One recent rule change might keep LaMelo Ball out of the All-Star Game

Tonight at 7 pm EST, NBA All-Star Game starters will be announced. There's a chance LaMelo Ball misses out on this despite dominating the fan vote. This is because of a rule change the NBA made a few years ago.

Recent rule change could ruin LaMelo Ball's chance at the All-Star Game

A lesson in unintended side effects: the league didn't want ZaZa Pachulia in the all-star game and now the fans probably won't get to see the player they want https://t.co/GXZsSFbneZ
— Bradford Coombs (@bradford_NBA) January 23, 2025

Several years ago, the All-Star Game's starters were determined by a fan vote. When the Golden State Warriors were in the middle of their dynasty, their fans voted journeyman center ZaZa Pachulia into the game. That forced the NBA to step in.

They decided that they could no longer rely on fans to make the right or even the most enjoyable choice for the game. Pachulia was not an All-Star caliber player that year, so they took half of the voting out of the hands of the fans.

That means that now, despite dominating fan voting, LaMelo Ball might not be named a starter. He would need to get some votes from the media and other players to get in over Cade Cunningham, Damian Lillard, Jalen Brunson, and other Eastern Conference guards.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball. Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images — Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The media is all but assured to pass over Ball. Several media members don't like that Ball's impressive stat line comes on an 11-win team. It doesn't help that his squad just got dominated by the Memphis Grizzlies and he shot 7/20 in that game.

Players across the league respect Ball, as evidenced by how they talk about him. Is that enough for them to vote him over others? It might not be. Without the media vote, Ball faces an uphill battle to get in as a starter.

That leaves him to be selected by coaches as a reserve, but even that isn't guaranteed. Coaches like team success, so Ball could be hindered by his team's 28 losses. Never mind the fact that he's fourth in the NBA in scoring, the Hornets guard could not only miss out as a starter but he might not make it at all.

As Coombs said, this is an unintended consequence. Ball is clearly an All-Star-level player in the midst of a career year. The only reason he's not assured of a spot on the team is because the NBA didn't want Pachulia in. Now, fans might not get to see one player they want to see over almost everyone else.

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