It’s a privilege to hear your name called when the All-NBA teams are announced. This year will be no different, especially in a season where close to 25 names have a validated argument to be named on the squad. In the end, only 15 names can be listed on the All-NBA First, Second, and Third teams.
As a consolation prize, those remaining 10 players make our All-NBA Snub Team. We don’t have anything to offer them other than our sincerest apologies.
10. Devin Booker
25.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 4.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Booker is the ultimate snub every year and this season is no different. Booker has a great scoring output, but he is just a really good shooting guard. That was evident last season when he failed to lead the Suns to the playoffs.
With Chris Paul in the mix, the Suns went from being outside the playoff picture to contending for a top-two seed in the West. That transition was more of Paul’s arrival than Booker.
9. Zach LaVine
27.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.9 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.5 BPG
When your team fails to make the playoffs, you tend to get overlooked. The Chicago Bulls finished as the No. 11 seed, just missing the play-in tournament. LaVine had a great season, even making his first All-Star team, but in the end, media voters look at what the team does.
LaVine could make the All-NBA team next year after a full season with fellow All-Star Nikola Vucevic. Keep an eye out for LaVine in 2022.
8. De’Aaron Fox
25.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Will the Kings ever have a player make the All-NBA squad? DeMarcus Cousins is the last Kings player to make the list, Second-Team in 2015 and 2016. Fox is an interesting candidate next season because that could be the season that the Kings finally put everything together.
This was the best season in Fox’s career and he is just 23 years old. His points and assists are treading towards John Wall comparisons. areWith Fox entering his prime, we could see him make an appearance in the future.
7. Trae Young
25.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 9.5 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Young is a victim of the All-NBA format. Young is nearly averaging a 25 and 10 season and won’t make All-NBA because only two guards, two forwards, and a center have to be on each list. The argument that media voters can make is that Young shot worse compared to last season.
Either way, the Hawks are in the playoffs and Young will be in them. Look for him to prove any naysayer wrong by getting Atlanta into the second round.
6. Domantas Sabonis
20.4 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 6.6 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Despite leading the league in double-doubles among power forwards, Sabonis will not make the All-NBA squad because the Pacers finished as the No. 9 seed. If this was a traditional year, the Pacers wouldn’t make the playoffs, which hampers Sabonis’ stock for All-NBA.
Sabonis is a double-double machine, finishing with more than likely All-NBA selection Giannis Antetokounmpo. He is just one double-double performance away from finishing third in the league, trailing just Russell Westbrook and Nikola Jokic.
5. Donovan Mitchell
26.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG
The Jazz own the No. 1 seed, and will have one representative on the All-NBA squad when it is all said and done. That one representative won’t be Mitchell. His points per game are 12th in the league. His rebounds and assists don’t rank very high among guards either.
Mitchell does rank as a high snub because there’s a reason the Jazz are the best team in all the NBA. Most teams that finish with the best record have multiple representatives on the team. Take LeBron James and Anthony Davis last season, or Kevin Durant and Steph Curry from a couple of years ago. Instead, Mitchell will likely see one of his teammates honored, adding another chip on his shoulder.
4. Jayson Tatum
26.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Tatum is having one of the best seasons of his career with career highs in points and rebounds. His points per game average top all small forwards, narrowly beating out Kawhi Leonard in that department. He is nearly leading all small forwards in rebounds as well but is averaging just 0.1 rebounds less than Michael Porter Jr.
Altogether, the Celtics would be lost without Tatum. With Jaylon Brown out for a significant amount of time, Boston is going to need their superstar down the final games of the season. With Tatum’s Celtics hovering around the play-in game, that will impact Tatum’s overall value towards earning All-NBA.
3. Zion Williamson
27.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.6 BPG
This could be the beginning of Williamson’s potential. Eventually, Williamson is going to lead the Pelicans to great things. In his first full season, Williamson is averaging a monstrous 27.0 points per game.
Williamson proved to be a monster inside the paint. His 61.1% field-goal percentage beats out any other power forward, while his player efficiency ranking is second only to Giannis. However, the Pelicans were recently eliminated and Williamson wasn’t playing, which will impact his stock heavily when the final voting is conducted.
2. Bradley Beal
31.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG
There are only a few players that stick out as a shooting guard this season. Zach LaVine, Donovan Mitchell, and Beal. But, none of those players are going to make All-NBA this season. When it comes to Beal, he is going to be one of the biggest snubs. Had Beal beaten out Curry for the scoring title, he might have sneaked onto the list.
Beal is in the same boat as one of his teammates. While his numbers are great, the team is not producing, which will make it a problem for him to make All-NBA.
1. Russell Westbrook
22.0 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 11.6 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Westbrook surpassed Oscar Robertson’s triple-double record this season and is averaging a triple-double for the fourth time in his career. Among points guards, Westbrook is leading all players in rebounding and assists. With his play down the stretch, the Washington Wizards were able to sneak into the No. 8 seed.
It is also worth mentioning that Westbrook owns 56 double-doubles this year, while Trae Young is in second with 28. That is the gap between greatness and great. With that said, because the Wizards are so low at the standings, it will impact his stock for All-NBA, making him the first player to average a triple-double to not make All-NBA.
