Milwaukee Bucks: Khris Middleton, an All-Star Snub

With the 2021 NBA All-Star rosters announced, one major name was missing from the list of the league’s best. That, of course, was Khris Middleton, the Milwaukee Bucks two-time (should be three-time) all-star, who is having a career year.

This trend is not new. Middleton seems to set near career highs every season, and why he was left off this year’s all-star roster is beyond me. Middleton plays the perfect robin to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s batman and always seems undervalued by the national spotlight.

The Milwaukee Bucks’ sharpshooter seemed to be getting the recognition he deserved with all-star nods each of the last two seasons, but despite being one of the league’s most efficient scorers, he was snubbed this season.

To further prove my point that Middleton got flat-out disrespected, let’s look into a couple of reasons why he deserved the nod.

Efficiency, efficiency, efficiency

Larry Bird, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry, what do they all have in common? Those are the only four players in NBA history to having shooting percentages of at least 50% from the field, 40% from three, and 90% from the free-throw line while averaging over 20 ppg. Khris Middleton is on pace to join them after this regular season.

K-Midd nearly joined this famed club last season but barely missed it with a field goal percentage of  49.7%. Regardless, it just goes as a testament to how efficient and effective Middleton has been in past seasons.

Keep in mind, he was an all-star game participant with those numbers. Now, in 2021, Middleton has somehow even one-upped himself. At this point in the season, Middleton is averaging 20.5 ppg on shooting splits of 51/43/90. Only one other player in the league is currently boasting similar shooting splits on at least 20 ppg, Clipper star Paul George—and you guessed it, PG is an all-star.

Let’s take this a step deeper; Middleton puts up these astronomical numbers on a ridiculously low usage rate. A usage rate gives the percentage of the team’s plays a certain player is involved in while on the floor. Think of it as the more ball-dominant a player is, the higher their usage rate will be.

Middleton currently has a usage rate of 24.1%, to put that into perspective, Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards leads the entire league with a usage rate of 36.0%, and Antetokounmpo ranks fourth with 33.3%.

Now, having a high usage rate is not a bad thing, but having a rate as low as Middleton while still putting up his scoring numbers is ridiculous. It essentially gives a crystal clear view into how efficient Khash truly is. He displays his tremendous offensive skillset, putting up comparable scoring figures to this year’s all-stars while touching the ball significantly less.

Middleton has become the status-quo for efficiency in the modern NBA, yet his value continually goes under the radar. As he continues to generate some of the best stats in the league night and night out, look for Middleton to come out with vengeance in the coming games following his all-star snub.

Expanding his game

It is no secret that Middleton can put up points in a hurry, but perhaps what is most impressive is the way he has developed other areas of his offensive game. Most noticeably, Middleton has become one of the best passing wings in the league.

At this point in the season, he is averaging 5.7 assists per game, beating his previous career-high of 4.3.  Becoming a more adept facilitator was clearly an offseason goal of Middleton’s, and it is certainly paying off.

Now, going back to the aforementioned usage rate, the increase in assists per game while having the ball in his hands less than before shows just how much Middleton has matured and blossomed into one of the premier players in the league. On top of this, Middleton is averaging 6.0 rebounds per game. The Milwaukee Bucks are the league’s best rebounding team, and Khris is a crucial part of this.

Some players throughout the league are very one-dimensional and lack in areas of their game; Middleton is elite in almost all aspects of the game. When looking at the people who made the all-star game over him, you will be hard-pressed to find someone averaging as well-rounded numbers on efficient shooting.

On the defensive side of the ball, Middleton has become widely known as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. On any given night, he takes on the task of guarding some of the league’s best while still putting up his stellar offensive input. I would love to see Middleton get not only an annual all-star nod but start getting recognized as an all-NBA defender as well.

To sum all of this up, the all-star snub is very frustrating for basketball fans, the Milwaukee Bucks organization, and Middleton himself. However, the contributions made by Middleton do not go unnoticed, and he plays an integral role in the success of the Bucks.

As disappointing as this news is, it only makes the chip on the Milwaukee Bucks’ shoulder larger. They will be on a mission to not only prove Middleton is an all-star but that they are the best team in the league.