Devin Booker, the Phoenix Suns' star shooting guard, has voiced his support for expanding the NBA All-Star rosters. Currently, the All-Star Game reserves only 12 spots per conference, despite each team being allowed to have 15 active players since the 2020-21 season. Booker argues that this discrepancy leaves many deserving players without recognition.
In the current landscape, several top-performing athletes have been notably absent from the All-Star lineup. Among them are Kyrie Irving and Norman Powell, who are both having remarkably efficient seasons while contributing significantly to their teams' victories. Additionally, Trae Young stands out as the league leader in assists, averaging 11.4 per game alongside 22.5 points, yet he too was not selected.
The situation has left many in the league questioning the selection process. Devin Booker himself became the first player to lead his position group in fan voting to not be named an All-Star since the voting system was updated in the 2016-17 season. This exclusion highlights the growing concern over the limited roster spots.
"I think there's enough talented guys out here that are deserving." – Devin Booker
The list of non-selected top scorers includes prominent names such as Charlotte's LaMelo Ball, Philadelphia's Tyrese Maxey, Sacramento's De'Aaron Fox, Dallas' Kyrie Irving, and Chicago's Zach LaVine. LaMelo Ball, in particular, managed to garner the most fan votes among Eastern Conference backcourt players but failed to secure an All-Star spot. His impressive stats—28.2 points and 7.3 assists per game—further underline the argument for expanding the roster.
Booker, a four-time All-Star himself, is currently delivering stellar performances with an average of 25.5 points and 6.7 assists per game. He points to Domantas Sabonis as another example of a player overlooked, despite Sabonis leading the league with 14.5 rebounds per game and contributing an additional 20.9 points and 6.6 assists for the Kings.
The NBA All-Star Game serves as a midseason showcase of talent and skill, yet its limited roster size seems to exclude deserving athletes each year. Expanding the rosters to 15 players per conference, as Booker suggests, could ensure that more players receive due acknowledgment for their contributions to the league.
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