Whiteside may get All-Star snub
MIAMI — Based on Hassan Whit e s i d e ’s s t a t l i n e , h e deserves to be an All-Star.
The Heat’s $98 million center entered Thursday’s game against Dallas averaging 17.4 points and 14.3 rebounds per game.
Since the 1975-76 season, 19 players have finished a season averaging at least 17 points and 14 rebounds per game. Eighteen of them made the All-Star Game with Kevin Love the only exception.
Whiteside is in danger of joining Love. The All-Star starters — decided by a combination of fan, media and player voting — were announced Thursday night and Goran Dragic and Whiteside were not on the list.
The Eastern Conference All-Star starters are Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving, Raptors coaches. spot will be Celtics guard Isaguard DeMar DeRozan, Bulls “We don’t send out stuff to iah Thomas, Raptors guard forward Jimmy Butler, Cavarecruit,” coach Erik Spoelstra Kyle Lowry, Wizards guard liers forward LeBron James said before Thursday’s game John Wall, Cavaliers forward and Bucks forward Giannis against Dallas. “You either Love, Pacers forward Paul Antetokounmpo. earn it or you don’t. I have George, Hornets guard Kemba
The Western Conference a box of things from other Walker, Knicks forward CarAll-Star starters are Warriors organizations. That does not melo Anthony and Pistons guard Stephen Curry, Rocktypically influence me and center Andre Drummond. ets guard James Harden, Warmy decision. It’s based on When Love missed out on riors forward Kevin Durant, play, not based on marketthe All-Star Game despite Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard ing gimmicks.” averaging 18.3 points and 14 and Pelicans center Anthony With Whiteside’s numbers rebounds per game during Davis. usually landing players in the the 2012-13 season, the Tim
Acc o rd i ng t o t he NBA , All-Star Game, he feels like if berwolves finished with a Whiteside finished 11th in the his name was not attached 31-51 record. A losing record fan vote, 14th in the player to his statistics, the All-Star could cost Whiteside, too, as vote and eighth in the media voting “would be different.” the Heat entered Thursday vote among Eastern Con“You put my numbers up with the NBA’s second-worst ference frontcourt players. and just don’t put a face up record. Dragic finished 17th in the fan there I feel like the (voting) “We typically go for guys vote, tied for 15th in the player numbers would be different,” that make an imprint on vote, and did not receive a Whiteside said earlier this your mind,” Spoelstra said vote from the media among week. “Just my honest opinof how he votes for the AllEastern Conference guards. ion. I feel like if you put a Star Game’s reserves. “I think
Dragic and Whiteside’s blackout screen and just put that’s the biggest compliment only hope of earning a trip my numbers up there, peoin terms of impacting winning to the Feb. 19 All-Star Game ple (would say), ‘Oh, man, and playing at an extremely in New Orleans is as a reserve. how is he not an All-Star?’ I high level. It’s the guys that Eastern Conference coaches feel like that’s what it is. Who just stand out in your mind. will vote for the conference’s likes who.” And those are usually guys seven reserves, which will be The last time the Heat were that are impacting winning. announced Thursday. not represented in the All-Star That’s usually what I think
If Dragic and Whiteside Game was in 2004. probably all the coaches vote for.”dohappentogetvotedin,itAmongWhitesideand won’t be because the Heat Dragic’s competition for an Weber ready: Okaro White pitched their players to other Eastern Conference reserve was the D-League player the Heat signed to a 10-day contract this week, but he’s not the only intriguing NBA prospect on the Sioux Falls Skyforce roster.
“Briante Weber and Keith Benson. Hands down, they are NBA players,” White said. “I think it’s only a matter of time.”
Weber, the point guard for the Heat’s D-League affiliate, is ranked as the top NBA prospect in the D-League’s “Prospect Watch” Top 25 rankings. He’s averaging 15.4 points on 44.2 percent shooting, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists with the Skyforce this season.
Benson, a 6-foot-11 center, is ranked as the sixth-best NBA prospect. He’s averaging a team-high 20.5 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.9 blocks with the Skyforce.
Wit h t h e He a t ’s ro s t e r maxed out at 1 6 pl ayer s , they don’t have space to add Weber or Benson and keep NBA teams from signing them away. Miami was granted an additional roster spot on top of the NBA’s standard 15-player limit under the hardship rule, and it used it to sign White.
With Weber listed as the D-League’s top NBA prospect, the Heat are in danger of losing him to another team. The 24-year-old had a tryout with the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this month, but he did not win the open roster spot.
“Talking to him after he came back from Philadelphia, he understood,” White said of Weber. “One thing about him, he understands the business side of things so he doesn’t let it get too personal. He was just amped up for the next Skyforce game. He’s always going to stay that way and I know for sure one thing, he’s not going to get down on himself about anything as far as the NBA. He knows it’s coming and I believe everybody else who knows him and plays with him know it’s coming.”