggled vitally in the first part of the current season, Booker has solidified his All-Star case with some stellar play as of late. This includes his past two performance in which he's scored a career-high 39 points in both games, one being a 108-105 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
While it's not common for a player so young to be in contention for an All-Star berth, Booker has made a case for himself.
DeMarcus Cousins
Boogie may be enduring another lost season with the Kings, but that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to be one of the NBA’s best big men. Cousins is averaging 28.1 points, 1.4 blocks, and 10.0 rebounds per game this season. He’s also coming off a monster game vs the Thunder that has him in some rarefied company:
Last night was DeMarcus Cousins' 56th 30 and 10 game. He's just three behind Dwight for his career https://t.co/anvZNolPDk #Kings pic.twitter.com/ikmoMwjUV8
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) January 16, 2017
Boogie deserves a spot in this game, hands down.
Karl Anthony-Towns
Towns has been considered a borderline All-Star all season, and his play backs it up. Towns has had a triple double; he's had 20 rebound games, he's had a 47 point game, and a 22 point 12 rebound season average. More than likely Towns will be dressing for the All-Star Game, whether it's a voted in reserve or injury substitute, but with bigs like Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, Marc Gasol, and LaMarcus Aldridge in contention, Towns could very well be snubbed.
John Wall
Wall isn't in the same category as the others on this list, a three-time All-Star already, Wall is all but surely going to be one again this year. Even when getting All-Star recognition, Wall doesn't necessarily get the respect he deserves.
The Eastern Conference has a variety of excellent point guards, and though Wall started the All-Star Game in 2015, he may not get the same opportunity this year. Despite having his most prolific season yet, 23 points and 10 assists per game, Wall is often looked in the rear view behind names such as Kyle Lowry, Kyrie Irving, and Isaiah Thomas.
He may not be an All-Star starter, but Wall is more than deserving of the honor. Go vote for Wall and the rest of the Cats into the game before the deadline ends at midnight tonight.