Kuz is one of the league’s leading vote-getters among Eastern Conference forwards.
The NBA released the first round of All-Star fan voting results Thursday. Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James led all players with over two million votes apiece, with Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokić, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Luka Dončić, Stephen Curry and Tyrese Haliburton all notching over one million votes each.
LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo lead their respective conferences in the first fan returns of #NBAAllStar Voting presented by AT&T.
Fans account for 50% of the vote to decide All-Star starters. NBA players and a media panel account for 25% each.
Next fan update: 1/11. pic.twitter.com/KbFeBRTsnF
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 4, 2024
One pleasant surprise for Wizards fans was Kyle Kuzma’s strong All-Star campaign in terms of fan voting. Kuz ranked ninth among all Eastern Conference forwards in the first round of voting results with nearly 179,000 votes, just below his former Wizards teammate Kristaps Porzingis.
Kuzma is having a career year this season, averaging career highs in points per game (22.8) and assists per game (4.3) while pulling down 6.1 rebounds per game. He is shooting some really solid splits (46.8/35.7/76.8%) considering the Wizards’ struggles with spacing and his newfound role as the first option offensively. Though much of his hard work is flying under the radar nationally considering the Wizards’ poor record, Kuzma is deserving of consideration for a spot in the All-Star Game.
Kuzma’s strong fan vote support is indicative of Wizards fans’ loyalty, as he’s garnered more votes than a handful of arguably more deserving players. Kuzma raked in more votes than both Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the Orlando Magic’s pair of front-court studs who could both be receiving invitations to Indianapolis. He also collected more votes than Scottie Barnes, who I would argue is more likely to start than miss the game entirely.
I do think Kuzma deserves an All-Star spot, but the league is so jam-packed with talent that it is far more likely he waits another season for his first career selection. My picks for the All-Star team will be up soon, so stay tuned!