Russell Westbrook get’s denied starting spot in All-Star game

Photo of Connor Hall Connor HallJanuary 20, 2017Last Updated: January 20, 2017

The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced the All-Star game starters Thursday night, revealing who will be participating in the 66th mid-season extravaganza in New Orleans on February 19th. But one of the league’s biggest stars was notable absent from the list.

The Western Conference starters consist of two star-studded guards in James Harden and Stephen Curry, in edition to a stacked and lengthy backcourt of Kevin Durant, Khawhi Leonard, and Anthony Davis.

Starting the game off for the Eastern Conference will be Kyrie Irving, DeMar DeRozan, Jimmy Butler, LeBron James, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

On paper, the starting-5 for each side looks to be the most even in a number of years, but one question remains: Where is Russell Westbrook?

On pace to become the first player to average a triple-double in the regular season since Oscar Robertson did so in 1961-62, the electric point guard was absent from the starting roster after falling in a 3-way tiebreaker.

New this season, the NBA announced a new voting system in which fans made up half of the vote, while the players and media shared a quarter of the vote. The change, designed to give a balance between the most popular players and the most deserving, shorted perhaps the leagues best player of a starting spot.

After the preliminary voting, Harden, Curry and Westbrook were deadlocked in a tie for the two available guard spots. One would think to look at the stats to decide the two who start, right? Nope. Per the league rules announced in December, the fan vote decides the tiebreaker, in which Westbrook finished 3rd, falling to the other two.

Stephen Curry (1,848,121 fan votes) & James Harden (1,771,375 fan votes) won the tiebreaker while Westbrook (1,575,865 fan votes) brought up the rear, surrendering the starting spot.

How could the league leave out a player who is averaging a triple-double and has single handily carried his team to a 25-19 record? You’re shocked right? Well so is the rest of the world.

If I have convinced you enough yet, take this into consideration: Russell Westbrook has more triple-doubles this season(21) than the rest of the Western Conference starters and Eastern Conference starters COMBINED(19).

While the NBA All-Star game means absolutely nothing and is really an opportunity for players to take a break from the grueling regular season and make some highlight reel plays, it just seems nutty that someone who is putting up the numbers of Russell Westbrook is not starting in a showcase of the leagues best players.

The reserves for the All Star game will be announced by the NBA coaches on Jan. 26th, while the actual game takes place at the Smoothie King Center on February 19th.

Westbrook doesn’t seem to be bothered by the slight, saying: “It is what it is. It’s the nature of the business, the game. Just play. I don’t play for All-Star nods or All-Star bids. I play to win championships, and every night I compete at a high level, and you know, it’ll work out. Just continue doing what I’m doing, and you know, play the game the right way, and everything else will work out.”

While Westbrook doesn’t appear to be bothered by the situation, we all know he isn’t just gonna let this pass by, leaving me to believe this:

Watch out, NBA. Russ is coming.

  • Connor Hall (@518SportsChall)
Photo of Connor Hall Connor HallJanuary 20, 2017Last Updated: January 20, 2017