In the 2019-2020 season, Bradley Beal was having an exceptional season as he was averaging 28.6 PPG, 6.3 APG, and 4.3 RPG before he got snubbed from the All-Star game. Fans were outraged to see Beal left out of the game because no one averaged at least 28.6PPG and not make an All-Star team since Bob McAdoo in 1975-76.
The media and fans saw the Wizards’ record and decided not to vote for him even though Beal was second in player votes. The NBA community and coaches vouched for winning instead of personal stats which is why Beal was left out of the All-Star game in 2020. Some people argue that winning shouldn’t be the main factor for making an All-Star team and rather about the players themselves.
Fast forward to the 2020-2021 season and Bradley Beal has only continued to grow as a basketball player. He is currently averaging 32.7 PPG, 4.9 APG, and 5.3 RPG. He’s currently leading the league in scoring but the Wizards have been underwhelming with an 11-18 record. This time, however, Bradley Beal was first in fan, media, and player votes which resulted in Beal getting his first-ever All-Star start.
People will continue to talk about his team’s poor record but he’s leading the league in scoring on above-average efficiency. The Wizards have dealt with multiple cases of COVID which lead to them missing multiple games and most importantly, Westbrook was dealing with Quad injuries that affected his play. The Wizards’ health and availability should not take away from the fact that Bradley Beal has been playing at a superstar level.
Beal has proven his worth as the Wizards score nearly 12 more points per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor which is one of the league’s best marks. Bradley Beal is an elite 3-level scorer and has shown that he can score anything on the court. He deserved to be an All-Star starter regardless of what the Wizards record is this season.
Photo: Patrick Smith
