On Thursday night, the starters for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game were revealed.
Despite turning the Miami Heat into legitimate title contenders in just a matter of months, Jimmy Butler was kept out of the Eastern Conference’s starting lineup.
According to NBA great Charles Barkley, the deciding factor was how Butler’s colleagues feel about him.
Charles Barkley makes the case for why @JimmyButler was snubbed from the East's #NBAAllStar Starters pic.twitter.com/wL782VxtmZ
— Warner Bros. Discovery Sports U.S. PR (@WBDSportsPR) January 24, 2020
Why was Jimmy Butler 6th in player voting?
Charles Barkley:
“Because they don’t like him. They think he’s annoying.”— Five Reasons Sports 🏀🏈⚾️🏒⚽️ (@5ReasonsSports) January 24, 2020
While Barkley’s statement may seem somewhat dramatic, there is no doubt that Butler has been known to rub both opponents and teammates the wrong way throughout his career.
Just before the start of the 2018-19 regular season, Butler chastised his former teammates on the Minnesota Timberwolves shortly after demanding a trade.
Just a few weeks ago, Butler clashed with Indiana Pacers forward T.J. Warren and got him ejected from the game.
Those are just two instances in which Butler proved that he can be somewhat difficult to be around.
Luckily, no such issues have arisen with his Miami teammates. Butler has helped mold a young and highly unproven roster into one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA.
Currently, the Heat hold the best home record in the entire league.
Given the fact that the 30 NBA coaches select the 14 All-Star Game reserves, Butler is nearly a lock to ultimately be named to the team.
Still, it was something of a shock to not see his name on the list of starters.
