Joel Anthony Can’t Believe He’s on the NBA All-Star Ballot Either

Improbably, Joel Anthony’s name appears on the All-Star Ballot this year, and he can’t believe it. Please make sure to vote him in, everyone. From the Palm Beach Post: “He’s one of four Heat players on the East All-Star ballot, along with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. ‘I didn’t think they were serious,’ Anthony said. Anthony’s not a serious candidate, of course, not with Orlando’s Dwight Howard on the ballot. Yet the panel of four media members needed 12 centers in the guard-heavy Eastern Conference, and chose one from all but three teams – Toronto (with Andrea Bargnani listed as center), Boston (reduced to a broken Jermaine O’Neal) and New Jersey (which just lost Brook Lopez for several weeks). Anthony, who has been labeled ‘The Warden’ by fans and has heard MVP chants while at the line, has a sense of humor about himself. He needs it, because the ribbing from teammates started right away. In truth, it is a bit of tribute, considering that even the Heat coaches expected Anthony to be the first cut when he arrived in 2007. ‘I don’t know what to say,’ Anthony said. ‘I definitely appreciate it, that they would take me into consideration.'”