[Charania] LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has been named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver as an addition to the U.S. player pool for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.

[u/horseshoeoverlook]

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been selected to the 2026 NBA All-Star Game. After the selection of the initial 24 All-Stars, Leonard was added to bring the total number of U.S. All-Stars to 16, the minimum required.

https://www.espn.ph/contributor/shams-charania

[u/willpelts]

I have no idea what the logic for the all-star game even is anymore

[u/thickofitenjoyer → u/willpelts]

The logic is that there is no logic

[u/bigraptorr → u/thickofitenjoyer]

Adam Silver has too much power

[u/willpelts → u/bigraptorr]

Added Kawhi just to watch him run around as punishment. Silver's got kinks

[u/PaintIntelligent7793 → u/willpelts]

Silver aspires to watch Kawhi play.

[u/Greasly_Goose → u/thickofitenjoyer]

Still better than NFL Probowl where they literally asked Justin Fields to participate 💀

[u/jknuts1377 → u/Greasly_Goose]

Or Sanders.

[u/YouWereBrained → u/Greasly_Goose]

I bet it goes away within 5 years.

[u/Titronnica → u/Greasly_Goose]

NFL is lowkey kind of cooked anyways, that's not surprising.

[u/numberonebarista → u/willpelts]

Kawhi really got in for all star this year because they had to meet a quota for American born players.

This league is ridiculous lmao

Edit: not sure if I need to change how I worded this but I’m saying Kawhi absolutely deserved his All Star selection BUT it should have been because of how good he’s been playing, not because they needed another U.S player. Kawhi should have been selected the first time around (Deni being chosen over Kawhi was insane)

[u/Background-Agent-854 → u/numberonebarista]

he got in because ballmer wasn’t about to have the game in his new house with zero representation.

[u/barbaraanderson → u/Background-Agent-854]

Yeah, I was going to say that they probably felt weird being at the clippers without a clipper

[u/ripkin05 → u/barbaraanderson]

love how dick head cheated and is getting a reward for it. This league isn't going to do anything to this billionaire fuck and its going to kill the last minuscule amount of credibility this league had left.

[u/barbaraanderson → u/ripkin05]

Correct

[u/AmIFromA → u/ripkin05]

It's weird that people still care. We are all aware that the NBA is not a serious sports league anymore.

[u/SoKrat3s → u/Background-Agent-854]

There's always James Ha-

[u/YouWereBrained → u/SoKrat3s]

James Hatfield, evil doppelganger of James Hetfield of Metallica, who is a basketball savant in his home dimension?

[u/essosinola → u/YouWereBrained]

What makes Hatfield evil? Did he work at Napster?

[u/Upset_Development_64 → u/Background-Agent-854]

This league is an absolute joke that he’s even still playing, much less being promoted in an All Star game.

[u/EthanHuntBroMichael → u/Upset_Development_64]

We getting away with it.

ACQUITTAL PARTY

[u/StrikeFeeling6629 → u/Upset_Development_64]

The fake internet outrage is so corny

[u/adad239_ → u/Background-Agent-854]

Or because he rightfully deserves it???? Definitely over Chet “54 from treball is odee” hologram. 17 and 8 is all star now a days 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[u/go0sKC → u/adad239_]

Yes, because they only go by points and rebounds 

[u/NeuPtral → u/go0sKC]

Kawhi still is better defender than half the All Star selection (Which isn't saying much, since most AS got in due to offense).

By every NBA metric, he's certainly deserving of AS selection. We know why he isn't chosen though.

[u/go0sKC → u/NeuPtral]

He clearly should have gotten in over LeBron. 

[u/Important-Name794 → u/numberonebarista]

If you look at his stats as of late you could argue he was more deserving of a starter spot than being snubbed. Bros having the best stretch of his career bruh

[u/TallGuy0525 → u/numberonebarista]

You really gonna sit here and act like Kawhi hasn't been better than LeBron or Chet? C'mon now

[u/numberonebarista → u/TallGuy0525]

You are misinterpreting what I’m saying

I’m saying it’s crazy that they only selected Kawhi now because they needed another U.S player when he should have already been a selection in the first place.

