The 2010 NBA All-Star Game is going to be one of the most memorable of all time, as it is hosted by the Dallas Mavericks for the second time in history. It will take place on Valentine’s Day in the Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Although the all star game will promise much excitement, there is a lot of controversy amongst basketball lovers about how the players are selected.
What is the NBA All-Star Game? Does it showcase the best basketball players or promote the most popular?
Given the fact that all NBA All-Star starters are voted in by fans, some people believe that not all players deserve a shot to play because of their performance. The reserves for both the Western and Eastern conferences are chosen by coaches, although the coaches cannot vote for their own players and they must vote for players within their conferences.
Many believe that Allen Iverson should not be able to participate as a starter in the All-Star Game.
Before returning to the Philadelphia 76ers, Iverson had announced his retirement. He received 1,269,568 votes from his fans.
In response to the criticism, Iverson said, “The way I look at it is, what should I do? Should I worry about what those people say or concentrate on the million-plus people that voted for me? To me, it’s a no-brainer. My fans want to see me play and they have the right to put in who they want to put in the game.”
Obviously, Iverson loves the game of basketball and does not care about whether or not he is a deserving All-Star. He plays for the love of his fans.
A similar conflict was avoided when fans voted for deserving player Steve Nash as a Western conference starter over Tracy McGrady.
Despite having one of the highest salaries in the league, McGrady has only played in six games and for only forty-five minutes, which is less than the length of an entire game.
Many people would not agree with “T-Mac” starting in the All-Star Game ahead of another more deserving player.
“I think the fans should get to vote for five players from each conference, and then the league officials get to vote for the reserves and the starters, so that way it’s like everyone participates,” junior Joel Rios said.
Fans should have the right to vote for whomever they choose, but there should be stars that are already hand-picked due to their statistics and popularity during that season. The NBA could avoid some criticism by stepping up their All-Star selection process.
Will Cunningham 
Megan Keating 
Natasha Chaillou