'Thanks for Asking': Mitch Johnson Has A Theory On Spurs' All-Star Snub

LOS ANGELES — Mitch Johnson clearly had something he wanted to say.

After fielding more questions about himself than he had since being officially introduced as Gregg Popovich's successor last May, the San Antonio Spurs coach turned the narrative around. Him coaching the All-Star Game was a team accomplishment.

"Our team performance is why myself and our staff will be here (in Los Angeles) for the All-Star Game," Johnson said. "That is 100 percent a team-centric outcome."

San Antonio fended off both a North Carolina snow storm and the Denver Nuggets to clinch the Western Conference's second-best record behind the Oklahoma City Thunder through Feb. 1 to burden their coach with the prestigious duties.

Still, Johnson will only have the chance to share the court with one of his players.

"I do think it's interesting that De'Aaron Fox and Steph Castle have not been named All-Stars," Johnson said, breaking a five-second silence following his press conference. "I'll answer that question that wasn't asked."

Dec 21, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson talks with Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during a timeout against the Washington Wizards in the second half at Capital One Arena. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Victor Wembanyama, named an All-Star starter on Jan. 19, joined five other Spurs in franchise history and became the first French native to earn the honor.

"I was glad," he admitted, "(but) it's just another step. I was really happy to learn that I'm the first French guy to get that."

This season, Castle is averaging a career high 17.1 points. 5.2 rebounds and seven assists on 47 percent shooting from the field. Fox is sitting at 19.5 points, four rebounds and 6.2 assists.

Seven additional players in each conference were named as reserves, including Lakers star LeBron James — who now boasts a 22-year All-Star streak. Castle nor Fox were among them, and while Fox claimed no ill-will toward the initial snub, his comments weren't clean.

"I saw a guy (on the team) with the worst record in the league (be) an All-Star," he said after an early February shootaround. "I couldn't care less."

Fox, likely referring to Pascal Siakam, didn't disclose names. Johnson didn't want to, either, but he evidently did his homework before speaking out.

"Seven teams in this league have multiple All-Stars," the coach said, "and we've played pretty good against a lot of the top teams in this league."

Feb. 10, 2026; Los Angeles, Calif., USA; San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox (4) and forward Victor Wembanyama (1) look on during shootaround prior to facing the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. | Reginald Thomas II/San Antonio Spurs

Detroit (Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren); Denver (Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray); Oklahoma City (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren); Los Angeles Lakers (Luka Dončić, LeBron James); Houston (Alperen Şengün, Kevin Durant); New York (Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns); and Toronto (Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram) are the culpits.

Toronto joined the list Tuesday morning after NBA commissioner Adam Silver named Ingram, averaging 22 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 47 percent shooting from the field, a replacement reserve for injured Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry.

The second snub seemed to cut the Spurs deeper.

"For what we've done," Harrison Barnes began, "for the teams that have been below us with two All-Stars, I don't (see) a case ... why either of them shouldn't be selected and/or highly in consideration ... It'd be criminal if (Castle) and Fox didn't get a look. "

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Castle, after recording the Spurs' third-ever 40-point triple-double, likely made Silver's short list. But he opted for a quieter approach to the news.

"I wasn't looking for a call," he said, expressing his excitement to join San Antonio rookie Dylan Harper as a Rising Stars participant on Friday evening.

If anyone expected a call, it was Johnson. After reaping the benefits of the Spurs' best record since the 2019 season, he feels he should be flanked by the player personnel who got him there. Waiting for the silence to cement deep inside Crypto.com Arena, he expressed that.

Johnson clearly had something to say. He also has a working theory.

"The only way that I can think that we are (only) deserving of one All-Star must mean there must be a lot of people have Victor Wembanyama as one of the frontrunners for MVP," he said, smiling before leaving the room. "Thanks for asking."

2026 NBA All-Star Weekend is set to run from February 13-15 at the LA Clippers' Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. The 2026 NBA All-Star Game is set for 4 p.m. Central Feb. 15.