Neither Latrell Sprewell nor Isaiah Rider made the 2000 NBA Eastern Conference All-Star squad. Coincidence? Not even.
Rider is having an exceptional year. He is currently 12th in the league in scoring, averaging 22.7 points per game to go along with 4.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds. He is leading his team, the Atlanta Hawks, in virtually every statistical category imaginable. But why didn't he make this year's all-star team? The answer is quite simple: his tarnished reputation around the league as a pot-smoking, trash-talking loud mouth has stirred up mixed emotions about his overall worth to his team and his ability to represent the league in a respectful manner. The Portland Trailblazers wouldn't have packaged such a talented player in a deal for Steve Smith had they not thought he was a detriment to the team in some way.
The same can be said about Knicks' small forward Latrell Sprewell. Sprewell was the center of controversy just two seasons ago when he choked his coach P.J. Carlesimo during a Golden State Warriors' practice. He had his contract voided immediately by the Warriors, but returned to the NBA the following season. He not only returned to the league -- he took the league by storm! Sprewell averaged 25 points per game in the 1999 NBA Finals against San Antonio, including a brilliant performance in Game Five of the series in which he dueled with Tim Duncan, scoring 35 points in San Antonio's one point victory.
Rider put up an equally impressive performance in the Western Conference Semi-Finals to propel Portland over the then defending Western Conference Champion Utah Jazz.
Yet, neither player is getting the recognition he deserves this season because the two are viewed by the media and coaches around the league -- who vote for the all-star reserves -- as the NBA's bad boys, and probably with good reason. However, they deserve to be on the team regardless of the faux pas -- which in Sprewell's case is a rather egregious one -- they've made in the past. Sometimes one's image, especially in something so arbitrary as who makes an all-star team, can be the difference in suiting up for all-star weekend and staying home.
Sprewell is currently averaging 18.9 points, 4.0 assists and 4.6 rebounds -- not too shabby for a guy who is the Knicks' second and sometimes third offensive option. He is also third in the NBA in minutes per game. Take him away from the Knicks, and they're going nowhere. Ironically, this year's game is being played on Feb. 13 in Sprewell's former team's hometown, Golden State. In a game played between the Knicks and Warriors earlier in the season in Golden State, Sprewell was jeered incessantly every single time he touched the ball. It would have been quite an interesting homecoming for him had he made the all-star team.
In other all-star game related news, nine first-time all-stars will make their debut at this year's game, among them are Vince Carter, Ray Allen, Allen Iverson, Dale Davis, Allan Houston, Rasheed Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse, Michael Finley and Glenn Robinson. Many of the perennial all-stars of years past have either retired -- e.g. Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan -- or are just not playing well enough to make the team -- such as Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, Scottie Pippen, Mitch Richmond).
Every year some players are snubbed by the fans and coaches and don't make the team. Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Latrell Sprewell, Isaiah Rider, Sam Cassell and Clifford Robinson deserved to make the team.
Cliff Robinson became the oldest player in NBA history a few weeks ago to score 50 points in a game. He then followed that up with a 37-point performance a few days later. In short, he's become a major offensive force for the Suns, and he deserves to be on the team.
If Abdur-Rahim played in any decent-sized market in the U.S.A. rather than in Vancouver he would garner the type of recognition he deserves. Year in and year out, he puts up big numbers and consistent seasons on a losing team. He can score inside and outside, take his man off the dribble, but still he doesn't get any notoriety because he is hidden in the land of the Grizz, where nobody pays attention.
Cassell is part of a fearsome trio in Milwaukee which features other all-stars Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson and Allen. He was most likely left off the team because of the exploits of his two other teammates.
In short, every year some players get left off the team and deserve to be on it. Meanwhile, others, such as Reggie Miller, David Robinson and John Stockton make it because they are great players or have been in the past, but also make it partly because of their value to the league as competitors and as statesmen for the game. Their reputations speak volumes about what they bring to the table night in and night out. Other long shots such as Dale Davis make the team as surprises. But, no matter who makes it or not, the all-star game is always entertaining, even if no defense is played. It's the spectacle that counts, as well as the image.
