LeBron James is thinking about starting a petition. The get J.R. Smith to All-Star Weekend petition for the 3-point shootout. Smith is now 20th in league history for 3-pointers made, but he’s never been invited.
via Akron Beacon Journal:
“You know they don’t want me there,” Smith told the Beacon Journal earlier this week. “You know they don’t want me part of All-Star festivities.”
Smith’s reputation, both on and off the court, is well documented. He has been suspended for at least 29 games and fined more than $100,000 in his career. He believes he’s been unfairly targeted by officials at times and has taken to stop talking to them entirely this season. Given the fact 15 of 20 guys ranked above him have made the event, perhaps his reputation really has been a factor in being left out.
“The fact that he’s second when you look at how many (instances of) eight or more 3s he’s made in a game, he’s second behind Steph now. He’s never been invited,” James said. “I think I might need to start making that petition. Us being the No. 1 team in the East, him shooting the ball the way he’s been shooting it, we need to try to get as many guys to All-Star as possible. Guys know in the league he’s an unbelievable 3-point shooter and he deserves an invite.”
