Tobias Harris shares his mentality this season after not being selected to the All-Star team, yet again.
Tobias Harris thought he’d proven enough, and so did his teammates and head coach.
When Danny Green was asked a question following a late February shootaround that began by noting the Sixers had two All-Stars, he interrupted.
“We should have three,” Green said.
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Harris was clearly disappointed that he wasn’t picked as an All-Star reserve, tweeting the night he learned the news that it was “Politics as usual.” Though Joel Embiid’s left knee injury was the primary topic of discussion after the Sixers’ win Friday over the Wizards, Harris had a chance to elaborate on the All-Star selection process.
“… I was upset with the All-Star (picks), of course, but I’ve played at an All-Star level night in and night out,” he said. “Listen, if Philly fans understand that I’m an All-Star — these are the same fans that probably would’ve escorted me out of my house last year — if they understand, then I’m good. … When me and (head coach Doc Rivers) talk about it, I just tell him, ‘Look, I’ve got a bounty out for all the coaches that didn’t vote for me, all the national media that skipped over me.’
“It is what it is, but me and Doc discuss that you make your name known in the playoffs and leading this team, and being solid and what you do day in and day out. And that was my mentality. For a moment, it was tough to get over. The (Feb. 23) Toronto game came so fast ... that it was just right there. You move on. You move on with life and it won’t be the (last) time I’ll be in contention to be an All-Star, I believe, in my career. That’s how I look at it.”
The NBA’s head coaches anonymously chose seven reserves from both the Eastern and Western conferences and were prohibited from voting for their own players. It sounds as if Harris would like a look at the ballots, although perhaps it’s not a bad thing if he enters every game assuming the opposing head coach snubbed him and has no respect for his game.
NBA
This year was the 28-year-old Harris’ best chance at an All-Star nod yet. He averaged 20.2 points on near-50/40/90 shooting splits, 7.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists over the first half of the season, and he made memorable clutch plays for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Plenty of other players also posted lofty numbers, though, and Harris hasn’t established an All-Star reputation. He didn’t fare well in the playoffs last season when the Sixers were swept by the Celtics in the first round, shooting 38.3 percent from the floor and missing the first 10 three-pointers he took in that series, which very well may have contributed to an uphill battle for selection.
Harris obviously wants to change how he’s perceived around the league, but for now he’s apparently concerned with settling a few scores.