Emeka Okafor: All-Star Reserve?

[ziggy]

Assuming that 3 centers are taken for the Eastern Conference All-Star roster, what are Emeka's chances of making the squad? A few things to consider are:

Negatives:
* Superman has 1 of those 3 spots locked up
* The Bobcats get absolutely no respect

Positives:
* Mek is top 5 in rebounding
* Mek is #2 in FG%
* His points per game total will likely continue to climb with the addition of Boris Diaw
* The East is really thin with center possibilities.

What are your thoughts?

[playoffs...PLAYOFFS?]

Technically, he should be able to based on his stats on paper..

Unfortunately, like you said, the Bobcats get no respect...so I doubt Mek would be in the voter's minds...

I don't think he will make it...If they pick three centers it would be Dwight/Bogut/Horford

[ammofan]

Yes he definatley SHOULD be an All Star! But will he be one? I dont know.

I would really enjoy Gerald being there though instead. He REALLY REALLY deserves it.

[fatlever]

most likely, only 2 centers are selected. the last 2 spots are selected regardless of position, i think.

superman and z or sheed (since their teams are winning)

bobcats wont have an all-star until we go into january w/ a .500 or better record.

[SWedd523]

1. Dwight Howard
2. Big Z probably
3. probably someone gay like Horford, unless Bosh counts as a C?

We won't seen a Charlotte allstar until people realize we're not the Charlotte used-to-be-Hornets anymore:(

[neogenic]

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=nba/news/news.aspx?id=4199481

Howard will get the top spot. The fans only vote in the starters. The bench comes from the coaches voting, though that gets political too. Stats are typically less of a factor than team's winning percentage.

For East centers, it is as follows: Bogut, Curry (uggh...I am so sick of his name), Dalembert, Haywood (injured), Horford, Superman (a Lock to not only be top center, but top vote getter period), Big Z, Emeka, JO, Kendrick Perkins, Ben Wallace, and Rasheed Wallace.

So...The only teams making real noise in the East are: Orlando, Cleveland and Boston. My guess is that when the coaches vote guess who gets in? If Detroit could make a strong run before the All-Star break, Rasheed has the numbers and the pedigree to get in as well. You can vote for Bell, Felton, Wallace, Emeka and one more Forward. It doesn't need to be LBJ either, those guys will get in regardless. I try and vote for people that deserve a second look...like Chris Bosh.

Filling out ballot now...wait...Kevin Love is on the Ballot????????? What's up with that??? He barely even plays. He's a rookie. Mayo, that's fine...but Love???

I highly doubt Emeka will get that kind of love. We have no nationally televised games, he never makes the highlights, and we have a considerable losing percentage. I just can't see it. I hope it happens. It'd be nice to get one in. I think until we look playoff-ready it won't happen.

Side note: Raja Bell is on the list for Charlotte now. Not that he'd have a chance, but we all can vote like crazy for our guys anyway.

[ziggy]

Rasheed Wallace was one of the center possibilities that popped into my head, but his numbers are on the downslide this season. 12.4 ppg, 7.6rpg and a miserable 42.3 FG% , 1.5 bpg (inferior to Mek in all 4 categories)

Big Z was another at 14.2ppg, 7.2rpg and 52.1FG%, 1.2 bpg (inferior to Mek in 3 out of 4 categories and less than half a points difference in scoring)

These statistical differences don't make it impossible ( or even improbable ) for Emeka to get jobbed by the coaches doing the selecting by any means, but they do make it a little more difficult to ignore.

[ALuhrs704]

Mek definitely SHOULD make it. But he probably wont. Like you guys said, because we are the bobcats. We cant even get any of our own highlights on espn when we win, its tough for us to get the cats. Even though the coaches vote in the rest, i still think mek will be left off. He is much better defensively than Big Z, i can see dwight, and rasheed making it, but why not mek? JO aint better, i really hope he has a chance. He deserves it, it'd be nice for the team too. Rookie of the Year, now All-Star........ You never know.

[fatlever]

i'd say z is almost a lock. the cavs will have more than one rep at the game. z will be there. they always reward great teams over indivual stats. always.

[TheBeagle]

It would be grand for the Bobcats organization to have an All Star, but on a more personal level, on a thread back during the summer that asked for surprise Bobcats predictions for the upcoming season, my selection was that Mek would become the first Bobcat All Star this season....I may pull that thread back up top later as proof, and I definitely will should it come to pass, you can count on that :cool:

[bobcats_express]

i would love to see Emeka play an all-star game
if rasheed wallace or big Z make it ahead of him i will be seriously pissed
'sheed is washed up and big Z im just sick of

its a shame that people will vote for those who dont deserve it

[Ghost Kat]

IMO Gerald should be an Allstar before Okafor , but they are both giving playin well enough to atleast make a reserve roster spot.