The NBA announced their All-NBA teams for the 2021-22 season yesterday and it features the 15 best players in the league over the season. With positional requirements, the team usually comprises of 6 guards, 6 forwards, and 3 centers. As a result, there are usually a few snubs every year that can’t make it onto the team.
This season, most people have been picking Jimmy Butler as the big snub from the team. The one thing nobody is doing is saying Kyrie Irving was snubbed from the selection of guards, considering he didn’t even play 30 games over the season.
Irving had some spectacular moments, but in no way did he prove to anyone he was in contention for All-NBA. This left many people puzzled when the ballots were revealed, and it showed that someone had voted for Kyrie to be on the All-NBA third team. That one person was Jalen Rose, who was horrendously wrong and owned up to the mistake on ESPN:
https://twitter.com/_talkin_nba/status/1529609040350826497
“I need to fall on the sword because I am the lone person that voted Kyrie Irving third-team All-NBA. Now, I get mesmerized by his talent, but it was a mistake to put him on third team. I’m glad it didn’t cost Trae Young his spot, who deserved it more. I’m going to own that.”
Stephen A. Smith’s reaction to Rose revealing he voted for Kyrie says everything. Even though Irving averaged 27.4 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.4 rebounds over the season, he played just 29 games. Even in the games he played, Irving wasn’t single-handedly getting them to win games.
Irving is one of the best players we have ever seen in terms of the eye test. He has an all-time handle and some incredible shot-making skills. His skill set is the kind that would regularly feature on these lists if the player possessing the skill set would regularly feature on the court. The Brooklyn Nets are in for a very dramatic off-season, with Irving up for an extension that he may not get to his own liking.
