30 percent of the 2024 NBA All-Stars played for John Calipari and Kentucky...and they still had guys snubbed
Only one Kentucky Wildcat alumni was named among the ten starters for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, but six more former players will now join Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Indiana in February after the All-Star reserves were announced on Thursday.
Bam Adebayo (Miami), Julius Randle (New York) and Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia) were all named reserves from the Eastern Conference, while Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Devin Booker (Phoenix) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota) will all represent the Western Conference.
Seven out of the 24 named All-Stars, an almost unbelievable 29.1%, played college basketball in Lexington as this program continues to set the gold standard for professional basketball development and high level recruiting under Calipari.
Perhaps even more amazingly there are arguments a few other Kentucky alumni deserved a spot - including Sacramento's De'Aaron Fox, who is averaging 27.2 points and 5.5 assists while leading the Kings to fifth place in the West alongside fellow snub Domantas Sabonis.
Tyler Herro and Jamal Murray have reasonable arguments for inclusion as well, although finding a spot for any of them would potentially cost a fellow alumni a spot.
Joining SGA, Davis, Towns, and Booker in the West is LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Edwards, and Paul George.
In the East, Adebayo, Maxey, and Randle will be joined by starters Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard, with Jaylen Brown, Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, and Paolo Banchero off the bench.
NBA All-Star Weekend takes place February 16-18 in Indianapolis, with the actual All-Star Game slated for Sunday, February 18 at 8:00 PM ET on TNT.
