3rd round of NBA All-Star Game fan votes features 7 former Wildcats

Kentucky is going to be well-represented at this year’s NBA All-Star Game. It’s just going to be a matter of how many former Wildcats make the final roster.

On Thursday, the NBA released its third and final batch of fan votes that will decide the 10 starters for next month’s All-Star Game in Indianapolis. After eight former Kentucky players were included in the second round of fan votes last week, *only* seven were featured this time around.

Karl-Anthony Towns, who was previously 10th in votes among Western Conference frontcourt players, is no longer on the ballot — but that doesn’t mean he can’t still ultimately play his way onto the final roster.

Fan voting accounts for 50 percent of the overall vote to decide the 10 All-Star starters, with players and select media members each receiving 25 percent of the remaining vote. The final 12 reserve spots will be voted on by the league’s coaches. More players can possibly make the roster due to injuries.

LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo lead their respective conferences in the third fan returns of #NBAAllStar Voting presented by AT&T.

Fans account for 50% of the vote to decide All-Star starters. NBA players and a media panel account for 25% each. pic.twitter.com/fyGeQXgEhH

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 18, 2024

Looking at the updated ballots, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to garner the most fan votes of all former Kentucky players. SGA has surpassed the two million mark by a significant amount and has a very real chance at snagging one of the two starting guard spots in the Western Conference. Even though he’s currently behind Steph Curry and Luka Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander is having a better statistical season than Curry. He could very easily get voted into a starting role by the coaches/media over those two future Hall of Famers.

Anthony Davis is another former ‘Cat who, despite sitting in fourth among fan votes, could also snag a starting position once the other 50 percent of votes are accounted for. However, it could be tough to surmount the three players ahead of him: LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, and Kevin Durant. Regardless, he’s a borderline like to side in as a reserve.

Elsewhere, don’t be surprised to see Bam Adebayo and Tyrese Maxey make the All-Star roster as reserves. Both are having career years on franchises that hold top-five records in the Eastern Conference. At this point, De’Aaron Fox, Devin Booker, Julius Randle, and Towns — all having terrific seasons — might come up just short once it’s all said and done.

2024 NBA All-Star Game fan voting (3rd round)

Western Conference frontcourt

• Anthony Davis (Lakers) 1,997,084 votes | 4th

Western Conference guards

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) 2,331,113 | 3rd
• De’Aaron Fox (Kings) 513,711 | 7th
• Devin Booker (Suns) 441,238 | 9th

Eastern Conference frontcourt

• Bam Adebayo (Heat) 547,640 votes | 7th
• Julius Randle (Knicks) 529,108 votes | 9th

Eastern Conference guards

• Tyrese Maxey (76ers) 1,094,491 votes | 5th

If you’d like to vote for your favorite former ‘Cat to make the All-Star Game, you can do so by clicking the link here. Today marks the final “3-for-1” day, where all votes count for triple. Fan voting ends on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 11:59 p.m. EST with the starters being revealed on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 7:00 p.m. EST.

The 2024 NBA All-Star Game is set for Sunday, Feb. 18 at 8:00 p.m. EST in Indianapolis on TNT.