Did Yao Ming deserve to be an All-Star his rookie year? No, but it's a popularity contest. Do Durant or Leonard deserve the SF spot over Kobe? Absolutely, but Durant will be on the team anyway, and if Leonard isn't, nobody is going to regret not seeing him play over Kobe.
Why is this even an argument/debate? One of the GOAT in his final season, if he's healthy he's playing and deserves every moment of it. The "last game" of which he can officially pass the torch to the new era of superstars. I'm sure every single one of them (even the odd man out) will cherish every moment of that night. I'm sure the consensus among players is that he should be there so really there is no issue.
I know how the All Star game works I'm just saying it shouldn't be that way. You have two guys having career years in Leonard and Green both of which will likely not be named starters and both are definitely deserving. It's one thing to not be named over guys who are also deserving, but Kobe isn't. That's what irks me.
I'd agree that it shouldn't work this way, but in the end it's an exhibition game that means nothing, and it's for the fans. The fans vote who they want in. If you take away the vote from the fans, I think they lose a little interest. And if they don't vote who does, players? Coaches? The media (God forbid)? Actual NBA awards are what players care about, MVP, most improved, 6th man, DPOY, all 1st 2nd 3rd team. I don't remember who was snubbed from an All-Star game 20 years ago, and nobody will remember 20 years from now, only that it was Kobe's last. Who was snubbed for Magic in '92? Who cares.
All Star starters have always been about what the fans want and it was designed that way. These bs about two Spurs players not making the all star is laughable. Many players who have great years and had better seasons had missed all stars before (case in point, Rod Strickland who had an amazing few years never sniffed an AS slot).
Nowhere to put this, but I wanted to share. Mom got me and the wife tix for the game in Indy (born and live in Cincinnati) so I can see Kobe once before he's gone. Love that woman. Very excited!
Did fans want to see Snaq in his final season? I don't remember. Kobe has obviously captured the imagination of fans across the world during his career, and they are demanding to see him on the big stage one last time. That's about the biggest show of respect you can get, especially when he started the season as poorly as he did.
Every Kobe post-game interview is good these days. He's more open than ever, and shares interesting little things like this
Very classy by MJ. Those two have always been close and there's no question Jordan sees a lot of himself in Kobe. People get their panties in a bunch whenever somebody makes that comparison, but MJ has never been one of them. He feels Kobe is worthy of that and I agree with him. Jordan is the greatest ever imo, but Bryant is right behind him. Two of the greatest competitors we'll ever see. Ever.