Bad news if you were hoping Zaza Pachulia would represent the Western Conference at the All-Star Game in February: The NBA announced on Monday that the All-Star starters will no longer be determined by fan vote alone. For the first time, players and media will also take part in the process.
From the press release:
Fans were first given the opportunity to vote for NBA All-Star starters during the 1974-75 season. This year, the league will extend the platform to include two other important constituents of the game -- NBA players and NBA media. Fans will account for 50 percent of the vote, while all current players and a panel of basketball media will account for 25 percent each.
Players and media will be able to complete one full ballot, featuring three frontcourt players and two guards from both the Eastern and Western Conference. Players may vote for their teammates or themselves.
This seems like an appropriate change. After years of wacky fan voting, reform was badly needed, but the league did not want to cut out the fans entirely. The All-Star Game at its core is supposed to be a showcase for the fans, so it makes sense for the vote to remain partially a popularity contest. At the same time, with All-Star appearances often used to judge players' careers, it has become clear that some checks and balances were needed. That's what the players and media are supposed to provide, so they should take this responsibility seriously.
Can't wait to find out which role players decide to vote for themselves.