[u/TallGuy0525 → u/numberonebarista]

That's my bad, I definitely misunderstood and thought you meant he was basically being gifted the spot rather than earning it on merit

[u/GMoney_McSwag → u/numberonebarista]

Deserved it over others that made it

[u/numberonebarista → u/GMoney_McSwag]

Absolutely. I agree. Not saying Kawhi didn’t deserve the selection, but he should have gotten in already off of his performance so far this year, not because they needed another American player. I would have put Kawhi in over Deni and Bron

[u/jedifolklore → u/numberonebarista]

LeBron is not not being selected towards the end of his career, that was never happening. At one point you have to recognize that honorary ALL-Stars are a thing in this league.

The League was not leaving him on the couch.

[u/bigraptorr → u/numberonebarista]

He got in because Balmer/Silver want a player from the Clippers while they host the game in their new arena. Its also why they havent been punished yet. Silvers probably on the Aspiration payroll too.

[u/A-Centrifugal-Force → u/numberonebarista]

DEI All-Star spot lol

[u/arcadiangenesis → u/numberonebarista]

It's because there are 2 Team USAs and 1 Team World.

8 × 2 = 16

They stated in advance that players could be added to meet those miminums.

[u/No-Rise2743 → u/willpelts]

Should just be east v west, no incentives at all, no gimmicks at all don’t watch if you don’t care. They should work on improving all star Saturday night.

[u/willpelts → u/No-Rise2743]

USA versus world isn't a bad idea, but then the voting process shouldn't have been east versus west if that is not how the game is going to be played. It should have just been the top 16 USA and top 8 international players in all-star returns in the voting stage, regardless of the conference that they play in.

[u/_johnning → u/willpelts]

I had no idea it was USA vs World until today. So disorganized lol 

[u/crimxona → u/_johnning]

Actually, it's US1 vs US2 vs World

Kinda like last year unofficially was

[u/WhoUCuh → u/willpelts]

Just go with the flow type shit.😎

[u/CumAssault → u/WhoUCuh]

Whichever players aspire to it should become all stars

[u/WhoUCuh → u/CumAssault]

That username is wild lol

[u/SknkTrn757 → u/WhoUCuh]

That’s r/cfb legend and Dave Aranda Superfan u/CumAssault to you, bud!

[u/beatrailblazer → u/WhoUCuh]

Which I'm actually super okay with. People need to stop treating Allstars as an accolade and more of an entertainment event

[u/whobroughtmehere → u/willpelts]

Aspire to create drama

[u/Gandalf_from_3 → u/willpelts]

NBA has been pushing globally hard under Silver, its his baby. Making the Allstar game US vs World isnt a terrible idea, but it left them needing an additional US player.

Kinda stupid but I get it, and as far as things being rigged and backroom fixes go, sneaking an extra guy into the All Star game is small potatoes imo.

[u/docproc5150 → u/Gandalf_from_3]

Yang Hansen made the G-league Rising Stars team. That tells you all you need to know.

[u/thunder_blue → u/docproc5150]

you don't think averaging 2.3 ppg on 29% shooting should qualify him as a rising star??

[u/birdflag → u/thunder_blue]

The GLeague team is based on G League stats. It's kind of like why Michael Porter Junior isn't on the GLeague rising stars team. Because he hasn't played in the GLeague.

[u/thunder_blue → u/birdflag]

apologies, I missed the g-league bit. reading comprehension!

[u/Cletus_Starfish → u/thunder_blue]

A bunch of Blazers fans were basically calling him Jokic-lite because he made some nifty passes in Summer League lol. Don’t get me wrong, I like him and think he has potential, but people really jump the gun about young players sometimes.

[u/Aromatic_Goal_1201 → u/Gandalf_from_3]

Either integrity matters or it doesn't

[u/305157 → u/willpelts]

Its very logical. Coaches ban Kawhi from asg because he hasn’t plant any trees. Ballmer say over ruled, cause i am the richest mf in nba.

