8 former Wildcats make ballot after 2nd return of 2024 NBA All-Star fan votes

Here at KSR headquarters, we’re unofficially renaming the 2024 NBA All-Star Game as the 2024 Kentucky All-Star Game. When one school has the potential for eight of its former players to make the final roster, it just makes sense.

That school, if you didn’t already know, is the University of Kentucky. On Thursday, the NBA unveiled the second batch of fan votes which will ultimately decide the 10 starters for next month’s All-Star Game. Of the 40 top vote-getters, eight of them played their college ball at Kentucky. Last week’s fan vote return *only* saw six former Wildcats make the cut.

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.

Lakers' LeBron James and Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo continue to lead in the NBA’s second 2023-24 All-Star fan voting return: pic.twitter.com/UutXOXQc5u

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 11, 2024

Among the notable numbers from the second batch, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has overtaken Anthony Davis as the leading Kentucky vote-getter. SGA has received over 1.7 million fan votes, trailing only Steph Curry and Luka Doncic among Western Conference guards — pretty good company. Davis is still a near-lock to make the All-Star Game though, currently sitting on nearly 1.5 million fan votes.

Devin Booker and Julius Randle are the two newcomers on the list after they were left off the first batch of returns. Odds are low that they will get voted in as starters, but don’t be surprised if either ends up making the final roster.

Below are the tallied votes of former Kentucky Wildcats from the second return of fan votes.

Western Conference frontcourt

• Anthony Davis (Lakers) 1,487,434 votes | 4th
• Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves) 241,228 votes | 10th

Western Conference guards

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) 1,763,671 | 3rd
• De’Aaron Fox (Kings) 393,559 | 8th
• Devin Booker (Suns) 321,666 | 9th

Eastern Conference frontcourt

• Bam Adebayo (Heat) 410,043 votes | 7th
• Julius Randle (Knicks) 361,202 votes | 8th

Eastern Conference guards

• Tyrese Maxey (76ers) 842,044 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. Tomorrow — Friday, Jan. 12 — marks a “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.