Kyrie, Simmons Get All-Star Votes

Andrew Wiggins being named as a starter in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game might not be the most surprising aspect of the voting. Several players who have no business being in the contest at all received votes on the ballot from other players around the league

That includes players who haven’t participated in an NBA game this season. Ben Simmons and Kawhi Leonard both ended up on a pair of All-Star ballots, even though they haven’t played since the 2021 playoffs. John Wall and T.J. Warren received a vote apiece, despite being sidelined all year.

Simmons has sat out the season as he waits for the Philadelphia 76ers to trade him. Leonard might miss the whole season with a torn ACL that he suffered in last year’s playoffs.

The All-Star starters are determined by votes from fans, NBA coaches and NBA players. The fans have 50% of the say, while the votes cast by coaches and players each account for 25% of the final tally.

Kyrie Irving was picked as a 2022 All-Star starter by 25 of the 323 NBA players who voted. Irving has only suited up for seven of the Brooklyn Nets’ 48 games. The point guard only plays on the road because of New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Here are NBA All-Star voting results from fans, players and media: pic.twitter.com/j6eSmMU5md
— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) January 28, 2022

Somehow, 297 NBA players received at least one vote from an NBA player. It’s possible that some players voted for themselves.

LeBron James and Kevin Durant led the voting and were named the game’s two captains. Neither player even received 65% of the player vote.

James, Wiggins, Stephen Curry, Ja Morant and Nikola Jokic were voted in as All-Star starters from the Western Conference. The Eastern Conference starters are Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, DeMar DeRozan and Trae Young.

Wiggins is having the best season of his career but was not projected to be make the All-Star lineup. The eighth-year veteran isn’t even the best player on his own team, given that he shares the Golden State Warriors' frontcourt with Defensive Player of the Year candidate Draymond Green.

NBA coaches pick the All-Star reserves. See the full rosters here.