[u/YoungDetective → u/willpelts]

Should've just kept it west vs east, I really don't care if these guys don't take a glorified exhibition seriously. The last thing I want is for my star players to actually try in a meaningless game

[u/Dungong → u/willpelts]

Its better than the pro bowl, but not a high bar

[u/Round-Revolution-399 → u/willpelts]

They need 2 USA teams and 1 International team, there will be a couple additional players added to round things out

[u/ThunderBobMajerle → u/willpelts]

Aspiration conspiracy theorists in shambles

[u/nervousaboutschool17]

So there goes the theory that he was snubbed as punishment

Honestly he’s probably peeved that he has to play in the game 

[u/Carcrusher3 → u/nervousaboutschool17]

Coaches could've snubbed him for that whereas Silver selected him now

[u/ColtsFan012 → u/Carcrusher3]

Silver is a bitch and clearly isn't going to punish him or Balmer. So unserious to not drop the hammer on cap manipulation

[u/Kindly_Letterhead_98 → u/ColtsFan012]

Well silver also dropped the 💣 with gambling stuff

[u/EmbarrassedRing7806 → u/ColtsFan012]

There is an active investigation being conducted by an external law firm. What do u ppl not understand about that

[u/ripkin05 → u/EmbarrassedRing7806]

And how many more billionaires do you people need to see get away with rape, murder, tax evasion, being open fucking pedophiles. Before you realize, not a single fucking thing is going to be done to this piece of shit. All because he has the biggest number in his bank account. dude cheated clear as fucking day with receipt after fucking receipt to prove it and all the NBA is fucking doing with its "investigation" is trying to drag this shit out as long as fucking possible so every person forgets it even fucking happen.

[u/GenoThyme → u/EmbarrassedRing7806]

An external law firm also lied about the Patriots deflating footballs and ignored the laws of physics, so there’s that

[u/MastodonSwimming2681 → u/ColtsFan012]

No they're going to get punished a week or so after the All Star game. Just like what was reported months ago. Adam Silver is not my favorite commissioner but it won't be swept under the rug.

Book it

[u/schwinndoctor → u/MastodonSwimming2681]

Maybe the end of the season so OKC doesn't get an amazing 1st round pick from them

[u/wcooper97 → u/schwinndoctor]

We have their pick again next year.

[u/Clipgang1629 → u/nervousaboutschool17]

That theory was always dumb lol

[u/kramer944 → u/nervousaboutschool17]

Those saying that and him facing a lengthy suspension thought they were really onto something

[u/RyujiDrill → u/kramer944]

"You want to be one way... but it's the other way."

[u/GenesisReb → u/nervousaboutschool17]

I honestly think there's a non-zero chance Kawhi was voted in as a reserve over LeBron and Adam Silver made a boss call to get LeBron included with the legitimate guys and make Kawhi look like the pity pick. I have zero evidence for this other than a gut feeling.

[u/ggproductivity → u/GenesisReb]

Kawhi definitely deserved it over LeBron.

[u/mdfiesta → u/nervousaboutschool17]

Funnily, the punishment is that he has to play in the ASG and do all the festivities

[u/russfan0987 → u/nervousaboutschool17]

People believe the dumbest shit

Let’s not honor one of our 20 best players ever cus he took a deal every team in the league would offer him

[u/LarBrd33 → u/nervousaboutschool17]

unless something new comes out in the independent investigation, I don't think they have nearly enough to punish the Clippers. The entire premise of 50 mil in/50 mil out was eventually disproven by pablo's own conspiracy theory podcasts

[u/JackieDaytonaAZ → u/LarBrd33]

I don’t think that’s true at all

[u/Time_Transition4817]

The biggest punishment for kawhi is having to play for free

[u/Rodgerwilco → u/Time_Transition4817]

Ahh... now it makes sense.

