It is that time of the year when the NBA All-Star Game becomes a hot topic of discussion with the event taking place in mid-February. The first fan voting return for this year’s spectacle has been revealed, and there are some interesting results.
The Phoenix Suns have not had a good season, as they are currently 15-17 and 11th in the Western Conference. However, that is not to discredit the individual performances of Kevin Durant, whose displays have earned him the second most votes in the West. It is a different story for his teammate Devin Booker, though, who barely made it into the top 10 guards.
Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo are leading the NBA’s first 2024-25 All-Star fan voting returns: pic.twitter.com/eQeU60l673
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 2, 2025
NBA All-Star Voting Sees Suns Stars Involved
Kevin Durant Proves Popular Once More
While All-Star games are supposed to recognize the game’s greatest players each season, there is no doubt that popularity has plenty to do with it, particularly with fan votes. As one of the best to have ever played the game, Durant is one of the most recognizable figures in the sport and expects to be one of the highest vote-getters each year when healthy. That being said, his plaudits are much deserved, and despite his team’s poor performance this season, the 36-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down.
Though Durant has missed 10 of the Suns’ 32 games due to injury, he has still produced excellent numbers. In 22 games, the 14-time NBA All-Star has averaged 27.7 points at an efficient 51.2% rate from the field. The Suns started excellently when Durant played, storming to a record of 8-1 before he picked up a left calf strain. He endured another short stint on the sidelines following his return, and even with his name in the lineup, they have been unable to recapture that early-season form.
As a result, he earned 1,268,799 votes, trailing only Nikola Jokic in the entirety of the Western Conference. In fact, he had the fourth most votes overall, as he would have placed third in Eastern Conference frontcourt voting behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum.
Devin Booker Trails Behind
Unlike Durant, Booker doesn’t seem to be too popular outside of Phoenix. With an already smaller fanbase in comparison to other big-market players, it is rare to see Booker rank high in these votes. It has been a similar story in previous years, even when his performances warranted more attention. Though this season, it may be hard to argue his claim to an All-Star berth.
The four-time all-star mustered just 120,602 votes, ninth of all guards in the West. He would not even crack the top 10 guards in the East, with the likes of Derrick White, Tyler Herro, and Jordan Poole registering more votes.
Booker recently returned from a groin injury, which saw him miss five games, the first he had sat out all season. Through 27 games, he has averaged 24.7 points on 42.9% shooting, with both being his lowest figures since his sophomore season in 2016-17. His points average ranks 12th in the NBA but is higher than four guards above him in voting.
With fan voting not in his favor, Booker would have to rely on the votes of NBA head coaches to secure a place as an All-Star reserve. This is where he could stand a chance, but his lack of headlining displays and poor record could see him lower down in the pecking order behind the likes of Kyrie Irving and James Harden.
Steph Curry and Anthony Edwards have also produced seasons below their expectations, but have also been in the spotlight more, so stand likelier to get more recognition than Booker. While there is still time for Booker to shift his personal campaign for the better, for now, his full focus will be helping the Suns get back to winning ways.
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