by Sarah Wolff ’28 and Dorothée Durivage ’28 on February 12, 2026
Sports
There were more than just a few snubs in the initial 2026 National Basketball Association All-Star Game roster. However, Kawhi Leonard’s absence was one that gained the most attention, so much so that he was later added to the roster as a corrective measure for the new format. I do recognize this reform, as
key players like James Harden have been left completely off the list. Still, to not include a player
like Leonard in the initial voting process was absurd. He has had arguably the best statistical season
of his career, and for coaches to find that other Western Conference players were better equipped
for the challenge felt unfair. This was a decision that many basketball fans, analysts, and even
Los Angeles Clippers’ head coach Tyronn Lue have called out. As the first half of the 2025–2026 season comes to a close, Leonard has undoubtedly proved himself. He is currently averaging a career-high 28 points per game (No. 7 in the NBA), with 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.1 steals (No. 2 in the NBA). These numbers are tangible evidence that not only make him one of the best league performers, but also place him on par with, or even better than, the players who were initially selected. There were two key points that critics of the voting highlighted. First, amidst all the players not initially selected for the game, Leonard’s scoring average was the highest. It’s the first time in NBA history that someone with his averages has not been selected for the team. Second, despite being out a few games due to injury, Leonard was actually on the court more than several selected All-Stars. For example, Damian Lillard is participating in the 3-point contest, although he hasn’t played a minute this season. Among all NBA fan communities, Leonard was no doubt one of the most deserving All-Stars, disregarding any sort of fame narrative. Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue publicly expressed his dismay about this decision, saying, “But Kawhi, I think, to me, the last six weeks has been the best player in the NBA. Like you said, 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three, and 90 percent from the free throw line, averaging 28 points per game, and what he’s done to bring his team out of the hole. We started 6–21 and to be where we’re at today, it was just tough to see.” Lue’s attitude was shared by many fans and commentators, many of whom felt that Leonard’s greatness was overlooked to secure legacy picks such as LeBron James. As I mentioned, Leonard was not initially selected through the traditional voting process, but was later added to the All-Star player pool by Adam Silver, commissioner of the NBA commissioner.. So what does this mean? Does a player performing at an All-Star level not get the chance to be recognized until the league steps in? Leonard was an obvious pick for the 2026 All-Star game, and his snub is the blueprint example of how reputation and relationships may matter just as much as performance in the league.
– Sarah Wolff ’28
Sports Staff
Brooklyn Nets player Michael Porter, Jr. was snubbed from a spot on this year’s National Basketball Association All-Star Team. 27-year-old Porter is having his best personal season to date, which led many to think that he might be deserving of his first spot on the All-Star roster this year. However, no Nets players were selected to be a part of this year’s team, which is surprising considering the Eastern Conference votes. Porter was ranked No. 9 in fan votes and No. 10 by both players and the media. Ultimately, NBA coaches also decided not to name Porter as a reserve, which may be the most shocking choice of all considering his season so far. Porter is leading the team in terms of points, averaging 25 per game. After starting 48 games this season, he has started the most out of any player on the Nets. This season, Porter has also been averaging 7.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three-point range. His best month of the season was in December when he averaged 28.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. Sadly, Porter’s performance since then has not been as stellar. Since the new year, he is down to averaging 23.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, which could not have helped his chances of making it to the All-Star game. After hearing that he did not make the roster, Porter, who has been a very important player in the Nets’ rebuild this season, said, “I thought I had a chance, for sure. But I knew it was out of my control. I know the record probably plays a part in it, even though there’s guys that are in there that don’t have the most amazing record.”. His reaction shows that he was a deserving athlete for this year’s All-Star game, making his absence even more surprising.
– Dorothée Durivage ’28
Sports Staff