In the past weeks, many Charlotte Hornets fans have expressed frustration about how LaMelo Ball was brushed off from the All-Star Game. It would have been understandable if voters didn't want him in the contest, but he was the leading vote-getter among all Eastern Conference guards.
A case can be made that something has to be done about the voting system. It's only right to have a safeguard in place against the possibility of undeserving players participating in the midseason showcase, such as when Zaza Pachulia finished second in fan ballots among West frontcourt candidates in 2017. However, Ball is undoubtedly worthy of being an All-Star this year.
The situation only turned out to be more exasperating after LeBron James and Anthony Edwards opted to sit out of the contest at the last minute. The decent thing they could have done was to give the league more time to find replacements. Of course, the Hornets star wouldn't have gotten the call-up since the late scratches came from the West. Still, Ball probably would have been more than happy to suit up.
LaMelo Ball dodged a bullet after a polarizing ASG
Then again, maybe the 23-year-old was thrilled to have avoided the All-Star Game, especially after how it transpired.
The NBA rolled out a tournament format this year for the first time, with the All-Star selections being drafted into three teams and the winner of the Rising Stars Challenge joining as the fourth squad. When the change was announced, there was a lot of backlash. However, you have to hand it to the league for trying to find ways to encourage the players to play harder.
To be fair, the first rounds of the tournament appeared competitive. Things shifted a bit in the championship stage, though, as Team Shaq, who drafted some of the older All-Stars, cruised to the victory against Team Chuck.
However, the main criticism of the All-Star Game was not the on-court product itself. It was that there were more extra-curricular activities than actual basketball.
Some folks kept count and determined that the nearly three-hour broadcast featured just around 30 minutes of hoops. There were too many breaks, too many ads, and too much Kevin Hart. The championship contest was even interrupted by an arguably needless tribute to the "Inside the NBA" crew. Do they deserve recognition? Definitely, but it's not as if they're disbanding, as ESPN will adopt the show starting next season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's injury replacement, Trae Young (which should have been Ball), voiced out what many fans were thinking, saying, "I feel like the fans want to see us playing more, rather than just some little shows in between breaks." If the Hornets star had played, he probably would have felt the same as Young.
Don't get it wrong. Ball would have likely loved to be a part of the festivities, represent Charlotte at All-Star Weekend, and add another All-Star appearance to his name. But his time was better spent elsewhere on Sunday than on the hardwood floor.