The NBA has released the full list of reserves in both the Conferences for the 2025 All-Star Game. There have been some notable snubs in both lists, prompting outrage among fans and media members on social media. However, Jordan Poole is not on the list of people who have been wrongfully snubbed, at least Kenyon Martin doesn’t think so.
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The former NBA star couldn’t contain his laughter on the recent episode of Gil’s Arena when the host of the show, Josiah Johnson, read out a quote from Poole about his All-Star candidacy. “I think I’m an All-Star. I play at an All-Star level. A lot of it can be political and situational,” the quote from Poole read.
“Get the f**k out of her man,” Martin said as soon as Johnson finished the quote, rolling on the couch laughing. “That’s beyond cap…You see how he play? You see that motherf**ker play the game of basketball? Man, not a goddamn chance, man [of being an All-Star]. He had his best chance of making the All-Star team when he was coming off the bench in Golden State.”
Gilbert Arenas provided a more balanced picture of Poole‘s claim to an All-Star nod. The three-time All-Star said that the Washington Wizards star has been putting up great performances, but he is also lapsing into mediocre showings in a lot of games. So the 25-year-old needs to perform consistently to have a legitimate shot at All-Star candidacy.
Agent Zero predicted that the 2022 NBA Champion will be ready to suit up for the ASG in a year or so. But Kenyon Martin vehemently disagreed.
“How many All-Stars made it when their team had f**king single digit wins! For him to even…The answer [from Poole] should have been, ‘We got six wins dawg!’ It should’ve been nothing more, nothing less …You go six f**king wins…You suck!”
The 47-year-old even called the reporter who asked the question to Poole a ‘d**khead’ and labelled Poole the same for answering it. Martin believes that a player from a 6-41 team, which is currently the record of the Wizards, shouldn’t think of the All-Star game even if he is averaging 30 points per game.
So Poole stands no chance tallying just 20.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per night. Martin went as far as to say that JP will never be an All-Star.
What Martin said certainly has merit. A player barely averaging 20 points in a lottery team will have his numbers significantly reduced playing for a team contending for the playoffs.
When you have players like Trae Young getting snubbed despite leading the league in assists, Poole doesn’t really evoke hope among fans. The Hawks’ record (22-26) is also substantially better than the Wizards.
So Poole is certainly not at the All-Star level just yet.