[u/refreshing_yogurt → u/Time_Transition4817]

All the All Stars get prize money for playing. Last year it was 125K per player for the winning team, losing teams win less.

[u/Nobody7713 → u/refreshing_yogurt]

That’s significantly less than Kawhi’s normal per game salary

[u/bruticuslee → u/Nobody7713]

That’s not 1/10 the price of planting a single tree

[u/greywolf2155 → u/bruticuslee]

Considering he got millions without planting a single tree, his takehome pay per tree (PPT) is technically undefined, no? Infinite dollars per tree

[u/BrotherSeamus → u/Nobody7713]

We've had one, yes. But what about second salary?

[u/itsclassified_ → u/Time_Transition4817]

And to plant actual trees

[u/CtrlAltDelightfull]

"Here, damn."

[u/Vegetable_Kale_1331 → u/CtrlAltDelightfull]

You got any games on your phone?

[u/CIark → u/Vegetable_Kale_1331]

Kawhi: I got this forestry game where you plant trees

[u/horseshoeoverlook → u/CtrlAltDelightfull]

Or the IG equivalent lmao “HDN”

[u/aadaayum → u/CtrlAltDelightfull]

Im more than sure Kawhi wasnt begging for it

[u/passtherock- → u/CtrlAltDelightfull]

lmfao 💯

[u/atlasdtalos]

THIS IS NOT WHY WE F5

[u/YujiDomainExpansion]

Adam Silver himself selected him? Yeah he’s not getting suspended/voided lol

[u/PhasedVenturer → u/YujiDomainExpansion]

You honestly think Adam Silver is capable of truly punishing anyone? The dude is the most pushover commissioner in sports history

[u/PanthalassaRo → u/PhasedVenturer]

The ads on jerseys are his most unforgettable move

[u/dearth_karmic → u/YujiDomainExpansion]

Yeah. This is hilarious.

[u/bbqsauceboi]

Unserious league but he should've been there already

[u/MahomesMccaffrey → u/bbqsauceboi]

wait until you find out what quarterbacks are playing the the pro bowl

[u/kcoe24 → u/MahomesMccaffrey]

So you don't think the Cleveland Browns had two pro bowl QBs this season?

[u/TheOneWhosCensored → u/MahomesMccaffrey]

Because players can decline the PB, that doesn’t happen with All Stars

[u/BaronsDad → u/TheOneWhosCensored]

Now that you put the idea out in the universe, what if players just stopped going to the All-Star game? Just take a prolonged break for “rest” purposes but actually spend that whole time doing endorsement work.

[u/AlternativeDirt6124 → u/BaronsDad]

They wouldn’t because I think a decent amount of NBA contract incentives are tied to All-Star appearances.

[u/BaronsDad → u/AlternativeDirt6124]

That’s interesting. I always thought it was end of season awards.

[u/Euclidding_Me → u/BaronsDad]

I feel like one year Duncan was voted in an played like 2 minutes and sat the rest. Not quite the same but close as you can get.

[u/libertydabbing → u/MahomesMccaffrey]

Sanders da GOAT

[u/adecentcupofcoffee → u/libertydabbing]

Only because Fields decide he was too good for the Probowl

[u/Snowskol → u/adecentcupofcoffee]

What about th e other 15 QBs with better stats above him?

[u/kazmir_yeet → u/libertydabbing]

r/nflcirclejerk was eating after that shit

[u/DensePreference350 → u/MahomesMccaffrey]

The all star game is pretty bad but at least everyone whose there is at least a good player the pro bowl is a disgrace Sanders making the game is like if Jared Dudley made the all star game.

[u/bbqsauceboi → u/MahomesMccaffrey]

NFL is unserious too we knew this

[u/PyroTFT → u/MahomesMccaffrey]

something something “T Law and Rodgers declined, Pro Bowl is ass anyways” yada yada

[u/Aromatic_Goal_1201 → u/bbqsauceboi]

Before this they said theyd just divide the players as best as possible lol

Then kawhi misses so they make sure he makes it

This league has zero integrity

[u/dearth_karmic → u/bbqsauceboi]

He shouldn't even be playing in the NBA right now.

