Allen Iverson, All-Star starter?

If this doesn't give the NBA a reason to change how they select starters for the All-Star Game, nothing will. Allen Iverson, who couldn't find a team that wanted him for half the season, has been voted by the fans to start for the Eastern Conference in the NBA. Yep, Iverson, who is averaging 14.4 points and 4.4 assists in the 19 games he has played this season, will start alongside Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard for the Eastern Conference at the NBA All-Star Game in February.

For Iverson, it will be his 11th and least deserving All-Star appearance. Look, I'm all for fans voting for who they want to see in the All-Star Game but voting in someone who isn't even the best player on a team that is 15 games under .500 is beyond ridiculous. While there is something to be said for Iverson playing in one last All-Star Game if this is indeed his final season, the guy still needs to do something more to earn his way on. At this point in his career, he's just taking a spot away from a younger, more deserving player.

Whether David Stern will do anything to stop something like this happening again is unlikely; the league likes allowing the fans to pick who they want to see in the game. The NBA is likely happy that Tracy McGrady, who has played a mere 6 games this season for the Rockets, didn't get voted in by the huge Chinese contingent that votes in Yao Ming every year. Now that would have been a complete embarrassment; at least Iverson isn't being completely shunned by his current team.