Change the NBA All-Star Ballot
Deron Williams (photo. Christian Kozowyck)In this morning’s Smack comments, reader “ab_40″ suggested that Shaq could be headed for his 15th All-Star selection when the annual showcase moves to Phoenix in 2009. Looking at the competition amongst centers in the West, it’s a likely scenario. Yao Ming will undoubtedly be voted in as the starter, and with room for probably one more center, it’ll come down to Shaq, Tyson Chandler, Marcus Camby, Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasl, Al Jefferson, Amare Stoudemire, Greg Oden and Mehmet Okur, with some other longshots in the mix like Andris Biedrins, LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol, Brad Miller and Chris Kaman.
Ultimately, a lot will come down to how those players are listed on the ballot, and if the coaches who pick the All-Star reserves are bound by those listings. For example, Amare, Gasol, Aldridge, Jefferson and one of the Kaman/Camby duo could all be listed as forwards, making Shaq’s road that much easier.
That said, I think it’s time for the All-Star ballot to get a makeover. With the way the game is going, as the concept of the true center continues to dwindle and with more power forward/center hybrid players than ever, the ballot should be divided as follows:
Point Guards (one starter)
Wings (two starters)
Big Men (two starters)
Nine times out of 10, on every level, an All-Star game is only as good as the point guards who are running the show. Changing the ballot to separate the true point guards from the two-guards (who’d be in the “Wings” category) ensures that you have at least a couple of PG’s on each team’s roster, and most likely will have one true PG on the court at all times. No more of the West starting Kobe and T-Mac in the backcourt and playing a disjointed game with no flow while everyone waits for Chris Paul or Steve Nash to check in.
Also, the new ballot eliminates the scenario where a more deserving guard/forward gets snubbed because the coaches were obligated to pick a backup center. No more Jamaal Magloires and Zydrunas Ilgauskases slowing the game down unless they truly deserve to be there over the other centers and power forwards in their conference.
Do you think the NBA All-Star ballot needs to be changed?
November 5th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Sam I Am says:
Yes
That is pretty creative
November 5th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
A-Slam says:
it definately needs to be changed, when you have two shooting guards at the starting spots it’s absolutely ridiculous. T-Mac is good, but he definately doesn’t deserve to be starting with Kobe. There definately needs to be a starting true point guard, which is why im pullin for steve nash to be starting this year or at least gets the minutes he deserves especially considering it’s his home crowd this year. Amare should be moved to the power forward ballot, and in my oppinion start over Tim Duncan because he’s easily taken over as the best power forward in the league (offensively anyway)
November 5th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Sam I Am says:
Damn Yao
always gettin in for no reason
November 5th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
fattyacids says:
i think yao has about 1 billion reasons, plus hes legit
November 5th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Don Mega says:
Yao’s legs will be broken by then , doesn’t matter
November 5th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
A-Slam says:
legit when he’s healthy
November 5th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Three Stacks says:
All-Star Weekend needs a couple of tweaks, and this is a pretty good idea. Add this and a H-O-R-S-E competition.
Biedrins should be the All-Star center if he keeps playing like he has.
November 5th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
loganlight says:
AB, Good call! I like what you have suggested here. It would get more of the personalities we want to see as fans on the court. I like it.
Make the call to Stern.
November 5th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
dagwaller says:
This isn’t a bad idea. However, along with the charge rule and”drawing offensive fouls” (or whatever the technical term is for whenever someone like Dwyane Wade or Reggie Miller jumps right into someone while they’re shooting – barf), it’s something that DOES need to change to adapt to a new…oh, I don’t know, CENTURY?!
On the other hand, you could argue that keeping the game pure is more important. Personally, I think that, unlike baseball, things should be changed. The three point line, hand check defense, and zone defense are some pretty obvious rule changes that has led to the game of today, which I enjoy immensely.
Another change I’d like to see is maybe making the court bigger by, oh, I don’t know, a foot in all directions (or whatever’s proportional), just to accommodate today’s bigger, faster athlete.
November 5th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
dagwaller says:
“drawing defensive fouls”
November 5th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Detroit Dave says:
How about not having an East and West….I would like to see guys mixed randomly. Wouldn’t it be sweet to see:
Team 1
Yao
Amare
Carmelo
Kobe
Deron William vs
Dwight
Chris Bosh
LeBron
Wade
CP3
November 5th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Detroit Dave says:
now that I look at it I only switched one player from each conference but you get the point
November 5th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
dagwaller says:
I forget which All-Star game it was, but the stars aligned and there were 5 legit 7 footers on the West roster. It was something like Dirk, KG, TD, Shaq and Yao. I wanted SO badly for the coach to put KG at the 1, Dirk as the SG, TD as the “SF”, Yao as the PF and Shaq at C. Can you imagine?!?! It’d be like they were playing keep away with the ball. How would anyone score?!?!?!??!
Oh, wait. D Wade would just run at them and get the foul. Still, though.
