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Arron Afflalo wasn't among the seven reserves the Eastern Conference's coaches named to the East's NBA All-Star team on Thursday, losing out to arguably less deserving wing candidates Joe Johnson and DeMar DeRozan. In an interview with Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel moments after the announcement, Afflalo reflected on the All-Star voting process and on where he goes from here.
"I would never criticize the process," Afflalo said, according to Robbins. "What I will say, though, is that next time around, I intend for there to be no debate about where I belong at my position and in the league for that matter. I'll definitely put the necessary work in to make sure that happens."
In his second season with the Orlando Magic, Afflalo leads the team in scoring at 20 points per game, adding to that average 4.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists. At press time, 72 percent of voters in an Orlando Pinstriped Post poll indicated that the UCLA product deserved to make the team.
Afflalo has increased his scoring average in each of his seven NBA seasons. If he continues that improvement into his eighth season, there ought to be little doubt as to his All-Star credentials no matter Orlando's record.
The second half of Afflalo's stellar, but not All-Star-worthy, campaign begins Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks.
