"I'm the lone person who voted Kyrie Irving 3rd team All-NBA ... But it was a mistake" - Former Indiana Pacers stalwart laments giving All-NBA vote to Nets guard, mentions "he needs to fall on the sword"
The All-NBA teams have had some surprising entries and exclusions this season. While discussing about the same on the "NBA Countdown" show, Jalen Rose said that he made a mistake. He admitted that he was the only one to vote for Kyrie Irving in the All-NBA third team.
Although his vote eventually made no difference, Stephen A. Smith and others were surprised by Rose's revelation. Irving only played 29 games this season. Despite putting up a few stellar performances, he certainly didn't deserve an All-NBA spot over Trae Young, who had the most points and assists in the league.
Explaining why he voted for Irving, Rose said:
"Well, I need to fall on the sword because I'm the lone person who voted Kyrie Irving third-team All-NBA. I'm the line person to do that. Now I get mesmerized by his talent, but it was a mistake to put him on third team, and I'm glad that didn't cost Trae Young his spot, who deserves it more, and I'm gonna own that."
Jalen Rose admitted on NBA Countdown that it was a mistake to put Kyrie Irving on the All-NBA 3rd team.
#NBATwitter #NetsLevel https://t.co/x5jUl5svBX
Young made it to the third team alongside Chris Paul, LeBron James, Pascal Siakam and Karl-Anthony Towns. All the players deserved their spots, as they were actively involved with their teams throughout the season.
Meanwhile, Irving was out for more than half the season due to his COVID-19 vaccination stance. If he had made it to any of the three teams despite missing the number of games he has, it would have been unfair to the others.
The 2021-22 Kia All-NBA Third Team:
Chris Paul (@Suns)
Trae Young (@ATLHawks)
LeBron James (@Lakers)
Pascal Siakam (@Raptors)
Karl-Anthony Towns (@Timberwolves)
#NBA75 #NBAAwards https://t.co/zAnXmoS1Y6
Did Joel Embiid deserve to be in All-NBA First team alongside Nikola Jokic?
In the All-NBA first team, one prominent exclusion was Joel Embiid. The big man became the first player since Shaquille O'Neal to win the scoring title and also finish second in the MVP voting.
As per the regulations, two centers could have been chosen for the first team, but Jojo didn't make the cut.
Thereβs only been two players voted top 2 in MVP voting who didnβt make All-NBA First Team in the last 15 seasons:
β Joel Embiid in 2020-21
β Joel Embiid in 2021-22 https://t.co/ezCvM8NKxI
The 76ers were knocked out in the second round by the Miami Heat, but many believe if Embiid was fit, things could have gone differently for Philly.
After having to deal with the Ben Simmons controversy, Embiid almost single-handedly kept the 76ers competitive. It was only at the trade deadline that the team traded Simmons for James Harden, but till then, it was the Cameroonian who was getting the job done for Philly.
With Harden coming in and putting in some good performances initially, many expected the 76ers to be championship favorites. However, Harden's form soon dipped, and once again Embiid had to single-handedly carry the team.
βIβm going with Joel Embiid. β¦ Itβs nothing that this man canβt do. β¦ [Joel Embiid] and Kevin Durant are the two most skilled players in the league today.β
β@KendrickPerkins is taking Joel Embiid over Nikola Jokic π https://t.co/zLKY8WN6S7
Nikola Jokic, meanwhile, was equally brilliant during the season. For the first time in years, two big men dominated the MVP race for an entire season. However, the season ended in disappointment for Embiid, as he missed out on the MVP trophy.