Every year, the NBA All-Star
selection process sparks heated debates, and 2025 is no exception.
With only 24 spots available, deserving players often get left out
despite putting up incredible numbers and playing key roles for
their teams. This season, several high-profile stars and breakout
performers were snubbed, raising questions about the players being
deserving of their spots.

Here are the biggest names left
out of this year’s All-Star Game:  

 **Trae Young (Atlanta
Hawks)**  

📊 22.7 PPG | 11.4 APG | 1.3
SPG  

▶️ **Leads the league in
assists**  

▶️ **Most point-assist
double-doubles this season (27)**  

It’s hard to understand how the
league leader in assists didn’t make the cut. Trae Young has been
the engine of the Atlanta Hawks’ offense, dishing out a league-best
11.4 assists per game while still averaging over 22 points. His 27
point-assist double-doubles also top the league, showing his
consistency as a playmaker.  

Despite his individual
brilliance, the Hawks’ mediocre record may have worked against him.
Atlanta has struggled to stay above .500, and the coaches may have
prioritized players from winning teams. Still, Young’s numbers make
a strong case that he should be in San Francisco for the All-Star
festivities.  

**LaMelo Ball (Charlotte
Hornets)**  

📊 28.2 PPG | 7.3 APG | 5.3 RPG |
1.4 SPG  

▶️ **#1 in Fan
Voting**  

▶️ **#3 in Player
Voting**  

▶️ **#4 in PPG this
season** 

Few players have taken as big a
leap this season as LaMelo Ball. The Charlotte Hornets guard is
putting up career-high numbers, ranking fourth in the NBA in
scoring while maintaining strong playmaking and rebounding stats.
Ball’s offensive explosion made him a fan favorite, as he led all
guards in fan voting, yet he still didn’t secure a roster
spot.  

One possible explanation? The
Hornets’ struggles. Charlotte has been near the bottom of the East,
and coaches might have held that against Ball. However, when a
player is leading all guards in fan voting and producing elite
stats, leaving him out seems like a mistake.  

**Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento
Kings)**  

📊 20.9 PPG | 14.5 RPG | 6 APG |
61% FG  

▶️ **Leads the league in
rebounds**  

▶️ **Only the 2nd player in NBA
history to average 20+ PPG, 10+ RPG, and 5+
APG**  

▶️ **Most point-rebound
double-doubles this season (42)**  

The Sacramento Kings are once
again in the thick of the playoff race in the West, and Domantas
Sabonis has been their most reliable presence. Leading the NBA in
rebounds, the Kings’ big man is a walking double-double and is only
the second player ever to average 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5+
assists in a season.  

Despite these historic numbers,
he was left out—likely a result of a crowded Western Conference
frontcourt. But with Sacramento firmly in the playoff picture,
Sabonis had a compelling case to be included over some of the
reserves who made it.  

**Norman Powell (Los Angeles
Clippers)**  

📊 24 PPG | 49.4% FG | 44% 3PT |
1.4 SPG  

▶️ **+10.1 PPG from last
season**  

▶️ **Top 10 in 3PT made per game
(3.4)**  

Norman Powell has had a career
year with the Clippers, making a massive leap in scoring (+10.1 PPG
from last season) while being one of the league’s most efficient
shooters. His 44% clip from deep and high-level perimeter defense
have made him a vital piece for a Clippers team near the top of the
West.  

But Powell’s exclusion reflects
how difficult it is for non-superstars to get recognized, even when
they are producing at an elite level. His breakout season deserved
more respect.  

– – –

Every year, tough decisions are
made when selecting the NBA All-Star reserves, and this season was
no different. Players like Trae Young, LaMelo Ball, and Domantas
Sabonis have statistical resumes that scream All-Star caliber, yet
they were left on the outside looking in. Others, like Norman
Powell, have been pivotal pieces for playoff teams but were
overshadowed by bigger names.  

While the selected All-Stars are
all deserving, these snubs there are more players playing at a high
level. If anything, it gives these players extra motivation to
prove it wrong in the second half of the
season.  

Who do you think was the biggest
snub?

Who was the biggest ASG snub this year?
🍿

Trae Young:
📊 22.7 PPG | 11.4 APG | 1.3 SPG
▶️ Leads the league in assists
▶️ Most point-assist double-doubles this season (27)

LaMelo Ball:
📊 28.2 PPG | 7.3 APG | 5.3 RPG | 1.4 SPG
▶️ #1 in Fan Voting
▶️ #3 in Player Voting
▶️ #4 in… pic.twitter.com/OTxboJGqL9

— BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews)
January 31, 2025