This week’s edition of Inside the NBA not only announced this year’s All-Star starters but also showcased Charles Barkley and his colleagues making their picks for the All-Star reserves, which will be unveiled the next time they are on air. While media votes for All-Star starters contribute 25 percent to the selection process, the league’s 30 head coaches hold exclusive voting rights for the reserves. Consequently, the crew’s selections were primarily for entertainment during the broadcast, with only host Ernie Johnson possessing an actual media vote for All-Star recognition.
While Barkley’s choices won’t directly affect anyone’s accolades, his All-Star picks sparked significant online discussion Thursday night, particularly as he tested fans’ reactions in both the Eastern and Western Conferences. Starting with Miami’s Bam Adebayo, who is enduring the worst season of his career on a sub-.500 Heat team, Barkley’s selection raised eyebrows. Despite Adebayo’s struggles, Barkley chose him over teammate Tyler Herro, who is having a breakout season and is leading the Heat in scoring, assists, and three-point shooting. Other analysts would likely consider players like Cleveland’s Evan Mobley or Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard more deserving over Adebayo.
No one on TNT’s Inside the NBA had Tyler Herro as a reserve.
Charles Barkley had Bam Adebayo as a reserve. #HeatNation
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 24, 2025
Out West, Barkley surprised viewers with two reserve guards—Norman Powell from the Clippers and Houston’s Jalen Green—who are generally not regarded as All-Star contenders. Barkley even placed Green ahead of his stronger teammate Alperen Sengun, as well as many other players from winning teams. In similar fashion, Barkley selected Powell, who is experiencing a career season, but, perplexingly, ranked him over teammate James Harden, who has taken on significantly more responsibility and has played five more games. Most controversially, Barkley included both Powell and Green while omitting Anthony Edwards, who ranks eighth in the NBA in scoring and significantly outperforms his teammates in several advanced statistics, along with other contenders like OKC’s Jalen Williams, Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., and seasoned players like LeBron James or Devin Booker.
Charles Barkley left Anthony Edwards off his All-Star list entirely
— Timberwolves Muse (@Wolvesmuse) January 24, 2025
While picking 12 players from hundreds for each conference is inherently subjective, Barkley is a notable target for criticism—especially when he and Shaquille O’Neal, in the same segment, critiqued media voters for not watching enough games to make informed selections.
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Yes, really.
