Share Was Al Jefferson An All-Star?

Al Jefferson had a fantastic season in 2010-2011, averaging 23.1 points and 11 rebounds per game. However, he wasn’t selected to the All-Star game that year. It’s a rare feat to put up those kinds of numbers and not get the recognition of an All-Star selection. The only other player in the last 40 years to do so? Karl-Anthony Towns, another big man who played for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Towns has since gone on to be an All-Star multiple times, showing that the team’s success can sometimes play a bigger role in All-Star selection than individual performance.

It’s worth noting that Al Jefferson’s All-Star snub in 2011 wasn’t due to a lack of talent. He was a dominant force in the league that year, carrying the Timberwolves on his back. However, the Timberwolves were a struggling team with a 17-65 record. While All-Star selection is primarily based on individual performance, a team’s record can certainly play a factor. In the Western Conference, there were simply more deserving players from teams that were having more success. The All-Star game is meant to showcase the best players in the league, and it’s often the case that the best players come from the best teams.