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In 2023, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) received his first NBA All-star nod as a reserve. This year, he’s taking leaps and bounds and has been named as a starter for the West Conference team in the 2024 NBA All Star game.
SGA will start alongside Luka Don?i?, Kevin Durant, Lebron James and Nikola Joki?. The remaining players [reserves] for each team will be named on Thursday, February 1 on TNT, according to nba.com
The OKC Thunder currently ranks first in the West and fourth in the league with a current record of 31-13. SGA is the leading man for the team while averaging 31.1 points per game, which ranks fourth in the league for points per game.
How NBA All Star Game Votes are Earned for Starters
The starters for the NBA All-star game can earn votes in three ways: through players, fans and the media. The fan vote accounts for (50%), player vote (25%) and the media vote (25%).
SGA finished in the top three in each category for western guards, ranking number one in player and media votes, and number 3 in fan votes, behind Luka Don?i?, and Steph Curry, respectively.
Possible Snub in the East?
Jalen Brunson sits on the outside looking in for the eastern conference starters despite finishing in the top three in two of the three categories, players and media. Damian Lillard finished in the top three in one category, fans.
According to nba.com, fan votes served as the tiebreaker for players in a position group with the same score. The Milwaukee Bucks’ Damian Lillard won the tiebreaker with the New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson for the second starting spot in the Eastern Conference guard group.
NBA fans responded on X expressing their thoughts on Brunson not being named a starter.
“I think Dame starting makes sense too, if you look at Milwaukee and the 31-13 record, they have with him [Lillard] averaging 26 and 7 he’s bringing value too. I don’t think it should be strictly numbers — it’s deserving guards of course– but one who is performing and winning has to matter,” Thunder fan Mike Moore told the Black Wall Street Times.
Thunder fan Darrin Nobles stated that he believed Brunson was snubbed, but also, it’s up to the fans.“I think so [on Brunson being snubbed], but I’ve always felt the All-Star Weekend was a fans’ event. Let them do the voting and choose who should be in it,” he told the Black Wall Street Times.
Brunson gave a short response to the media when he was questioned about not being a starter.
“Congrats to Damian Lillard. That’s it,” he told sports reporters.
Ranking Amongst the Franchise’s Greatest Players
SGA will be the fourth starter all-star selection in the Thunder’s franchise history. He joins Paul George, and former MVP’s, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.
Paul George was the last Thunder player in the all-star game in 2019. The Thunder’s fourth selection is tied for the second-most selections by a franchise since the 2008-09 season, according to the Oklahoman. Chet Holgrem, the Thunder’s leading rebounder and Rookie of The Year candidate has the opportunity to be selected as a reserve.
The NBA All-Star game will be played on Feb.18, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, with a tip-off time of 7:30 p.m. (TNT)