The NBA officially announced the participants for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game. While some changes will get made, as injuries have not affected the player pool just yet, the initial results for starters and reserves are in. For the second-straight season, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid will not be an All-Star.
Last season was understandable. Embiid was coming off a knee surgery, a long recovery, and a busy summer as he played in the Olympics. Constant setbacks throughout the year made Embiid realize that something was way off and he needed fixing. His season ended midway through, and he played in just 19 games.
This time around, Embiid managed to debut at the beginning of the year. There were some early hiccups, but the big man has settled in and once again looks like one of the best centers in the game. Despite that factor, the NBA did not place Embiid in the All-Star game, which caused many fans to suggest he is a major snub this year.
What Are the Fans Saying?
@AidanDoc__: Joel Embiid might go down as the best player to get snubbed from an all-star game. 26.2 PPG, high-level defense, and is about to easily win Eastern Conference Player of the Month. Played 60% of the games, which feels high enough for consideration. They just want to be different.
@eringrugan: (Joel Embiid will likely be Giannis' All Star replacement in the East anyway... but I still think he deserved to be in the reserves this time around)
@cbain100: Joel Embiid has the worst PR in sports, yet everyone wants you to think he didn’t earn any of his accolades.
As far as Eastern Conference reserves go, Jalen Duren, Donovan Mitchell, Norman Powell, Scottie Barnes, Jalen Johnson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Pascal Siakam were voted in.
The starters were revealed recently, and the East’s front five are Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, and Embiid’s teammate, Tyrese Maxey.
@mccrystal_alex: THEY PICKED JALEN DUREN TO THE ALL STAR TEAM OVER JOEL EMBIID. ARE YOU KIDDING ME. Duren is a great player don’t get me wrong, but Joel Embiid is just better man
@Sean_Barnard1: Joel Embiid has officially been snubbed as an NBA All-Star. Not the worst thing in the world for him to get some extra rest but it is a joke to believe some of these guys are having better seasons than Embiid
@Shiden_Kaizer: No Joel Embiid is malpractice by the NBA
Before the Sixers reached 2026, Embiid had appeared in 14 games. He was posting averages of 22.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.
He got his feet wet and saw his restriction lifted, and Embiid started 2026 with a strong stretch of games. Throughout January, he missed just three outings. With consistent playing time, the star center started producing 29.7 points per game, while shooting 53 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the arc. He has also been posting 8.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. The Sixers are 10-4 over that time with Embiid on the floor.
All-Star isn’t totally out of the question for Embiid. If injuries affect the current group of Eastern Conference players, he could end up getting pushed through. For the time being, Embiid remains a seven-time All-Star.
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