The NBA revealed the second returns for the All Star fan vote on Thursday, and Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving still ranks second among guards in the Eastern Conference.
As it stands, Kyrie has a total of 1,351,997 votes, trailing only Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young for guards in the East. The man who replaced Kyrie in Boston, Kemba Walker, is third among Eastern Conference guards with 1,331,577 votes thus far.
Does Kyrie think it's wrong that fans continue to vote him as an All Star starter despite the fact that he's currently injured and has only appeared in 11 games? Not at all. In regards to his current position, Irving says (H/T Bleacher Report), "If you want to see an All-Star Game, then I would vote for myself as well."
We all know that Kyrie is one of the most exciting players to watch when healthy, so you can't really blame fans who are hoping he'll be ready to play when the league's stars take the court at the United Center in Chicago on February 16. It's also worth noting that the fan vote only accounts for 50% when it comes to All Star starters - the NBA players and the media each account for 25%.
Irving has not played in nearly two months due to a reported shoulder injury but he will be reevaluated next week and the hope is that he'll be cleared to return, according to ESPN.
Fans will be able to cast their All Star votes up until Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, January 20 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Per NBA.com:
"Fans may submit one full ballot each day via the NBA App and NBA.com, as well as on Google and through Google Assistant. All current NBA players will be available for selection. Five “2-for-1 Days” will allow fans to have their votes count twice on Jan. 2, Jan. 3, Jan. 10, Jan. 16 and Jan. 20 through all voting platforms. All “2-for-1 Days” will be designated 12 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. ET."