The NBA released the first fan voting returns for the 2017 All-Star Game on Thursday, and the Sacramento Kings were less than thrilled with the results.
In one of the more eye-catching developments, Golden State Warriors center Zaza Pachulia is currently second in frontcourt voting for the Western Conference with 439,675 votes. That puts him ahead of the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, and Warriors teammate Draymond Green and over 237,000 votes in front of Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins.
LeBron/Kyrie and KD/Curry lead first returns of #NBAAllStar Voting presented by @Verizon!
Vote: https://t.co/7SYpaqHa1f & NBA App. pic.twitter.com/ofvgaJERkT
— 2017 NBA All-Star (@NBAAllStar) January 5, 2017
That didn’t sit well with the Kings, who quickly posted a reaction video to Twitter of one of Cousins’ postgame rants spliced together with the results.
Make it right Twitter…
RT DeMarcus Cousins #NBAVotehttps://t.co/RX8Teslxze
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) January 5, 2017
For some context, Cousins is averaging 28.6 points (third in the NBA), 9.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game this season. That dwarfs Pachulia’s averages of 5.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
Such an occurrence probably should have been expected given the enthusiasm with which fans in Pachulia’s home country of Georgia stuff the ballot boxes. After all, he came less than 15,000 votes away from starting last year’s All-Star Game and now plays for the league’s marquee Western Conference team in the Warriors. But fortunately, the league just implemented this change to the All-Star balloting procedure to put a check on the influence of fan voting, so Cousins may be getting justice soon enough.
