In case you were wondering whether NBA players would take their role in choosing All-Stars seriously, Robin Lopez has given us an answer.
From the Chicago Tribune‘s K.C. Johnson:
Robin Lopez said he voted for himself at all 5 positions for All-Star: "I told you I'm an innovator." (That's what he said after face pass.)
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 18, 2017
Welp.
We’re going to assume Lopez is kidding. Actually, on second thought, he probably isn’t. This seems to track with his jovial, if quirky, personality.
Instead, we’re going to assume he’s an exception.
There will no doubt be a bunch of NBA players who cast nonsensical ballots, but not everyone has Lopez’s sense of humor. You also have to figure that actual All-Star candidates will legitimately take time to fill out their sheets, in hopes that those around them do the same for the sake of their own potential inclusion.
Meanwhile, in other Lopez-related news, he’s working on matching Brook Lopez’s three-point shot:
Robin Lopez revealed he's been working on 3-pt shot but it's not "game ready." Added: "If Brook can do it, I definitely can."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 18, 2017
Brook is shooting 34.6 percent on a high number of three-point attempts this season, while Robin is 0-for-5 from long range over his career. He has a long way to go before he catches his brother.
Then again, Brook only morphed into an everyday three-point shooter this season. Maybe Robin—who unlike Brook didn’t sport much of a jumper to begin with—can enjoy similarly abrupt success next year.
