Inside the NBA hosts predict LaMelo Ball to make All-Star Game as a reserve

LaMelo Ball, whether snubbed or not, did not get named to the All-Star Game last night. In the East, Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson took the two guard spots. The Charlotte Hornets star finished just behind them in the overall vote despite landing first by a healthy margin in the fan vote. If he's to make his second All-Star team, he will have to do so as a reserve.

The coaches pick reserves, and they have a lot to choose from. Among those players, the Inside the NBA crew, which consists of former NBA superstars Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith, all predicted that Ball would make it in.

The graphic shows that O'Neal snubbed Ball even from the reserves, but he eventually agreed that Ball was deserving over Tyler Herro. There are a lot of good guards in the East, but the three former NBA players all believe Ball is one of them.

Smith went very guard-heavy on his predictions, but Brunson and Mitchell already made it in. The other two were also fairly guard-heavy, too. Barkley picked four guards out of seven spots, and O'Neal used five of his seven predictions on guards.

Jan 22, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) shoots for three as Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells (0) defends during the second quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

That could be what happens. The new format for the All-Star Game is a lot more like pickup basketball and will probably be kinder to a guard's game than a big man. Ball-handling and facilitating will be key, and guards tend to be better at that than bigs. Therefore, the Inside the NBA crew believes there will be a ton of guards in the All-Star Game. Fortunately, Ball is one of their picks.

It remains to be seen if coaches will agree. The media prevented Ball from making it in as a starter, as three more media votes would've gotten him in over Brunson. Coaches often don't like picking players from bad teams, but they will also know that Ball was the one guard fans wanted to see. Whether or not that matters remains to be seen.

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