LaMelo Ball wasn't named an All-Star starter as the 2025 NBA All-Star starters were revealed on Thursday. The Eastern Conference starters feature Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Ball was the leading vote-getter among the NBA All-Star guards among fans. He led in fan votes with a total of 2,421,385. However, the Charlotte Hornets star lacked player and media votes, which resulted in him being snubbed from the starters.
One of the media voters, whose identity hasn't been disclosed, revealed their reason for not voting for LaMelo Ball. They mentioned how the Hornets have not been winning games this season, which factored into their process of voting.
"He hasn’t won s---," the local beat writer said. "Call me old school, but I like to reward winning."
Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.
The Charlotte Hornets (11-29) are one of the worst teams in the league this season. They're in 13th place in the Eastern Conference and have no chance of making the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Their best bet would be the NBA In-Season Tournament, however, they'll have to consistently win games moving forward.
Inside the NBA hosts believe LaMelo Ball will make All-Star reserve
While LaMelo Ball was snubbed from being named a starter for the All-Star game, he still has a chance of being named an All-Star. The head coaches have yet to select their pool of reserves. One of the options in the reserves list is Ball.
"Inside the NBA" hosts Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny "The Jet" Smith made their predictions on which players will make the Eastern Conference's pool of reserves. Barkley and Smith both selected Ball, while O'Neal had other ideas. Eventually, Shaq acknowledged how his pick, Tyler Herro, wasn't as deserving as LaMelo Ball.
Looking at Ball's numbers, despite struggling to help the Charlotte Hornets win games, the star guard is averaging 29.0 points, 7.5 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. His flare on the court this season has made him one of the most popular players among fans.
The All-Star reserves are yet to be announced and the coaches will make their decision by January 30.
Charlotte Hornets Fan? Check out the latest Charlotte Hornets Depth Chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.