Report: Westbrook left off All-Star roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The Washington Wizards will have only one All-Star this season, barring an injury replacement, as Russell Westbrook was left off the list of Eastern Conference reserves on Tuesday night.
Bradley Beal is set to start, but Westbrook will not join him after being an All-Star for nine of the last 10 seasons and each of the last six. All-Star reserves are chosen by head coaches.
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Westbrook, 32, is in his first season with the Wizards and his first season in the Eastern Conference. He joined the Wizards in a December trade from the Houston Rockets.
Westbrook has put up impressive numbers so far this season, averaging 19.9 points, 9.7 assists and 9.7 rebounds per game. But he also leads the NBA in turnovers (4.9/g) and is shooting 42.4 percent from the field. His stats were affected by an injury to his quadriceps to begin the season.
Westbrook likely also wasn't helped by the Wizards' 11-17 record. Though they have won five straight, coaches may have taken the team's poor start to the season in consideration.
The only way Westbrook can get in now is if an All-Star from the East drops out due to injury. Generally, there is at least one injury replacement each season, at least from one of the conferences. Sometimes, there are several.
This year, there could also be players who drop out due to concerns about the ongoing pandemic. Some players, including LeBron James, have questioned whether the game should even be played.
The 2021 NBA All-Star game will take place on March 7 in Atlanta, GA.
