Post by delap on Jan 21, 2022 9:21:58 GMT -5
Under the Yerkes spectral classification system (also known as the MKK system), stars are classified based on their temperature and luminosity. Using their class system, we can look at our league's history through 20 seasons and immediately recognize some of the fantastic names that have led teams to glory or have been incandescent in and of themselves. (*or players that project to be such)
We have our HYPERGIANTS like Kyrie Irving, Antonio Gates, and Moala Tautuaa. We have LUMINOUS SUPERGIANTS like Myles Turner, Bojan Dubljevic, and Dominique Wilkins. We have INTERMEDIATE-SIZE and LESS LUMINOUS SUPERGIANTS like Lew Alcindor*, Dwight Howard*, and Dajuan Wagner. We also have BRIGHT GIANTS like Joel Embiid, Luke Maye, and Nick Van Exel. Heck, we even have some NORMAL GIANTS and SUBGIANTS that have made a big impact on the league and shone through for flashes, like Demetrius Mitchell, Michael Beasley, and James Blackmon, Jr.
But, we've also had, thanks to the Heavyreign© formula, some head-scratching All-Star appearances. On the flipside from my previous article, today we are looking at those SUBDWARFS and WHITE DWARFS, the least luminous of stars, that have really sullied the whole "All-Star" selection process. Utilizing a hyper-scientific process (I scanned the All-Star rosters for each of the first 20 seasons and picked out the names I found surprising, then checked their career WS and career WS/48) I have come up with a list of 21 names of single-time All-Stars that fall into the least luminous category. You have the opportunity to vote for up to 5 of them to be considered the DEGENERATE DWARFS (the alternate name for White Dwarfs) and we can enshrine them into the historical record as such.
I've noticed through this process that the SG position is the one where it is easiest to make an All-Star game despite not really being a star, as the large majority of players on the list are 2-guards. In general, I used 50 career WS as a cutoff (with 2 exceptions, you'll see why). There are also two active players on the list that will be included as a separate group. All players are ranked in () among the group of 21.
Sub-Category: Active and Rising
Both of these players made the All-Star Game in 3019 after being under-utilized for the first few years of their career, so their WS rank 20th and 21st on the list (naturally)... so they could theoretically play their way off this list in the future and/or make a 2nd ASG appearance.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
ASG: 3019
Career Win Shares: 13.9 (21st)
Career WS/48: .108 (7th)
Frank Ntilikina
ASG: 3019
Career Win Shares: 17.2 (20th)
Career WS/48: .100 (11th)
Sub-Category: The Over 50 WS Crew
Two wings fall in this category... both barely above the 50 WS cutoff, but both near the absolute bottom of the barrel in WS/48. Are they actually good and just played so long that they lost value? Or were they really just awful and got lucky to make an appearance in an ASG?
Arron Afflalo
ASG: 3010
Career Win Shares: 58 (1st)
Career WS/48: .083 (19th)
Calbert Cheaney
ASG: 3007
Career Win Shares: 53.7 (2nd)
Career WS/48: .076 (21st)
Sub-Category: The Early Years
The league was new and fresh and All-Star voters may not have had the best calibration... heck, most of us didn't either! Dickerson is probably one of the two/three players on this list that don't immediately deserve scorn, but he still fits the bill so he's on the list.
Noah Dickerson
ASG: 3000
Career Win Shares: 43 (7th)
Career WS/48: .150 (2nd)
Tyrone Davis
ASG: 3000
Career Win Shares: 29 (13th)
Career WS/48: .146 (3rd)
Raymond Lewis
ASG: 3000
Career Win Shares: 22.3 (18th)
Career WS/48: .092 (14th)
William Buford
ASG: 3001
Career Win Shares: 49.3 (3rd)
Career WS/48: .089 (16th)
Mike Gansey
ASG: 3001
Career Win Shares: 27.3 (15th)
Career WS/48: .090 (15th)
Sub-Category: The Point Guards
A few signal callers have snuck in the ASG... these are they.
Lonzo Ball
ASG: 3016
Career Win Shares: 23.7 (17th)
Career WS/48: .108 (8th)
Isaiah Thomas
ASG: 3014
Career Win Shares: 31.9 (9th)
Career WS/48: .079 (20th)
Junior Harrington
ASG: 3012
Career Win Shares: 48.2 (4th)
Career WS/48: .132 (4th)
Jay Williams
ASG: 3010
Career Win Shares: 44 (5th)
Career WS/48: .100 (12th)
Mike Woodson
ASG: 3006
Career Win Shares: 31.3 (10th)
Career WS/48: .119 (5th)
Raymond Felton
ASG: 3007
Career Win Shares: 32.9 (8th)
Career WS/48: .106 (10th)
Sub-Category: #2 Guards (<<<---- that's a poop joke)
Some real bright flashes for some of these guys (Moore, Selvy (especially))... but really... these guys made an All-Star team? Gross.
Daequan Cook
ASG: 3003
Career Win Shares: 30.4 (11th)
Career WS/48: .086 (17th)
Luther Head
ASG: 3005
Career Win Shares: 29.2 (12th)
Career WS/48: .100 (13th)
Career Win Shares: 29.2 (12th)
Career WS/48: .100 (13th)
Rex Walters
ASG: 3005
Career Win Shares: 22 (19th)
Career WS/48: .085 (18th)
Career Win Shares: 22 (19th)
Career WS/48: .085 (18th)
E'Twaun Moore
ASG: 3008
Career Win Shares: 28.3 (14th)
Career WS/48: .107 (9th)
Career Win Shares: 28.3 (14th)
Career WS/48: .107 (9th)
Eric Gordon
ASG: 3010
Career Win Shares: 43.7 (6th)
Career WS/48: .113 (6th)
Career Win Shares: 43.7 (6th)
Career WS/48: .113 (6th)
Frank Selvy
ASG: 3014
Career Win Shares: 24.4 (16th)
Career WS/48: .150 (1st)
Career Win Shares: 24.4 (16th)
Career WS/48: .150 (1st)
My personal selections for the dubious distinction of degenerate dwarfs are: Rex Walters, Isaiah Thomas, Raymond Lewis, Luther Head, and Mike Gansey. Who you got?
