Voting has officially opened to send the Memphis Grizzlies’ most deserving players to the 2019 NBA All-Star Game.
It is officially that time of the year again. It is Christmas Day, plus this marks the opening of voting to potentially send members of the Memphis Grizzlies to the annual NBA All-Star Game in 2019.
Marc Gasol was the last member of the Grizzlies to earn NBA All-Star accolades when he was named as a reserve by the league’s coaches as a Western Conference center in the 2016-17 season.
Aside from Marc’s three trips to the NBA All-Star Game, only Zach Randolph (twice) and Pau Gasol (once) have represented the Memphis Grizzlies organization. Marc is the only player of these three names to be voted by the fans as a starter.
Marc Gasol may luck into another NBA All-Star appearance this season due to his strong defensive presence at the center position, but all sights are set on Mike Conley, who has never earned the honor in his professional career that began in 2007.
A third outside candidate for Memphis is rookie Jaren Jackson Jr., the fourth overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft. Though he is not gaining nearly the amount of national attention as Dallas’ Luka Doncic, he has produced multiple games of All-Star-caliber performances through the season’s first half.
It is extremely difficult for an NBA rookie to make an All-Star Game roster. Blake Griffin (2011) and Yao Ming (2003) are the only two players to accomplish the feat in the 2000s. Even Donovan Mitchell‘s highlight-filled rookie season saw him fall short of an All-Star bid.
How to Vote
In order to have any members of the Memphis Grizzlies reach the 2019 NBA All-Star Game, it will take a huge effort from Grizz Nation. The NBA has altered voting methods this season, actually taking a step backward from social media platforms.
This aspect could potentially help small-market NBA franchises. When teams — such as the Golden State Warriors or the Los Angeles Lakers — would receive votes for their players via mass tweets and retweets on Twitter, it has killed other teams’ deserving players’ chances. It has become a popularity contest based off of teams’ followings.
With star-studded rosters such as Golden State, there is not much variety for NBA team representation on the All-Star rosters. This move by the association is likely to change things up and lighten the popularity vote. It forces voters worldwide to put a little extra effort into casting their ballots.
To vote for Memphis Grizzlies players, visit the official NBA website and/or the NBA app to view the ballot. Google is a new platform in which fans can utilize to submit votes. Votes can be made daily through January 21st by 11:59 PM.