Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
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(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Anthony Edwards entered the All-Star starter conversation with plenty of momentum, but when the NBA announced the selections, the Minnesota Timberwolves guard was nowhere to be found.
While debates about snubs are nothing new in the league, The Athletic’s Zach Harper pinpointed the fan-vote tiebreaker and unexpected ballot shifts as the key reason Edwards’ presumptive starting spot was filled.
”It’s worth noting that Deni Avdija received a massive push in the fan voting, and that might have kept Anthony Edwards from grabbing the last starter spot over Wemby,” Harper wrote Tuesday. “They both tied, but fan votes were the tiebreaker. Avdija jumping both Ant and Wemby in fan voting was certainly a surprise. I voted for Edwards over Curry for my official media ballot, just FYI. He seems like the best candidate for an All-Star starter snub.”
The Western Conference starter selections — Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Steph Curry — were announced Monday. While each one of the five are quite deserving, there’s certainly a case to be made for why Edwards was left off.
The East features Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Brunson, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey.
How NBA All-Star Voting System Hurt Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards
The NBA’s weighted voting system combines fan votes (50%), player votes (25%) and media votes (25%) to determine starters. Edwards tied with Wembanyama for the final starter spot in the East-West mix, but a tiebreaker tilted in favor of Wemby because the fan vote takes precedence. It wasn’t a subjective oversight; it was a procedural quirk baked into the system.
The math doesn’t lie. Wembanyama received a higher fan vote total, while Edwards maintained stronger media and player support. That subtle imbalance was all it took to push the Timberwolves guard to the reserves list.
Adding another twist, Portland Trail Blazers’ breakout forward Deni Avdija’s surprising surge in fan votes disrupted the normal ranking flow. By overtaking both Edwards and Wemby in the fan category, Avdija inadvertently altered the starter calculation, further hurting Edwards’ chances.
Past snubs have typically been subjective — reputational biases, market size, or hype cycles. This feels different. Edwards’ case was grounded entirely in the weighted voting system and fan behavior, not in talent or performance.
Edwards vs. Wemby: Stats Show the Snub Was More Than Surprising
Reflecting more on the numbers, the snub feels even more unfair. Edwards is averaging 29.9 PPG (fourth), with a usage rate of 31.6% (sixth). In head-to-head metrics with Wemby this season, Edwards holds the edge in scoring, points per possession, and shooting splits from midrange and beyond the arc — metrics that usually carry All-Star weight.
Timberwolves fans won’t need to wait long to see Edwards’ response. The reserves ballot, voted on by coaches, is coming soon, and there’s every reason to expect the Wolves star will claim his spot on the All-Star stage.
The NBA’s era of mixed voting, numbers and unexpected fan surges has been proven. It’s here to stay. And it doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon.