Bradley Beal's Fiancee and Agent Rip Eastern Conference Coaches Over NBA All-Star Snub
By Sean Facey
Bradley Beal is the midst of arguably his best season in his bright NBA career to date, but he somehow managed to miss out on an All-Star Game appearance after reserves from each conference were named Thursday.
The Washington Wizards star ripped the selection process in the wake of the news. His agent, Mark Bartelstein, is now the latest to voiced his own displeasure.
Bradley Beal’s agent Mark Bartelstein rips Eastern Conference coaches for the all-star snub.
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) January 31, 2020
Bartelstein: “I think they’ve sent a horrible message.” pic.twitter.com/M0l6SzDiGv
"It's unprecedented for a player to have the type of season that Brad is having to not be in the All-Star Game," Bartelstein said. "I think they've sent a horrible message."
Beal's fiancee, Kamiah Adams, was just as incensed.
Kamiah Adams, Bradley Beal’s finacee, went on the Wizards postgame show with Glenn Consor to talk Beal not making All-Star.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) January 31, 2020
"It’s politics and it’s a joke,” she said. "The NBA is becoming laughable in my honest opinion." pic.twitter.com/UiG0LyZw3L
"It's a joke to me," she said. "It's a popularity contest."
Both Adams and Bartelstein slammed the league and its coaches for a perceived bias against struggling teams like the Wizards, who are just 16-31 and 11th in the Eastern Conference standings as of this writing.
"A little pissed off about it ... It's disrespectful. ... I'm gonna try and get my team in the playoffs for sure."
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 31, 2020
Strong words from Bradley Beal postgame when he was asked about missing the All-Star game. pic.twitter.com/VxaZ5VieUn
And they're absolutely right to do so, and are calling it like it is. Beal is averaging 28.7 points per game on 45.3% shooting so far this season. He's playing at an elite level, but he's not getting recognized for it.
It isn't exactly a secret that NBA All-Star voting is a bit of a sham, but at the very least, the outcry from Beal, Adams and Bartelstein put a face to this unfortunate oversight.