Often times it takes a catastrophic event to induce change where needed. Someone almost always has to fall off of something before a railing is installed.
The National Basketball Association has reached that point.
Last week, when the NBA released its most recent voting results for the Feb. 14 All-Star Game — a process that’s left entirely in the hands of the fans — two players were penciled in as starters who had absolutely no business being on the ballot.
Their names: Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson.
Both fantastic players in days gone by, T-Mac and A.I. are far from all-star worthy at this point in their careers. For starters, neither one of them really even has a career anymore.
Through roughly one half of the 2009-10 NBA season, McGrady has played in all of six games for the Houston Rockets and he’s averaging 3.2 points, 0.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 7.7 minutes per game.
Excuse me while I speculate that there are three or four guys within shouting distance of my desk who might very well be able to average those numbers. And believe me, none of these hacks will ever be mistaken for an NBA all-star.
As for Iverson, his numbers are a little better — 14 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists with Memphis and Phily — but he’s only played in half of his team’s games (18) this season. Furthermore, after another dose of offseason antics, A.I.’s lucky to even have a team. And the way the Sixers are using him, he might not for much longer.
So what gives? Why would the NBA allow this to happen?
That’s exactly what Celtics guard Ray Allen would like to know. After hearing about McGrady and Iverson’s positioning in the latest voting updates, Allen — a nine-time All-Star himself — spoke up about the need for something to change.
“I like the fact that the fans get the opportunity to vote and pick who they’d like to see in the All-Star Game,” he said. “But I don’t think it should be 100 percent.”
No kidding. Allen, who currently sits fourth in the voting among all guards in the Eastern Conference, said he’d like the system to change. Allen says, instead of giving the fans 100 percent say in who starts, why not give them 50 percent of the power, while dividing the remaining 50 percent between the league’s coaches and players.
The NBA doesn’t like it. Because they’re all about money, they’re all about the fans who spend that money and are willing to put a diminished product on the floor over rewarding those players who deserve the honor.
Former Kansas University coach Larry Brown — an NBA coach for 26 seasons — says he thinks the voting process is just fine the way it is. Then again, the only person who loves Iverson more than Brown is Iverson’s mother. And even that’s close.
For my money, I tend to agree with Allen. I’d hate to see guys like McGrady and Iverson or even Shaq and Tim Duncan, take the place of more deserving players. Don’t get me wrong, if Shaq or Duncan were in the middle of mind-boggling, all-star seasons, I’d have no problem with either of them earning a starting nod. They’re not. But at least they’re playing.
If Iverson and McGrady get the start in February’s All-Star game, you can toss the NBA’s midseason showcase into the same category as the NFL Pro Bowl or Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game, both overhyped, underwhelming wastes of time.
Jayhawks on the All-Star Radar
Not so surprisingly there’s only one former Jayhawk who’s relevant in this year’s All-Star voting. Although KU recently has enjoyed a rise in the number of players it has sent to the pro ranks, few of them have yet to reach all-star status.
The one former Jayhawk who carries the torch for Mt. Oread in this department is Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce, who currently sits fourth in the voting among all Eastern Conference forwards. And, according to his Twitter page, that’s not good enough.
“Now if I can only get more votes for the allstar game. Come on my tweeps help me out.” That was Pierce’s most recent Tweet, which was dated Dec. 17, 2009. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that Pierce’s fans have answered the plea. Although “The Truth” is in fourth place in the voting (the top two vote-getters will earn starting spots), Pierce remains more than one million votes behind teammate Kevin Garnett for second place and is nearly 400,000 votes behind Chris Bosh for third.
Throughout his 11-year pro career, Pierce has been named to the Eastern Conference All-Star Team seven times.
The starters for the 2010 game, which will take place at massive Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will be announced on Jan. 21. The complete rosters will be determined by the head coaches in each conference, with no coach able to vote for his own players.
If you’d like to help Pierce out, click here.
EASTERN CONFERENCE NBA ALL-STAR VOTING (Through Jan. 7)
Guards: Dwyane Wade (Mia) 1,719,359; Allen Iverson (Phi) 930,713; Vince Carter (Orl) 745,581; Ray Allen (Bos) 510,885; Gilbert Arenas (Was) 445,473; Derrick Rose (Chi) 385,829; Joe Johnson (Atl) 329,100; Rajon Rondo (Bos) 269,566; Jose Calderon (Tor) 157,354; Mike Bibby (Atl) 155,078.
Forwards: LeBron James (Clev) 1,769,287; Kevin Garnett (Bos) 1,467,365; Chris Bosh (Tor) 724,317; Paul Pierce (Bos) 366,234; Josh Smith (Atl) 334,338; Andre Iguodala (Phi) 228,343; Danny Granger (Ind) 213,371; Michael Beasley (Mia) 188,552; Rashard Lewis (Orl) 151,717; Hedo Turkoglu (Tor) 133,445; Caron Butler (Was) 110,003.
Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 1,681,897; Shaquille O’Neal (Cle) 609,486; Al Horford (Atl) 178,360; Andrea Bargnani (Tor) 168,684; Brook Lopez (NJ) 154,362; Andrew Bogut (Mil) 143,545; Jermaine O’Neal (Mia) 111,065; Rasheed Wallace (Bos) 87,590; Kendrick Perkins (Bos) 56,598; Samuel Dalembert (Phi) 53,880; Tyson Chandler (Cha) 44,279; Brad Miller (Chi) 40,182.
WESTERN CONFERENCE NBA ALL-STAR VOTING (Through Jan. 7)
Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 1,793,782; Tracy McGrady (Hou) 746,625; Steve Nash (Pho) 744,250; Chris Paul (NO) 701,417; Aaron Brooks (Hou) 443,369; Jason Kidd (Dal) 429,720; Chauncey Billups (Den) 310,281; Deron Williams (Utah) 285,185; Manu Ginobili (SA) 261,107; Brandon Roy (Por) 257,231; Tony Parker (SA) 248,951.
Forwards: Carmelo Anthony (Den) 1,568,259; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 826,130; Tim Duncan (SA) 776,225; Pau Gasol (LAL) 754,070; Kevin Durant (OKC) 556,847; Trevor Ariza (Hou) 504,725; Luis Scola (Hou) 437,944; Shawn Marion (Dal) 295,310; Ron Artest (LAL) 266,554; Lamar Odom (LAL) 194,567; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 177,663.
Centers: Amar’e Stoudemire (Pho) 1,304,470; Andrew Bynum (LAL) 743,182; Nene (Den) 261,295; Marc Gasol (Mem) 217,675; Antonio McDyess (SA) 157,346; Al Jefferson (Min) 146,773; Greg Oden (Por) 136,388; Marcus Camby (LAC) 121,981; Andris Biedrins (GS) 102,095; Mehmet Okur (Utah) 96,897; Emeka Okafor (NO) 94,685; Spencer Hawes (Sac) 31,767.
