As the NBA All-Star game nears, I start to see who is leading in the balloting, hoping to see one of my Wizards in the top 3 or 4 in voting. So I look and I don’t see Larry Hughes or Gilbert Arenas in the top ten in guards in voting and Antawn Jamison is 6th in forwards in the Eastern Conference. I say to myself: “This has to be a mistake! Aren’t all three of these players averaging 20 plus points a game and at least 5 rebounds and at least 5 assists? And aren’t the Wizards having a great season? Isn’t the combination of Larry Hughes and Gilbert Arenas the best backcourt in the NBA (points wise)? Aren’t Larry, Gilbert and Antawn the new “Big Three”, combining to score 63% of the Wizards points?” It isn’t a mistake, but it should be.
It still didn’t make sense to me because, even the NBA recognizes these Wizards for their great play, awarding both Larry Hughes and Gilbert Arenas with Player of the Week awards this year. Antawn Jamison hasn’t won that award yet, but he has been the model of consistency for a team that has so desperately needed it. Larry is also leading the NBA in steals. Yeah, that’s right, the entire NBA, which includes the finally healthy Allen Iverson. Gilby (yeah I said it) has cut back significantly on his turnovers, which has been a problem for him in his career. His on-court blow-ups also seem to be a thing of the past. Antawn Jamison has also been phenomenal, nearly averaging a double-double earlier in the season when he had to play power forward for the injured Kwame Brown.
So how could people not vote for them? Why are these great players being denied a start, or at least a reserve spot on the All-Star team? After pondering this and boggling my mind with facts supporting my case for Gilbert, Larry and Antawn to make the All-Star game, I looked at who was in fact leading the voting. The player who is leading the guards is Allen Iverson, a great choice. Second, third and fourth in voting are LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Steve Francis, all great choices. But the next are Jason Kidd, Chauncey Billups, Marbury, Rip Hamilton, Paul Pierce and Reggie Miller. You have got to be kidding me. Jason Kidd and Reggie Miller are hacks now and the rest do not match up statistically with Larry or Gilbert. I must be watching a different league because I can’t, in my wildest dreams, ever see Reggie Miller being in an All-Star game at 40. Vince Carter is leading the forwards in the East in voting. Someone shoot me. Vince Carter is possibly the most overrated player EVER. He is having the worst year in his whole career (which isn’t a stellar one) and he is going to end up starting the All-Star game. Well, at least Gilbert Arenas, Larry Hughes and Antawn Jamison can be reserves, if the coaches give them their proper respect.
I know no one will care about what I am saying, and I know no one agrees that these players should start in the All-Star team, and I know Vince Carter will in fact start. Even though the great play by Larry Hughes, Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison is not respected now by NBA fans, come May, while the beloved Vince Carter and Allen Iverson are sitting at home watching the playoffs, they will be watching the Wizards and the same players that should have taken their spots on the All-Star team.
2 replies on “Unsung Heroes”
unsung heroes It always takes a year or 2 for media hype to catch up with the performance on the court — but Gilbert has been showing he’s an all-star for the last 2 years. Get him on the East team!
All-Star Even though neither Antawn, Gilbert or Larry are starting in the all star game, atleast the coaches recognized their stellar play and gave Antawn and Gilbert reserve spots. Good for the NBA.