WNBA All-Star Game voting slammed after snub of Phoenix Mercury's Skylar Diggins-Smith
The WNBA named its starters for the 2022 All-Star Game on Wednesday and the Phoenix Mercury's Brittney Griner, detained in Russia, was named an honorary starter, a nice gesture from the league.
But the omission of another Phoenix Mercury player from the starting lineup for the July 10 game in Chicago rankled many media members and fans.
Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith was not among the starters for the game despite being in the midst of an excellent season.
Diggins-Smith is averaging 18.7 points per game and 5.3 assists per game this season. She is adding 3.7 rebounds per game.
It appears that Diggins-Smith can blame WNBA players for her snub.
She was fourth in fan voting for the All-Star game starters and third in voting done by the media.
But Diggins-Smith finished 14th in the voting done by WNBA players. Yes, 14th.
Fan voting accounts for 50% of the vote. Media counts for 25%. The player voting accounts for the other 25%.
Diggins-Smith finished sixth overall among guards because of the low player voting total.
More: Brittney Griner named honorary WNBA All-Star starter
VOTE: Does the #Mercury's Skylar Diggins-Smith deserve to be a #WNBA All-Star Game starter? (Voting slammed after snub: https://t.co/rH4oIzoUN2) @azcentral
— azcentral sports (@azcsports) June 24, 2022
For the Win couldn't understand why Diggins-Smith was so disrespected.
Cole Huff wrote: "So, the Phoenix Mercury haven’t had a good season. But neither have the Los Angeles Sparks, Minnesota Lynx or New York Liberty, yet, those teams all have a player starting in the 2022 All-Star Game. There’s an argument to be made that Skylar Diggins-Smith is having just as good of a season as Sylvia Fowles, Nneka Ogwumike or Sabrina Ionescu. Smith is having one of the best seasons of her career, and it’s hardly being talked about. Can anyone help me understand why? Like Alyssa Thomas, Diggins-Smith should undoubtedly be named as an All-Star reserve."
CBS Sports questioned the low player vote for Diggins-Smith.
Jack Maloney wrote: "Perhaps the most interesting note from the voting results was that the Phoenix Mercury's Skylar Diggins-Smith (6.25) missed out on starting due to a bizarrely low player vote. She had the fourth-most fan votes and third-most media votes, but was 14th in player votes."
More: Phoenix Mercury starts hot, but can't hold on in loss to Minnesota Lynx
Social media reacted to Skylar Diggins-Smith's WNBA All-Star Game starting snub:
Why the players think so lowly of Candace Parker and Skylar Diggins-Smith based on how they voted?
— Chris Williamson (@CWilliamson44) June 22, 2022
What did Skylar Diggins-Smith do to turn the rest of the players into some haters because voting her 14th among players this season is wild. https://t.co/h5YJsdgMD0
— Tia (@TiaReid65) June 22, 2022
#Mercury Skylar Diggins-Smith does not make #WNBA All-Star Game starter ... but she deserves to be an All-Star
— jeffmetcalfe (@jeffmetcalfe) June 22, 2022
Nothing against Sue Bird, and I get the final year deal, but Diggins-Smith is having much better season #WNBA
— jeffmetcalfe (@jeffmetcalfe) June 22, 2022
Logging on to defend Skylar Diggins-Smith and Candace Parker from their peers
— Ashtyn "GP2" Butuso (@lil_buts) June 23, 2022
These WNBA players in the league gotta stop disrespecting Candace Parker & Skylar Diggins-Smith. They really had the 13th & 14th most votes among the players. Among her peers Candace Parker might be the most disrespected player in WNBA history
— 28 Savage (@Alicia_Jones_) June 22, 2022
That’s disgusting how is SKYLAR DIGGINS SMITH ranked by players 14th? Are you serious?
— Nathan M. Snell (@1NathanSnell) June 22, 2022
This must be a different Candace Parker and Skylar Diggins-Smith cause ain’t no way….that player ranking is ridiculous for BOTH of them. Wow….can’t be the same two players I been watching my entire life. 😖 https://t.co/UBCpO7QV1w
— Taylor Edgerton (@EdgertonPhoto) June 22, 2022
Skylar Diggins-Smith and Candace Parker have been robbed by a player vote in WNBA All Star Starter. How? And Why? Jealousy?
— Donny (@DAdityawan) June 23, 2022
Live look at the wnba players after conspiring to voting against Skylar Diggins-Smith in the All Star Starters vote. (y’all know she should be starting) pic.twitter.com/1ZzR5XZkuY
— The 94x50 Women’s Basketball Network (@The9450WBB) June 23, 2022
Skylar Diggins-Smith has been disrespected too much. Probably don't want to make her mad. She plays better 🤷🏾♀️@SkyDigg4
— Kendall Hillson (@KendallHillson) June 22, 2022
They did Skylar Diggins-Smith dirty smh
— T (@T_Robz08) June 22, 2022
Do you think Skylar Diggins-Smith should have been named a WNBA All-Star Game starter?
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Mercury's Skylar Diggins-Smith 2022 WNBA All-Star starter snub