OKC Thunder: Vote for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to be first-time All-Star

This weekend the NBA season reaches the quarter mark of the 2020-21 campaign. The OKC Thunder have played 17 games to date with an 8-9 record.

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it’s equated to several ongoing adjustments like a shorter season, little or no fans in attendance, and aggressive health and safety protocols.

As part of those differences to a typical season, the All-Star event was also affected. Initially, the thinking was players would still be voted to the team but no event would take place for safety purposes.

In recent days the league and NBPA are beginning to shift toward trying to still have the weekend and host it in Atlanta. For the first time All-Stars, it would be a huge deal.

Vote OKC Thunder guard Gilgeous-Alexander to be first-time All-Star 

To that end, given the continual ascent of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the team over-performing preseason expectations, TI is calling on Thunder Nation to vote for the young guard to be a first-time All-Star.

Fan voting began on Thursday, January 28, and will run until Tuesday, February 16th at 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time.

Full details on the voting process can be found here

.The main takeaways are fans can vote daily using the NBA App at NBA.com and also vote for players (up to 10 per day) on Twitter. Similar to recent years there are multiple “two for one” days meaning the votes will count twice. Those dates are:

• January 30th
• February 2nd
• February 4th
• February 13th
• February 16th

Two guards and three frontcourt starters can be selected for each conference by fans, players, and coaches. Like recent seasons fans account for 50 percent while the existing players and media each are worth 25 percent.

While it’s no certainty the game will take place there is a shift from the powers that be to make it happen.

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With only two guards getting the starting spot the odds don’t favor Gilgeous-Alexander although a number of guards have moved to the East (like James Harden and Russell Westbrook).

The most likely players who’ll vie to fill the two starting guard spots are the quartet of Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Luka Doncic, and Donovan Mitchell.

Breaking into that group will be hard, let alone the next level of uber-talented guards.  For example, Chris Paul,  Devin Booker, Jamal Murray, Ja Morant, DeMar DeRozan, John Wall, etc.

Suffice to say this won’t be easy for SGA to make the cut but his stats and position on the team could help his campaign. He’s recently been posting impressive showings adding to the argument he belongs in the Most Improved Player conversation. Although those awards tend to start building at the half way mark of the season.

This season his core stats of points (21.8) and assists (6.5) have increased as have his shooting splits particularly from deep (37.8 percent).

Bottom line, let’s support Gilgeous-Alexander and vote daily to make him an All-Star. Even if the league and NBPA can’t figure out a safe way to conduct the game, the honor of being selected is something he would have on his resume forever.