2012 NBA All-Star Game Reserves: Who Really Got Snubbed?

The 2012 NBA All-Star Game reserves were announced on February 9, 2012, and as one would expect, there is a bit of controversy about those who deserved to go but didn't make it.

Players like Josh Smith and Monta Ellis have been popular names in the conversation of "who got snubbed," but there's one player that both fans and analysts have seemed to overlook. A player who has played as well, if not better, than any big man in the NBA over the course of the season. A player who lacks the name value of Dirk Nowitzki, which may be the primary reason he failed to make the All-Star roster. That man is DeMarcus Cousins.

Not the name you expected to see, is it?

Before you write this off as a bogus article, let's think things through, for a second. After former Kings head coach Paul Westphal accused the Kentucky alum of requesting a trade, Cousins saw a drop in popularity around the league.

Westphal then lost his job a few days later, and it wouldn't be a stretch to say his accusation played a prominent role in his dismissal. Cousins, unfortunately, remained the center of negative attention, taking on the brunt of the criticism as Westphal stepped out of the spotlight.

Over the next few weeks, Cousins was accused of being a distraction for his team, and some were even beginning to call him a bust. His work ethic was called into question, and even his production couldn't dispel those modern day myths. How averages of 15.4 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game can't quiet critics is beyond me.

Despite the negativity, Cousins has made drastic improvements over the past year. He has seen a four percentage-point improvement on the charity stripe to 72.7 percent and has established himself as one of the better rebounders in the league. His 11.4 boards per night rank him fifth in the NBA.

Paired with the negative attention was a slow patch of games in the middle of January, where Cousins couldn't seem to find his shot or any rebounds.

Since then, he has averaged 17.1 points per game and 13.3 rebounds over a 12 game stretch.

His back-to-back performances against Golden State and New Orleans, in which he tallied 21 points and 20 rebounds against the Warriors followed by 28 and 19 against the Hornets, displayed just how far he's come. With this new found effort and efficiency, it's time to begin the comparisons between he and the Lakers' Andrew Bynum.

There's no denying Bynum's merit as the Western Conference's starter; his averages of 16.5 points and 12.6 rebounds are only as pretty as his 2.1 blocks per night. Cousins, however, has four years less experience than Bynum, and is already approaching those marks.

Bynum certainly deserves the starting spot, but there should be no question at this point that  Cousins deserves a spot amongst the reserves, but if DeMarcus Cousins got into the game, who would be the odd man out?

Dirk Nowitzki.

It may not be the popular answer, but it's the right one. Dirk averages just three more points per game than Cousins and grabs 5.3 less rebounds. He's also a far less efficient defender and shot blocker, averaging slightly less than Cousins' 1.1 steals per game, as well as 0.7 less blocks.

If the breakdown hasn't made this clear already, Nowitzki did not deserve to make the All-Star Game over Cousins.

It's hard not to argue that the Kings poor record played a factor in this decision. Unfortunately, for those in use of this argument, Deron Williams' Nets are 8-20 and Steve Nash's Suns are 11-15. Fun fact: both men are heading to Orlando for All-Star weekend.

Cousins' Kings, on the other hand, are winners of four-out-of-five, including victories over the Thunder and Trailblazers. Their 10-16 record is a mark that is certain to improve, and Cousins is playing a major role in their turnaround. Unfortunately, he isn't getting the slightest bit of recognition.

So how do we solve this problem? How does the NBA make sure no one gets snubbed?

Readers may oppose this option, but a start would be to decrease the value of fan voting. As Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitzki sit pretty with yet another feat on their resumes, players like Cousins and Josh Smith sit on the outside looking in, despite being the more deserving candidates.

While some fans of today may know who truly deserved the spot, 20 years from now, when these very names are up for Hall of Fame consideration, the only thing that will be seen is: "All Star: 2012."