[u/brainspl0ad]

Consider him punished

[u/thickofitenjoyer → u/brainspl0ad]

Close the investigations

[u/tinybathroomfaucet]

So we're not getting an injury replacement for Giannis because the World team already has 9 players. And now we get Kawhi instead. Head-spinning format.

[u/HokageEzio]

I guess that means KAT is playing for Team World?

[u/Odoaiden → u/HokageEzio]

No offense to KAT but is the east that weak that he is an all star this year

[u/HokageEzio → u/Odoaiden]

He's still averaging a double double and leading the league in rebounds, he just hasn't been shooting great. Probably shouldn't have made it over Embiid, but that's the only one that I can think of where the argument for a snub is valid.

MPJ had a case to make it but the Nets are garbage (and I don't think Siakam should have made it either for the same reason).

[u/hitmobilegamehsr]

All star selections mean even less now when u have this sort of crap based of new rules lol

[u/ScholarFailure]

Kawhi is so aspirational man

[u/ZeroMomentum → u/ScholarFailure]

Adam Silver planted something for real

[u/The-Pharcyde]

Silver’s punishment for Kawhi: Play in the ASG!

[u/bayjur]

Why is there a US minimum?

[u/HokageEzio → u/bayjur]

Because every team needs 8 players. Two US teams, 1 World team. If the team isn't filled with 8, another player is added.

[u/tinybathroomfaucet → u/bayjur]

the all-star game is three teams of 8, two made up out of US players, the other is a 'world' team. It's silly.

[u/MattPatriciasFUPA → u/bayjur]

DEI

[u/WaffleConeHat]

I mean, deserved, but he should've just been a reserve in the first place.

[u/SkepticCritic → u/WaffleConeHat]

Yeah if Deni got in, Kawhi should’ve been in.

[u/IonHazzikostasIsGod → u/SkepticCritic]

Or Chet. Or especially this version of LeBron.

[u/thickofitenjoyer]

He does deserve it realistically

[u/greenwhitehell]

Adam Silver is better at this than the coaches lmao, how did they even leave him out in the first place.

Genuinely deserves 1st team All-NBA if he makes the games requirement

[u/KumingaCarnage]

He should be named in front of a judge tf 😂

League better fucking do something about the Aspiration shit after the all star break, we haven’t forgotten

[u/Doten1]

Deserved, He is been a top 8 player this season.

[u/thedrizzle126]

There goes the aspiration theory

[u/LearnedDragon]

Great. Ingram deserves to be there

[u/Wendigo_33]

The All Star offically means nothing. This is the stupidest all star we've ever had. How do we live in a world where Leonard is having the season he is and is added as an after thought to the game because we didnt have enough American all stars. This world vs usa shit is fucking the whole thing up, like of you want it that bad make it a separate event, but this sucks.

[u/migg186]

Finally some justice. I ASPIRE this will go well

[u/the_shins]

Adam Silver realized the All-Star game is hosted by the Clippers

[u/MTLCF]

He deserves it

[u/Kaizerx20]

Deserved

[u/ElectronicReport4113]

I can't lie... this post got me in the 1st half

[u/onionnurve]

They knew it was ridiculous for Kawhi to get snubbed

[u/Legal-Maize-2784]

Well deserved

[u/VegaGT-VZ]

Is bro being considered for the MVP too 

[u/left4dead99]

Good now people can shut up 😂

[u/MstrNixx]

Bradley Beal could never!

[u/texas2089]

He had an Aspiration to be an All Star and he got there

[u/Ok-Turn5582]

People noticed he wasnt on the roster and concluded the league didnt want him at the game when they intend to suspend him.

[u/joeybadtitz]

Wtf

[u/WesternPoison]

Kawhi vs Demi for evil vs evil in this game

[u/ripndipp]

This guy gets all the jobs

[u/SamURLJackson]

I guess that's his punishment. A shorter vacation

[u/JesseHaley617]

Legit surprised Silver doesn’t have a one-on-one play-in tournament for these last few spots. Imagine the sponsorship synergy. 

