Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young averaged 26.2 points and 10.2 assists in 73 games in the previous NBA season. No All-Star selection in 2023.
This season, he is averaging 27.1 points and 11.0 assists in 43 games. No All-Star selection this year either.
He then proceeded to torch Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns with 32 points and 15 assists to give Hawks the win, 129 to 120.
That's his fourth consecutive double-double by the way.
🥶 32 PTS
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 3, 2024
🥶 12-17 FG
🥶 7-11 3-PT FG
🥶 15 AST
🥶 3 STL
Sounds like an All Star to us ¯\_(?)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/2AZiTHYt78
Even LeBron James, who is making a record 20th appearance at the All-Star Game, couldn't help but chime in.
"I’m not quite understanding this! Cause it can’t be about Ws/Ls cause cats have definitely gotten in with wayyy nastier records in the past. He be cooking EVERY NIGHT! Stop it! He’s an All-?? for sure. Something is REAL 🐠-E. 🤔" James replied on X (formerly known as Twitter).
AGREED!!! I’m not quite understanding this! Cause it can’t be about Ws/Ls cause cats have definitely gotten in with wayyy nastier records in the past. He be cooking EVERY NIGHT! Stop it! He’s an All-?? for sure. Something is REAL 🐠-E. 🤔
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 3, 2024
Now Young has been to the All-Star Game before, twice actually.
But in the 2019-20 and the 2021-22 seasons, the Hawks guard wasn't averaging a double double.
He scored 29.6 points per game and 9.3 assists per game ahead of the 2020 All-Stars.
He then made 28.4 points and 9.7 dimes on the average before the 2022 All-Star Game.
So where's the call-up now?
According to ESPN's SportsCenter, there were only three instances that a player is averaging 25 points and 10 assists without being hailed an All-Star. It happened to Young twice. The other one was Michael Adams in the 1990-91 season.
There have been just three instances of a player averaging 25 PTS and 10 AST without being named an All-Star. Trae Young is two of those instances.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 2, 2024
The other was Michael Adams in 1990-91. pic.twitter.com/XWknvPZ4FD
Going back to the All-Star Voting
Let's go back to how they select the All-Stars.
The starters are determined via fan votes.
Fans accounted for 50 percent of the vote to determine the starters, while players and media accounted for 25 percent each.
In the Eastern Conference, Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton and Milwaukee's Damian Lillard were hailed as starters.
Haliburton ranked first among players, among fans, and among the media. So he was undoubtedly a shoo-in.
Lillard ranked fourth among players, third among fans, and fifth among media with a weighted score of 3.75.
In those voting results, New York's Jalen Brunson also had a weighted score of 3.75. He ranked third among players, fifth among fans, and second among the media.
Young is fourth in that list. Curiously though, he is second in fan votes with 2.2 million, but ranks sixth among players and among the media. Actually only one reporter voted for him.
His weighted score is 4.0, which is the same as named All-Star reserve Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
So what gives?
See, the reserves are selected by the coaches in each conference. They are not allowed to vote for their own players. They must select two guards, three frontcourt players, and two wildcards that can be any position.
There's still a shot for him though, since Julius Randle is a scratch due to injury. Embiid could also skip the All-Stars after he injured his left knee.
Commissioner Adam Silver will be naming the replacement for any player unable to participate in the All-Star Game, choosing a player from the same conference as the player who is being replaced.
And a number of fans have been clamoring for Young as a replacement.
Who should replace Joel Embiid and Julius Randle in the All-Star game?
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 2, 2024
(Via @ESPNNBA ) pic.twitter.com/v82zS06Ynz
Whatever happens, at least Young knows how to give himself some love.
"Born a Star, still a Star... Always will be a Star," he posted.
Born a Star, still a Star.. Always will be a Star 💫 #WeMove pic.twitter.com/7PWm9o9f72
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) February 3, 2024
