The 2022 All-Star Game voting second return just came out and there are no major surprises regarding the leaders. Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and DeMar DeRozan are the leaders in each category, with the first three getting more than 4 million votes.
Moreover, when we take a look at the rest of the lists, we can find some surprises. While it’s good to see Andrew Wiggins ranking 3rd in the Western Conference frontcourt voting given all the good things he’s done this season, seeing other players included on the list is just odd.
Let’s start with Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, who received votes to play the game even before making their return to the court. LaMarcus Aldridge, another returning star this season, has also earned consideration for the game, but in his case, he’s played a lot more than Thompson and Irving.
Still, that doesn’t seem to be the weirdest part of this second return. If we take a look at the Western Conference guards, Los Angeles Lakers struggling player Russell Westbrook has received more votes than Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul despite having completely opposite seasons.
While Russ can’t find his touch with the Lakers, failing to make a 3-pointer since December, Chris Paul is once again leading the Phoenix Suns, who are thriving in the West boasting a league-best 31-9 record right now.
CP3 has shown his leadership ability to lead the 2021 Finals runners-up, as he wants to win that championship once and for all. Still, even with his big performances, the Point God is having an under-the-radar season with the Suns.
Westbrook is one of the biggest disappointments this season, along with the Lakers, so it’s crazy to see him ranking higher than the player who is still thriving at 36, leading one of the best squads in the league right now.
Chris Paul leads the NBA this season in games with 15+ points, 10+ assists, and 5+ steals 🙌
CP3: 3 games
Rest of the NBA: 3 games pic.twitter.com/lSTk97lJmR
— Fadeaway World (@FadeawayWorld) January 13, 2022
There’s something wrong with this system and this is another proof of that. Sometimes fans just vote to make jokes and don’t focus on what really matters. Hopefully, Paul can at least make it to the reserves if fans keep overlooking his performances.
In 40 games with the Suns, he’s averaging 14.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 10.1 assists per game, while shooting 47.4% from the field and 32.8% from beyond the arc. As for Westbrook, he’s posting 18.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game, while shooting 43.7% from the field and 28.8% from 3-point range.
