Tonight, Inside the NBA on TNT revealed the remaining players for the 2024 NBA All-Star game. Consequently, the beginning of the usual "he got snubbed" debates arose.
Every year, fans, coaches, and players vote for 24 players to participate in the NBA All-Star game. However, the selection process is always challenging, as certain players inevitably get left out.
2024 NBA West All-Star reserves: Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, Stephen Curry, Paul George, Karl-Anthony Towns.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 2, 2024
Representing the Minnesota Timberwolves will be star players Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns. One player who missed out on this year's all-star game is center Rudy Gobert.
Edwards is averaging 25.2 points and 5.2 assists per game while shooting 46.4% from the field and 38.9% from deep. This will make his second consecutive appearance.
Towns, on the other hand, will make his fourth appearance and first since 2022. In his ninth season, the former 2015 first-overall pick is averaging 22.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. He's also as efficient as ever, knocking down 52.2 percent of field goals and 44.3 percent of his 3-pointers.
The absent Timberwolf, Gobert, has appeared in the All-Star game in three of the last five years. He's now missed the All-Star game for the second season in a row. The former Utah Jazz star has failed to be selected as a member of the Timberwolves.
While not particularly flashy on offense, Gobert is best known as one of the league's elite defenders, having won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award three times. The French big man has also been named to the NBA All-Defensive first-team on six different occasions.
He will never have the aesthetic appeal of Ant, or even KAT for that matter, but I remain convinced that Rudy Gobert is night-to-night the best player on the Wolves right now. pic.twitter.com/v8RunNlcTY
— Matty Takes (@mattytakes_NBA) February 1, 2024
This season, the former 2013 first-round selection is averaging a double-double, at 13.4 points and 12.4 boards per game. His field goal percentage is stellar as usual, he's fifth in the league, shooting 63.9 percent from the floor.
Aside from individual contributions, let's not forget Gobert has played a key role in the Timberwolves' success this season. The team is currently 34-14 and sitting atop the Western Conference standings.
Gobert ranks first on the team in net rating and 22nd in the entire league. With Gobert on the floor, Minnesota is nearly nine points per 100 possessions better. The "Stifle Tower" is especially dominant on defense, as opponents score nearly six fewer points when Gobert graces the floor.
Not the flashiest, but a team-altering component, Gobert is missing out on yet another All-Star appearance. While it may be difficult to slot the Minnesota big over the current reserves, be sure to watch for Adam Silver's injury replacement picks.