The Cleveland Cavaliers have played an extremely good brand of basketball for most of the 2023-24 NBA season despite not being at full strength due to consistent injury issues to key players.
The Cavaliers have managed to breach the top-four spots in the Eastern Conference.
Despite playing so well, the Cavaliers didn’t have any players in the 2024 Eastern Conference starters in the NBA All-Star game.
While Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen will most likely get their nods as All-Star game reserves, there is another Cavaliers player who apparently received considerable votes from other NBA players to become a starter.
We are talking about none other than Cavaliers’ Georges Niang, who received 15 All-Star starter votes, as revealed via ClutchPoints on Twitter.
These guys received All-Star Starter votes from fellow NBA players:
⭐️ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – 18 player votes
⭐️ Georges Niang – 15 player votes
⭐️ Derek Lively II – 12 player votes
⭐️ Santi Aldama – 11 player votes
⭐️ De'Anthony Melton – 11 player votes
⭐️ Duop Reath – 9… pic.twitter.com/BFKb3jVagc— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 26, 2024
Apart from Niang, players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Derek Lively II, and Steven Adams are some players who unexpectedly received NBA All-Star starter votes.
Speaking of Niang, he has established himself as a key member of the Cavaliers, albeit as a role player.
Niang has played 42 games this season and has come off the bench in all but a single game.
In the above-mentioned appearances, Niang has averaged 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game for the Cavaliers.
He has shot 44.0% from the field and 37.1% from the three-point line as well.
While the 30-year-old is having a decent season, these numbers are nowhere close to gaining the nod to be an NBA All-Star, let alone a starter.
Could Niang do the impossible in the second half of his career?
Well, there is no way for us to confirm that, and as of now, he remains a role player.
NEXT: Graphic Shows Cavs Are Thriving On Both Ends Of The Court
