Voter Explains Victor Wembanyama Snub for All-NBA 1st Team, Prevented Unanimous Selection

San Antonio Spurs star was one vote away from being a unanimous selection for All-NBA First Team.

The voter who left him off the First Team ballot, Justin Termine of SiriusXM, explained his decision on Monday. Essentially, Termine voted by position, even though rule changes no longer prevent a certain number of players from each position group from making an All-NBA team. He thought Jokić deserved to get the center vote over Wembanyama.

"This year, he was the second-best center, and I vote by position," Termine said. "In my opinion, it is unfair historically to those that came before us, who I have great respect for, that those guys at center were not allowed to be on the First Team at the same time... It's unfair to those guys that they had to be Second Team, Third Team, or, in (Patrick) Ewing's case, not even on the ballot, just because rules were different... To me, it's unfair that guys today get to make it because the rules have changed, so I vote by position to protect the older generation and the history of the sport."

Since 2023-24, All-NBA voting has operated under a positionless format, meaning two centers like Wembanyama and Jokić can both make All-NBA First Team.

Termine cited the 1994-95 season as an example of his logic. That year, New York Knicks legend Patrick Ewing finished top-five in MVP voting but didn't make an All-NBA First, Second or Third team because he had David Robinson, Shaquille O'Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon ahead of him.

The logic makes sense, especially when thinking about the historical aspect, but it's still likely frustrating for Wembanyama to come one vote shy of a unanimous All-NBA First Team nod.