The Atlanta Hawks, one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, were completely shut out of the 2026 NBA All-Star starting lineup. The stunning omission of any Hawks players prompted star guard Trae Young to publicly call out what he sees as clear disrespect.
This isn’t a middling team getting overlooked. The Hawks sit fourth in the league standings, a powerhouse offense driven by a dynamic core. Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, and Jalen Johnson have all been playing at an elite level. But fan voting, which accounts for 50 percent of the total, appears to have cost them dearly. The three Hawks were the first players left out of their respective starting positions, falling just short when the popular vote diluted their strong player and media support.
Young did not stay quiet, expressing shock on behalf of his team. “Congrats to the ones that were nominated, they were well-deserved. But it’s a very big shocker to see that none of us were starters, especially where we are as a team in the league. I’m sure we’re still going to be All-Stars. I have no doubt in my mind that we still will be, but I think it is important to note that none of us were starters on a team that has had so much success this year.”
He specifically credited his running mates for the team’s high standing. He said: “The reason why we’re where we are is because of those two. For us not to have anyone was just a slap in the face, but they’re not going to say anything. I am.”
Head coach Quin Snyder shared the sentiment, highlighting the voting structure as the issue. “… It’s really disappointing… We had three players who were so close to making it, and I felt deserving of being starters by the merit of their play,” Snyder stated. “Now, the voting is half the fans, and we didn’t get as much fan voting as we would like, and that kind of put us in a tough position to get anybody as a starter. I fully expect them to make the [All-Star] team [as reserves].”
The focus now shifts to the league’s coaches, who vote for the reserves. Snyder believes his top players are a lock and is even campaigning for another deserving player to get recognized. He said: “I do expect the coaches to put all three [Howard, Gray and Reese] in [as reserves] as a no-brainer, and I’m hoping that Jordin [Canada], because she deserves it. She’s had that kind of a season defensively, steals, assists, and kind of been our leader as a point guard. Hopefully, the coaches will see to it that she gets a nod as well.”
