Victor Wembanyama officially snubbed as first-time All-Star starter

The league is creating a monster.
San Antonio Spurs v Indiana Pacers
San Antonio Spurs v Indiana Pacers | Aurelien Meunier/GettyImages

Victor Wembanyama was not named a Western Conference starter for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game. He has had a coming-out party in only his second year in the league, but he's not recognized for his excellence in favor of legacy votes rewarding the aging stars of the NBA instead.

The Alien is currently averaging 24.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and four blocks halfway through the season with improved efficiency in every category.

Wemby will be the first member of the San Antonio Spurs to make an All-Star game since Dejounte Murray's first and only selection in 2021-22. He'll obviously be selected to a reserve role next week when they're announced, but he earned a starter spot.

Prior to the shifty point guard, LaMarcus Aldridge was the last Spurs player to make it in 2019. Aldridge's selection served as the exclamation point to a 19-year streak of San Antonio All-Star players running back to the year 2000.

Wembanyama will likely begin a brand new streak with the potential to match that old tradition, started by David Robinson and Tim Duncan on February 13, 2000—just without the starting part.

Wembanyama was robbed of a starter spot

When the name Victor Wembanyama was emerging on American airwaves ahead of his draft, he was constantly compared to the greats who came before him. One name, in particular, constantly tossed around was LeBron James. James also didn't make the All-Star Game in his rookie season, but he was a starter in his sophomore year, and it should be Wemby's turn.

Unfortunately, half of the players in the league grew up idolizing Kevin Durant. He edged out Wemby for the third forward spot, and that's the biggest reason why.

Wemby already emerged as the NBA's newest superstar, and his place in the starting lineup should have been the first of many. Wemby's December was one of the best months in recent memory. He put up 28.5 points, 10 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 4.4 blocks while shooting 48.8% FG and 37.7% 3PT, bringing Christmas cheer to NBA fans from the start of the month to New Year's Eve.

While his January hasn't been as dominant, he's still averaging over 20 points a game, 12.5 rebounds, and 4.4 blocks. He was doing great in the All-Star fan returns the NBA revealed weekly, and with players and media members left to finish off the deal, you just knew he was going to make it, so the announcement revealing that wasn't the case was shocking.

His defense has become undeniable, and it helps to elevate him over other players, putting up more points. It's not often an NBA player's defense is so impactful that it's recognized as a large driving force in their All-Star bid, but there aren't any athletes like Victor Wembanyama.

From the moment he entered the league, he's shown exactly why he was touted as the best prospect in decades. He's only picked it up in his second season, and his undeniable superstardom should have earned him the honor to start in this legendary event for the first time in his career.

Western Conference Starters

G - Steph Curry
G - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
F - Kevin Durant
F - LeBron James
F - Nikola Jokic

Eastern Conference Starters

G - Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
G - Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)
F - Karl Anthony-Towns
F - Giannis Antetokounmpo
F - Jayson Tatum

Schedule