Small Ball: NBA To Drop Center Spot From All-Star Ballot?
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — Centers will no longer be guaranteed a spot in the NBA All-Star game.
The league will announce a change to its All-Star ballot on Wednesday, removing the center position, reported David Aldridge of NBA.com. Fans will be required to vote for three frontcourt players, instead of two forwards and a center.
"It makes sense," Stu Jackson, the league's vice president of basketball operations, told NBA.com. "It made sense to our Competition Committee. Having a center is the only specific position that was singled out on the ballot. It just seemed a little outdated and didn't represent the way our game has evolved. By the same token, it also affords the same opportunity, if you have two good centers in a given year, pick 'em both. They both can be selected. Which is impossible right now."
The change makes sense with fewer teams relying on a traditional center anymore. Tim Duncan has long played as the Spurs' center even though he's listed as a forward on the Western Conference ballot, and the Miami Heat won the championship last season with forward Chris Bosh playing as their center.
The All-Star game is Feb. 17 in Houston.
Aldridge's report was retweeted by the NBA.
Your thoughts on the change? Be heard in the comments below!
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