Opinion: Winners and losers of All-NBA team voting

Did Lebron James deserve a third team nod?
Did Lebron James deserve a third team nod? Photo credit: Getty

As the NBA Finals loom, so too does the end of another drama-filled and thrilling NBA season. As the curtain begins to close, finalists for certain awards have been trickling through cyberspace, and on Friday (NZT), the 2018-19 All-NBA teams were announced.

As always, the final teams have left people disgruntled, players rolling their eyes, and even missing out on tens of millions of dollars.

So, how does it work? And who gets to call the shots?

The All-NBA First, Second and Third teams are decided by a global panel of 100

sports writers and broadcasters to select two guards, two forwards and one centre via a points-based system.

In the All-NBA First Team, we have MVP finalist James Harden (Houston Rockets), and Stephen Curry (Warriors) as the guards. Another MVP front-runner Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) and Steven Adams’ OKC teammate Paul George (Oklahoma City Thunder) make up the forwards, while centre Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) rounds out the star-studded five.

Antetokounmpo and Harden have played other-worldly basketball this season, and were the only players unanimously selected for the First Team. Both players have made incredibly strong cases to be considered this year’s Most Valuable Player, and received First Team votes on all 100 voting ballots.

The All-NBA Second Team is centre Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), forwards Kevin Durant (Warriors) and Kawhi Leonard (Toronto Raptors) and guards Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) and Kyrie Irving (Boston Celtics).

The Third Team is made up of guards Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Kemba Walker (Charlotte Hornets), forwards Lebron James (Los Angeles Lakers) and Blake Griffin (Detroit Pistons) and centre Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz).

After what was a drama-filled and injury-plagued debut season with the Los Angeles Lakers, James could only manage a place on the All-NBA Third Team. It's the first time he hasn't made the top squad in 12 years, but I think it should've been the first time he missed out altogether since his rookie season.

There’s no doubt that he’s one of the greatest basketball players to ever step on the hardwood, but the man played just 55 games of 82 in a team that didn’t make the playoffs, while others put up numbers reasonably similar to his with the same amount of minutes.

I love what LeBron has done for the league worldwide and the work he does outside of the game but this vote seems like a bit of a ‘legacy' vote, based on his reputation as the standard-bearer of the basketball kingdom.

Thompson deserved better.
Thompson deserved better. Photo credit: Getty

There were also some clear snubs among the teams, with a few unfortunate players having more salt rubbed into their wounds than others, particularly those with clauses in their contracts to earn ‘bonuses’ for All-NBA selection.

At the top of that list is the Warriors’ Klay Thompson. The five-time All Star and three (potentially soon to be four) time NBA Champion found out he’d missed out courtesy of a reporter at their practice on Friday. Considered by many as the greatest shooter of all time, Thompson brushed off his non-selection in trademark Klay fashion.

“I respect those guys, but when you go to five straight, it takes more than just a couple All-NBA guys," Thompson told reporters.

"Whatever. I’d rather win a championship than make third-team All-NBA, so it’s all good."

But the 29-year-old missed out on more than just having his name and face amongst a graphic.

If he'd made an All-NBA team, won MVP, or was named Defensive Player of the Year, he could have signed a five-year deal worth about $US221 million ($NZ339m) with Golden State Warriors – also known as the 'supermax'.

The second player conspicuous by his absence is the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns. The 23-year old was an All-Star this season, averaging 24 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 51% from the field.

There’s no doubt he’ll be happy with those stats, but missing out on the All-NBA honors has also seen Towns miss out on making an extra $US31 million ($NZ47m).

They're just two examples of players who missed out on both selection and wads of cash, but at least Thompson has yet another NBA title in his sights to soften the blow.

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