Players who were snubbed from 2023 NBA All-Star Game

The NBA has announced the reserves for 2023 All-Star Game from the East and West, which means we’ve got final rosters for the league’s showcase event. There are some players who could be removed from this game due to injuries but for now, these are the guys taking part in the contest. Here’s a look at some notable players who did not make the cut despite being deserving selections.

NBA All-Star Game snubs

James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers

This one is shocking, although things could change depending on the injury situation in the East with Kevin Durant. Harden is averaging a double-double with points and assists and even though his shooting percentages are down, his efforts have been largely responsible for Philadelphia’s rise to the top of the conference. His numbers are about in line with last year, and he made the reserve squad in 2022.

Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat

What are we doing here? Butler has had some injury problems but he’s the driving force for a surging Heat team. The forward is about in line statistically with his numbers last year, when he was an All-Star reserve. More importantly, his defensive impact should’ve given him a boost over guys like DeRozan and Randle. It’s hard to say Butler isn’t one of the 12 best players in the Eastern Conference.

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

The forward has turned things up of late, averaging 33.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game over the last seven contests. The Timberwolves were banking on Edwards being a star this season, and he’s proven them right. There’s a chance he could get into the thing depending on how injuries shake out but this is another interesting exclusion given the importance of wing players in the NBA today.

Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors

The Raptors have been bad this season, but Siakam continues to be a stud. He’s averaging 24.9 points per game, which is a career high. His assists are also up. Siakam’s shooting percentages are down and he did have a bad injury early in the year but this one is a bit of a head-scratcher.

The Injury Group

Devin Booker, Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard are all having All-Star caliber seasons, although they haven’t been on the court enough to necessarily qualify ahead of these other guys. Davis was arguably the best player in the league as he dragged the Lakers back from a 2-10 start, while Booker was carrying the Suns before aggravating his groin injury. Leonard likely won’t get much respect after his load management stints but he is putting up excellent numbers and remains one of the top two-way players in the league.