As I scrolled through the official NBA All-Star 2022 voting results, I couldn't help but feel that familiar mix of excitement and disbelief that comes every year. The numbers told a story that was both predictable in its highlights and genuinely surprising in its omissions. Having followed basketball for over fifteen years, I've developed a pretty good sense of fan sentiment, but this year's voting had me raising my eyebrows more than once. The final tally showed LeBron James leading the Western Conference with 9,128,422 votes—an absolutely staggering number that demonstrates his enduring global appeal. What continues to amaze me isn't just that he keeps making these teams, but that he does so by such massive margins year after year.
Looking at the Western Conference starters, the selection of Stephen Curry with 7,715,882 votes felt completely deserved, though I'll admit I was personally rooting for Luka Dončić to climb higher than his third-place finish among guards. The real story in the West, in my opinion, was Nikola Jokić barely making it as a starter despite having what I consider an MVP-caliber season. His 4,738,112 votes placed him third among frontcourt players, which feels criminally low given how he's been carrying the Nuggets. Meanwhile, Andrew Wiggins securing a starting spot with 3,451,033 votes was the pleasant surprise of the year for me—a testament to his improved two-way play that finally got the recognition it deserved.
The Eastern Conference results brought their own drama, with Kevin Durant topping the conference at 6,956,496 votes despite his injury. That says everything about his stature in the game today. Giannis Antetokounmpo's 6,169,512 votes felt appropriate for a player of his caliber, though I would have placed him even higher if it were up to me personally. The backcourt selection of DeMar DeRozan and Trae Young made perfect sense given their spectacular seasons, but here's where we hit the first major snub that really bothered me—James Harden finishing third among Eastern guards with 3,769,210 votes. I get that his scoring numbers were down, but his playmaking has been exceptional, and I believe he deserved that starting spot over Young.
Now let's talk about the real head-scratchers—the players who I firmly believe got robbed. In the West, Devin Booker not making the initial cut as a reserve was borderline criminal in my view. The man was leading the Suns to the best record in basketball and putting up 25-5-5 numbers, yet he finished sixth in guard voting. Even more baffling was Anthony Davis missing out entirely despite his 23 points and 10 rebounds per game—though I'll concede his injury issues likely impacted fan voting. Over in the East, my biggest grievance was with Darius Garland. The Cavaliers guard was having a breakout season with 21 points and 8 assists nightly, yet he finished outside the top ten in backcourt voting. That one still doesn't sit right with me.
What fascinates me about All-Star voting isn't just who makes it, but what the patterns reveal about fan perspectives and league narratives. This year's results clearly showed that career legacy still weighs heavily in fan voting—hence why Durant led the East despite missing significant time. They also demonstrated that being on a winning team matters more than ever, which explains Wiggins' surprise inclusion. The international voting influence was unmistakable too, with Dončić and Jokić drawing significant global support despite smaller market teams.
Reflecting on the complete roster, I can't help but feel this was one of the more interesting voting outcomes in recent memory. The balance between established superstars and emerging talent created fascinating dynamics, and the snubs will undoubtedly fuel motivation for the second half of the season. While I don't agree with every selection—and I've made my disagreements pretty clear—the process continues to capture what makes basketball fandom so compelling. The debates, the surprises, the undeniable fan favorites—they all combine to create an event that's about more than just basketball excellence, but about connection between players and those who watch them.