Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is committed to representing Team USA at next month’s Tokyo Olympics.
There are multiple All-NBA team snubs every season, but this year felt a little bit different, at least judging by the intense reaction to the notable players who were not among the 15 selected.
The biggest snubs in 2021 were Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker.
All three players deserved to be among the All-NBA selections over Suns guard Chris Paul (second team), Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George (third team) and Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (third team).
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Report: Tatum to play for Team USA in Tokyo Olympics
The voting process needs to be tweaked. That much is clear. Tatum, for example, was hurt by getting votes at multiple positions.
How can we make the All-NBA process more fair? Celtics legend Paul Pierce tweeted a pretty good idea Wednesday night:
Just picking the 15 best players regardless of position makes sense. This format would be a good way to ensure the most deserving players make it. Some positions might suffer in a particular year, but there's no reason for a player like Tatum to lose out on an All-NBA selection (and $32.6 million) because being eligible at multiple positions cost him in the voting tally.
