“Worst All-Star starter since Wiggins”: Fans left disappointed as Bam Adebayo replaces injured Joel Embiid at the 2024 NBA All-Star Game

Bam Adebayo will replace Joel Embiid as the starter for the All-Star Game. The Miami Heat star was selected as an All-Star for the third time in his NBA career. Previously, he was picked by the coaches as a reserve for the game. This will be the first time in his NBA career that he will be a starter in the NBA All-Star Game.

The NBA announced on Saturday that Embiid would be out for the East vs. West matchup on Feb. 18 due to his lingering knee injury. Legion Hoops posted an update on X regarding Adebayo’s promotion into the starting lineup. However, NBA fans were not happy with the news.

Hinting at Golden State Warriors star Andrew Wiggins being named an All-Star in 2022, one fan tweeted,

“Worst all star starter since wiggins.”

Wiggins’ selection as a starter in the 2022 All-Star Game received massive criticism on social media.

“Omfg worst all star starter of all time,” Another user tweeted.

Here are some more comments from fans on X.

Adebayo was selected in the reserve for the All-Star Game, nominated by the coaches. On the other hand, fans have 50% of the vote when choosing the starter for the game.

Bam Adebayo becomes the seventh Miami Heat player to be an All-Star starter

Before Joel Embiid was reported to miss the All-Star Game, Bam Adebayo was a reserve in the East for the All-Star Game. Since the first time Adebayo was selected for the All-Star Game, he had never been a starter, neither in 2020 nor in 2023. However, this season, he will be the first time in his career that he will be among the starters.

Adebayo is the only player from the Miami Heat to have the honor of being an All-Star this season. Moreover, he is the only seventh player from the Miami Heat history to be a starter in an All-Star Game. He is the seventh player since Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Bosh, Alonzo Mourning and Anthony Mason to have the honor.

In 2001, Mason was selected as an injury replacement for Grant Hill. In 2013, after Rajon Rondo went down with an injury, Bosh replaced him in the starting lineup. This is also the first time since 2016 that a player from the Heat has been an All-Star Game starter since Dwyane Wade.

Adebayo will join Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard in the starting lineup.

This season, the Heat star is averaging 20.2 ppg on 51.0% shooting from the field. He is recording 10.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 45 games for the Heat. He is also averaging a block and 1.1 steals per contest.