Kerr blasts players for All Star voting 'mockery'

[January 24, 2017]  (Reuters) - Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr blasted NBA players for their All Star selections in the league's first year of the new player voting process, saying they "made a mockery of it."

The league granted players 25 percent control of selecting All Star starters this season, and Kerr lashed out at the results which featured some lighthearted selections.

"I am very disappointed in the players," said Kerr, who will coach the Western Conference All Stars in the Feb. 19 game, said on Monday. "They asked for the vote and a lot of them just made a mockery of it...I saw the list. I saw all the guys who got votes. There were 50 guys on there that had no business getting votes."

Among the surprising choices from players were rookie Ben Simmons and veteran Mo Williams, both of whom have not played a minute this season.

"Were you allowed to vote for yourself? I don’t know. Were guys voting for themselves?" Kerr asked.

"But a lot of guys wrote in their buddies for the presidential campaign. So maybe that was their own way of making a statement. But I think if you give the players a vote, they should take it serious."

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

With the game's starters having been announced last week, NBA coaches will vote on the reserves in their respective conferences with no coach allowed to vote for a player on his own team.

(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

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