November 5th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
If they made the court one foot bigger it would create some messes out there. The court has always been 94 x 50 and it should stay that way. The athletes of today can adjust to the size it is.
I mean of they are going to that then why not just give every body 7 fouls instead of 6. I mean we are taking about adjusting the game to today’s athlete.
See how ridiculous that sounds?
November 5th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
HBooyah says:
I agree the ballot needs to change. It’s always so frustrating watching a guy get in just because he’s listed at a certain position instead of him actually playing well.
Though it is also frustrating to see guys get in who shouldn’t be there, but they’re popular. Watch Arenas get voted in this year, yet he won’t even play ’til January. I am a huge Agent Zero fan, but I would rather see guys play that earn it.
Also, we HAVE to do something about the All-Pistons team we see every year . . . though I guess with AI this year they might be slightly more exciting.
November 5th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Austin Burton says:
I doubt Arenas will get the fan vote in the East, not with D-Wade and Iverson back in the picture. Vince could also get more votes than Arenas.
November 5th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Ian says:
hbooyah
well at least no more billups in the allstar game
no way he gets in
parker paul deron will be in the allstar game for the next 10 seasons
lol@post 4
a slam
amare has taken over the pf position lol gtfoh with that i have no idea how u suns fan can even say that shit with that straight face after duncan destroys the suns everytime they play. and nash starttt pleaseee he should miss the game this year is time to see paul parker and deron together.
btw duncan and kg are WAY better than amare
thats why they start every season
November 5th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
snoop_robb says:
Yes, Dime your idea sounds perfect, that’s exactly how the starters should be voted in. there should still be 1 Center, 2 forwards, 2 guards voted to the bench, just incase the public votes retarded…
November 5th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Ian says:
aslam btw
what year has amare ever ended up higher than duncan on the allnba team?
November 5th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
GEE...Oooh I can't believe it! says:
Change it and change college football to playoffs and give homeless J spare change.
Time for change!
November 5th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
dagwaller says:
Drink, none of what your post said made any sense.
“The athletes of today can adjust to it (the court as is).” Noooo, they’re already adjusted to THAT. I’m suggesting something new, which is what they’d have to adapt to.
And how exactly would more space create messes? I would imagine that a SMALLER court would make more of a mess.
And no, the foul change you mention isn’t at all analogous. Bigger, stronger, faster athletes can fill space more effectively (i.e., could use a bigger court); all of those things don’t logically lead to “foul more”.
November 5th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
What advantages would a bigger court have? I realize the obvious more room ,etc. But why for what purpose?
The mess it would cause would have the players not be spaced correctly if they shot from that far the shooting percentages would drop, turnovers would increase. So unless your strictly thinking that it would work in a fast break style than that would work, but not in a half court game.
I’m sure that eventually it could work, but from the time you start playing it has always been 94 x 50 it aint broke.
And I didn’t say that it would lead to more fouls what I was saying or actually quoting would be Michael Thompson s brilliant idea that because the athletes are bigger, faster stronger then why not allow them more fouls”
November 5th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Amar says:
back when there were 4 divisions I would have wanted to see more than just one game . . . like 8 guys from the atlantic play vs. 8 guys from the central. if they win, they get to play vs. the winner of the west bracket. and that would decide tiebreakers for playoff seeding. (if atlantic wins then if an atlantic team is tied with a central one, the atlantic team gets the higher seed)
it’s not going to happen now with there being 6 divisions, but it could have been a cool idea.
no one is going to want to let their players play in a meaningless set of games if there is no benefit to them to do so. (i.e. guys feigning injury)
it would be cool to see a team of brandon roy, boozer, deron, melo, durant, al jefferson and two other guys suit up for a 20 min game (broken into two 10 min halves) play against CP3, duncan, dirk, tmac, yao, etc.
November 5th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Amar says:
I’m not quick to hate on the larger court — but it’s not going to happen. team owners don’t want to give up that 1st row of really expensive court side seats, so in order to really do it, new areans would need to be built in every city.
I think that it should happen though . . . nothing too drastic, but extend it so that players have another 1′ beyond the backboard so less ‘out of bounds calls’ happen on guys doing spin moves, and so forth.
widen the court 1′ on both sides, but keep the three point line where it is. the only difference is now that the court is hardly changed at all, but the larger size of the average NBA guy now has a bit more room to play.
don’t change any of the other lines on the court either. floor spacing could be improved and wing players would have at least another 1′ to spot up from and have a better angle at throwing lobs to guys who are posted up.
if i wanted to do something really crazy would also add a 4 point line, that does not go all around the three point line. it would be 3′ beyond the three point line, and thus, not be a part of any team (save the knicks) normal half court attack. because of the court not being wide enough, it will only be a semi-circle.
furthermore, antoine walker would be the MVP.
November 5th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
Amar I see your argument but the fact that these guys can do what they do in such a confine space is a thing of beauty.
