Atlanta Hawks star Trae Younger has arguably put collectively the most efficient first half of an NBA season in his profession.
However Younger’s NBA-leading 11.4 assists per recreation weren’t sufficient to land the 26-year-old guard an All-Star nod.
Final week, the NBA revealed the starters for its revamped annual showcase of its 24 star gamers. Whereas the checklist of starters didn’t function a number of surprises, the reserves raised some eyebrows.
Younger’s identify was noticeably lacking when the 2025 NBA All-Star Recreation reserves have been revealed Thursday.
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Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Younger reacts after a foul was known as in the course of the first half of Recreation 4 of a first-round playoff sequence towards the Boston Celtics April 23, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Picture/Brynn Anderson)
The omission sparked some spirited posts on social media about Younger and different gamers who acquired a chilly shoulder from voters. Younger summed up his circumstances by placing a novel twist on his identify.
“It is getting ‘Traed’ at this level,” the previous Oklahoma basketball standout wrote on X. He then provided an apology to his followers and took a extra measured strategy, saying, “Sorry to my followers.. it’ll change ultimately! All proper, speak quickly!”
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Younger has been an All-Star thrice earlier than, however his numbers do appear to again up the argument that he’s one among this 12 months’s high 24 gamers. Except for his help common, Younger is averaging 22.5 factors per recreation.
NBA coaches decide the All-Star reserves. Hawks coach Quin Snyder made it clear he believes the gamers who made the All-Star roster are deserving.
Trae Younger of the Atlanta Hawks after Recreation 5 of the primary spherical of the NBA Playoffs towards the Boston Celtics April 25, 2023, on the TD Backyard in Boston. (Brian Babineau/NBAE by way of Getty Photos)
“That additionally doesn’t preclude me from feeling the best way I do about Trae,” Snyder stated. “I haven’t coached him for that lengthy, however I really feel like he’s had the most effective 12 months of his profession. … No disrespect to anybody that has made it, however as Trae’s coach, I’m allowed to really feel disappointment for him not making it. And that’s unlucky.”
Younger hasn’t been voted into the sport since 2022. He was an harm substitute chosen by Commissioner Adam Silver for final 12 months’s All-Star Recreation.
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time All-Star, is one other notable participant who didn’t obtain an All-Star choice.
Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns throughout Recreation 3 of the 2023 NBA Western Convention semifinals towards the Denver Nuggets Could 5, 2023, at Footprint Middle in Phoenix, Ariz. (Barry Gossage/NBAE by way of Getty Photos)
“Clearly, one thing that I needed to be part of,” Booker stated Friday. “However undoubtedly not going to complain about taking per week to regroup with the household.”
Fan voting accounts for 50% of the formulation for deciding which gamers begin the sport, and the Hornets’ LaMelo Ball was the backcourt participant who acquired essentially the most votes from followers within the Jap Convention by a large margin.
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Nevertheless, he narrowly missed being a starter after ending third within the East backcourt voting by gamers and seventh within the media balloting. Ball then missed out on being a reserve as a result of he didn’t get listed on sufficient coaches’ ballots.
Ball ranks fourth within the league with 28.2 factors per recreation. He’s the primary participant below the present voting format to win the fan vote at his place however not get picked for the All-Star Recreation.
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