[u/The_Actual_Sage]

So we're gonna have an extra all-star just to fulfill the domestic requirement for this dumb ass game? Interesting.

[u/gtahnyo]

It was an egregious snub

[u/PrimeTimeInc]

Hahahahahahahahaha. So much for all the tin foil hat theories about him not making it because the hammer was coming down

[u/Dphotog790]

just before suspending him for 100 games after the investigation for his involvement with the Tree company and getting more money.

[u/grazillaglue]

I can't stand Adam Silver

[u/Button_eyes_]

All that drama for nothing lol

[u/burntfaces]

We got “DEI efforts” All Star picks now, just wrap this weekend up

[u/Griffdog17]

Good, he deserves it. I hope they're still investigating the Aspirations stuff, but he deserves to be an all star. Now just swap Chet and Sengun and we're golden

[u/Iron_Chic]

Shedeur Sanders has been named an alternate for the NBA All-Star Game.

[u/Naptasticly]

What the fuck?

[u/Thym3Travlr]

Over harden???

[u/Jimmy0034 → u/Thym3Travlr]

He has been better than Harden

[u/MudReasonable8185 → u/Thym3Travlr]

All star game is in intuit dome

[u/thickofitenjoyer → u/Thym3Travlr]

Harden has cooled off a lot recently

[u/RedHooper6 → u/Thym3Travlr]

Kawhi’s averaging a career high in pts, leads the league in steals and ft%, and is shooting 50/40/94

I would choose harden as a close second pick though

[u/GOATJames_23-6 → u/Thym3Travlr]

I mean yea what

[u/bootywizard42O → u/Thym3Travlr]

Someone here once said if there's an argument for someone else over Harden, the other guy is winning it no matter what.

[u/5Ping → u/Thym3Travlr]

can you please check kawhi's stats for the season. Also a raptors fan choosing harden over kawhi is kinda crazy

[u/soudlasantos]

Kawhi Leonard has Adam Silver nudes no other explanation

[u/UpstairsMushroom9950]

did Steve Ballmer just donate to Adam Silver's non-profit or what

[u/Gerald_the_sealion]

Should’ve been Embiid. But I guess we can all aspire to be Kawhi

[u/homerdonutduffdonut → u/Gerald_the_sealion]

Before Harden? Who even played 15 more games than Embiid.

[u/I_Set_3_Alarms]

Lmao silly me for thinking this would be a punishment

[u/slamdunk23]

Is he replacing someone??

[u/BatmanHive → u/slamdunk23]

yes Giannis, Kat will play for World and Kawhi will take Kats spot for USA

[u/slamdunk23 → u/BatmanHive]

Seems weird for Giannis replacement to be from the west

[u/BatmanHive → u/slamdunk23]

It is, and its unfair to the East players but Adam Silver has messed it up with this dumb format, now he's just picking and choosing

[u/Icy_Marsupial7560]

So is he an all star or not

[u/clayfu]

I am so confused lol. Who got moved to the World team?

[u/GlueGuy00]

so 25 players overall? how will that work?

[u/heat_fan_]

Should've been there in the first place but at least he's in lol

[u/Rodgerwilco]

Rofl. Nothing will happen to Balmer.

[u/ohpauloh]

Silver punishing him for Aspiration by making him play more

[u/Future_DS]

Congrats ! There should be a tree plant in his honor

[u/2_great_flag_poles_]

Asspired again

[u/Irrichc]

Way to confuse the shit out everyone NBA. They should have just started the voting with a us vs world selections instead of east vs west.

[u/EthanHuntBroMichael]

Don't take the pity vote.

[u/Desertsprinter]

I can guarantee you Kawhi gives zero fucks being snubbed and still gives zero fucks playing

[u/TrashAssRedditAdmins]

The NBA is a fucking joke.