Ever since he made it to the league, Devin Booker proved that he was one of the biggest steals in the Draft.
He can score from all three levels and is one of the most efficient shooters in the league.
And last year, he was finally able to make his playoff debut as the [Phoenix Suns[(https://www.inquisitr.com/category/general/phoenix-suns/) put years worth of struggled behind them.
Booker once again led the team in scoring last season and got his second All-Star nod, although coming off the bench.
All-Star Caliber Player
Booker has only gotten better as the years go by, posting All-Star caliber averages since his second year in the league.
This season, he continues to blossom as an elite scorer, averaging 23.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.7 three-pointers per game on 45.7/42.8/85.3 shooting splits.
But even despite his numbers, he’s not likely to make the All-Star Game as a starter and will again have to settle for being a reserve or an injury replacement, and we’re going to let you know why.
3. Small Market Team
The Phoenix Suns are coming off a trip to the NBA Finals, yet they only had 13 nationally televised games last season.
That game took a nice bump to 34 this year, so the league is finally giving them some recognition. However, most people still think that last year’s success was a flaw.
There’s a huge bias against small market teams and the players don’t get the exposure they would get in Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, or Chicago. That’s just a fact.
2. The Usual Suspects
While Booker continues to make a name for himself in the league, he has yet to earn his stripes at the same level as other players.
Stephen Curry is a lock to be a starter so that only leaves one backcourt spot open for the rest of the league.
Luka Doncic is a worldwide fan favorite so he might as well get the nod, while Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, or even Russell Westbrook could get more votes than him just because of how popular they are.
1. A Flawed System
And last but not least, the system is completely flawed.
Don’t get me wrong, the All-Star Game is all about pleasing the fans so it’s only natural that they have a say in who plays and who doesn’t, but they shouldn’t have that much power.
Take Zaza Pachulia for instance. Not to be disrespectful, but he was nowhere near an All-Star caliber player, yet he was close to being a starter because people at Georgia rallied to vote for him.
Also, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson got votes despite not playing at all this season.
Players should choose, or at least have a bigger input, on the colleagues that will take part in the event, as small market players will always be at a disadvantage here.
]]>The Inquisitr
