Atlanta Hawks star Trae Younger has arguably put collectively the best first half of an NBA season in his profession.
However Younger’s NBA-leading 11.4 assists per sport 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 record of starters didn’t function loads of surprises, the reserves raised some eyebrows.
Younger’s title was noticeably lacking when the 2025 NBA All-Star Recreation reserves had been revealed Thursday.
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Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Younger reacts after a foul was known as through the first half of Recreation 4 of a first-round playoff collection 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 title.
“It’s getting ‘Traed’ at this point,” the previous Oklahoma basketball standout wrote on X. He then provided an apology to his followers and took a extra measured method, saying, “Sorry to my fans.. it’ll change eventually! All right, talk soon!”
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Younger has been an All-Star 3 times earlier than, however his numbers do appear to again up the argument that he’s certainly one of this yr’s high 24 gamers. Except for his help common, Younger is averaging 22.5 factors per sport.
NBA coaches choose 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 through Getty Pictures)
“That also doesn’t preclude me from feeling the way I do about Trae,” Snyder mentioned. “I haven’t coached him for that long, but I feel like he’s had the best year of his career. … No disrespect to anyone that has made it, but as Trae’s coach, I am allowed to feel disappointment for him not making it. And that’s unfortunate.”
Younger hasn’t been voted into the sport since 2022. He was an damage alternative chosen by Commissioner Adam Silver for final yr’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 Might 5, 2023, at Footprint Middle in Phoenix, Ariz. (Barry Gossage/NBAE through Getty Pictures)
“Obviously, something that I wanted to be a part of,” Booker mentioned Friday. “But definitely not going to complain about taking a week to regroup with the family.”
Fan voting accounts for 50% of the components for deciding which gamers begin the sport, and the Hornets’ LaMelo Ball was the backcourt participant who bought 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 sport. 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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