November 5th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
A-Slam says:
Ian if you love Tim Duncan so much why dont you take your stupid ass and suck on his big fundamental dick for a couple hours. Sometimes it’s not about talent, when you’re in front of your home crowd there’s always going to be a little bias for the players who play there.
November 5th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
A-Slam says:
Btw, nash deserves much more respect. Don’t forget Paul watched tapes of nash in college, if it weren’t for nash paul would be another undersized two guard in the league who never passes.
November 5th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
dagwaller says:
Drink, I like your points much better now.
Your three point line concerns, though, should be alleviated. I’m just talking about making the court a little bigger. Anyway, it’s just a thought.
November 5th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Isaiah says:
Point centers for both teams!
November 5th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Ian says:
aslam why doest it always have to be about cocks with u.
u said something stupid and u know it pointed it out and now u talking about cocks. good one my man remember no one will think less of u cuz u like dick up your ass its your life.
and u said that i love timmeh that much cuz i said (and everyone else in the world) hes better than amare. please idiot u have it wrong u love amare that much that u talk out you ass about him. later internet thug.
November 5th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Ian says:
btw u said is not about talent and the home fans biased.
well if u said that instead of posting that amare is better than duncan bs you would sound smarter than what u really are
stupid fuck
November 5th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Ian says:
nash deserves what???? gtfoh hes great but not better than the trio i mentioned
November 5th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
A-Slam says:
ian i tried reading what you typed but i just couldn’t because it had to be the worst spelling ive ever seen. So i’ll just assume you said Amare is better than tim duncan, and that you enjoy watching him alot.
November 5th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
A-Slam says:
also I can tell you’re just one of those fans who follow whatever the critics and analysts say. For example. I’m a fan of Nash, so until he retires i’ll consider him the best. But your oppinion is heavily influenced by critics so you say things like ” I’m a fan of parker, d-will, and paul” and “I like tim duncan” cmon dude grow some balls
November 5th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Ian says:
aslam
what the fuck are you talking about your posts are full of shit
what critics?
you want reality duncan is the best pf ever amare cant guard my grandmother.
parker owns nash (so does every pg that avgs more than 10ppg). nash the greatest pleaseeeee gtfoh did i post im a fan of parker deron and paul pleaseeeee go find that in my post mfker u r just posting crap. i posted that nash isnt better than any of them. back to back mvps hahahaha yeah right
so by using the words im a fan makes a player the greatest that all that i could get from your post. im a fan of luc longley and i hate russell so fuck the critics that makes luc better smart post my man smart.
please child stfu and post something smart dont be a fan talking out your ass. one question if nash is the greatest and amare is better than duncan why is it that the spurs ALWAYS destroy the suns i mean the series arent even close.
November 5th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Ian says:
btw your sun fans are the ones that need to grow some balls and stop cryin everything u get bounced by the spurs. everyseason that the match we spurs fan want cuz is a sure thing we are advancing.
November 5th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Ian says:
this is how random and weird u are.
you started with amare is better than duncan i laughed at that and said u must be crazy then u starting talking about cock and i said if u like its ok its your life then u came back with i get influenced by critics because (me being a spurs fan that has seen his team win 4 rings has nothing to do with it) i say that duncan and parker are better than nash and amare the wins prove it. because 4-12 the suns are better than the spurs. you made all that shit up in one afternoon amazing.
November 6th, 2008 at 1:03 am
justin says:
not even a nod to the Sports Guy?
November 6th, 2008 at 6:10 am
lennykrapitz says:
…
November 6th, 2008 at 6:25 am
lennykrapitz says:
ok. 06-07 was nash’s best year and he wasn’t putting up numbers like chris paul is now. he also didn’t win the MVP in 06-07. he won the MVP both seasons before that one during which he put up comparable numbers. he didn’t win it in 06-07 because of politics, primarily. did nash deserve 2 MVPs in a row? maybe, maybe not. he was definitely THE reason the phoenix suns were contendersduring his two MVP seasons. i think it’s fair to say he did more to improve his team during his two MVP seasons than any other player in the league did for any other team. however, chris paul was not in the league at that point was he? i think it’s clear that chris paul will ultimately do more than nash in the league and he will do it for longer. but this takes nothing away from what nash has already done. this same line of reasoning can be applied to the stoudemire/duncan argument. stoudemire has not yet accomplished what duncan has, but they are at different points in their careers. right now i’d take stoudemire over duncan in terms of pure statistics.
November 18th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
GenKnight says:
Actually, the fans don’t need to vote at all.
I’m old skool enough to remember when the coaches/writers voted and we got players that deserved to be All-Stars based on the actual quality of the year they were having, not what they did their first three-five years in the league or which country they were from.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
joe says:
yes, there are top performers not even on the ballott.
here are my picks…
east
chris paul
allen alda
dwayne “the rock” johnson
jerry seinfeld
moses ewing
west
paul dubsack
johnny mize
lou ferrigno
nene hilarious
penny tendergrass
thank you