Put Joel Embiid in the damn NBA All-Star Game

Joel Embiid was not named an NBA All-Star starter in the Eastern Conference despite finishing No. 3 in the fan vote. Interestingly, Embiid finished fifth in the media vote (behind the starters and Love) and eighth in the player vote, because those dudes are haters of the highest order. (Here’s the voting breakdown.)

Still, this was the correct result. LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jimmy Butler are exceptionally deserving of their spots. But not naming him to the team altogether? That was the incorrect result.

Both wild-card spots in the East went deserving guards, leaving three more spots for frontcourt players on the East All-Star team. Love was virtually assured one, as he excels on the best team in the conference. There are a number of serious candidates for the last two spots, including Kristaps Porzingis, Carmelo Anthony, Paul George, Paul Millsap, Al Horford, and Embiid. The league chose George and Millsap.

Let me implore upon you, dear reader, that Embiid deserved one of those spots.

Here are the reasons why.

Embiid finished third in the fan vote on the force of his personality and on his relentless self-marketing. What is more commendable in this age than the ability to sell oneself to the public? Embiid is an absolute joy on and off the court. As we know SPORTS ARE SERIOUS and someday Embiid’s buoyant persona will be crumpled by demands for professionalism. It happens to all of the greats.

Do not let it happen yet. Embrace the magic while the magic is still upon us. The NBA needs to fix this, somehow.

Embiid has essentially already clinched the Rookie of the Year trophy. He could fly off to Qatar with a case of grenadine and still hold off Malcolm Brogdon. He’s averaging just a shade under 20 points per game with strong efficiency and in 25 minutes per game. The Sixers are -12.3 per 100 possessions when he’s not on the floor and +3.9 when he is playing. The Sixers are 13-17 when he plays and 4-11 when he sits.

He is legitimately performing better than most Eastern Conference frontcourt players. This isn’t a Zaza Pachulia brand of contrarian populism. Embiid is actually very good.

If you want to prove you’re truly invested in revolutionizing rest in the modern NBA, Embiid should have been your perfect candidate. He has played in more than 70 percent of Philadelphia’s games, and has started each one. If preserving your players’ health and well-being is the hottest trend in the NBA, no one personifies that more than Embiid! His minutes restrictions are actually innovative, not disqualifying. Don’t you believe in the future?

The NBA All-Star Game is pomp and spectacle. Paul Millsap is a wonderful player and fine human. He is completely pointless in the All-Star Game. Team defense, screening, post work — like, really? No one wants that in this context. They want HIGHLIGHTS. They want FUN.

Embiid can give you highlights and oh can he give you fun, too.

Yes, some contract incentives are tied to All-Star appearances. That’s not Joel Embiid’s fault. That’s not the peoples’ fault.

No offense to Porzingis and Karl-Anthony Towns. But seriously, do you want a unicorn like Embiid to spend his first All-Star Weekend catching alley-oops from Dante Exum and getting 10 blocked shots on D’Angelo Russell and Frank Kaminsky? Let’s dream bigger, friends.

After dealing with the injuries to Nerlens Noel, Embiid, and Ben Simmons, after watching entirely too much Robert Covington, Ish Smith, and Nik Stauskas for one’s good health, after believing in The Process and watching its architect exiled to the other side of the country, after suffering through the worst three-year stretch in basketball history, Philadelphia has hope. Its name is Joel Embiid. The NBA should have rewarded that hope, enflamed it, and made it real.

They should have put Joel Embiid in the 2017 NBA All-Star Game. For the good of Philadelphia, for the good of basketball. For the good of humanity.