2022 NBA All-Star starters announced, Ja Morant makes cut for first time

Let the snub talk begin!!! The 2022 NBA All-Star starters were announced Thursday night during TNT’s Lakers-76ers pregame show. And since we’re a Kentucky-based website, we’re convinced that some former Wildcats were robbed of a spot.

Before we do anything else though, here are the 2022 NBA All-Star starters:

Western Conference frontcourt
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers (Captain); Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets; Andrew Wiggins, Golden State Warriors

Western Conference backcourt
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors; Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies

Eastern Conference frontcourt
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks; Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets (Captain); Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

Eastern Conference backcourt
DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls; Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

THE 2022 NBA ALL-STAR STARTERS 🤩 #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/xT4yIhuJHM

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 28, 2022

For starters, we need to congratulate former Murray State superstar Ja Morant, who was named to his first All-Star team in just his third NBA season. For him to take the league by storm at 22 years old while being named an All-Star starter and garnering midseason MVP buzz is nothing short of special. He’s on a collision course to produce a Hall of Fame career if he can stay healthy.

Morant is averaging 25.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per outing across 37 games for the Grizz, which is third in the Western Conference with a 33-17 record. Do I believe that Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker also deserved consideration for the starting spot? I sure do, but I’m also perfectly fine with Morant earning it. Booker will still make his third All-Star Game as one of the top reserves.

Now let’s talk about the biggest snub: Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Actually, let me rephrase: let’s talk about the player who unexpectedly was named a starter in place of others far more deserving: Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors.

Wiggins was named a starter not only over Towns, but also his Warriors teammate Draymond Green and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert. Wiggins was gifted the starting role on the back of fan voting (accounting for 50% of the final vote), which outweighed the combined media (25%) and player voting (25%). On the TNT broadcast, Ernie Johnson said that Green finished above Wiggins in both the media and player vote, but below him in fan voting.

Gobert and Green are objectively more impactful players on both ends of the floor than Wiggins, and have been all season. Towns is putting up much better numbers than Wiggins across the board while also helping his Wolves’ squad to a winning record with a playoff run on the brain. It’s not a huge deal though, as Towns should still slide into the All-Star Game for the third time, just as a reserve.

If Andrew Wiggins is an All-Star starter, then Karl-Anthony Towns should be the damn team captain.

18/4/2 on the season for Wiggins
24/9/4 for Towns

KAT is shooting better from everywhere on the floor too. Damn those fan votes!!!

— Zack Geoghegan (@ZGeogheganKSR) January 28, 2022

Oh well. Abolish the fan vote.

The rest of the 2022 All-Star roster will be announced on Feb. 3 with the Draft held on Feb. 10. All-Star Weekend will take place Feb. 18-20 up in Cleveland, OH.