In 2009, the NBA was on the verge of All-Star Gate. Yi Jianlian was threatening – really threatening – to be an All-Star starter in the East. His vote totals were putting him in the mix with the likes of LeBron James and Kevin Garnett.
He barely missed making it.
The NBA sighed with relief.
Had Jianlian, who averaged 8.6 points that season, been an All-Star starter, there might have been a mini-revolt. He spent three more seasons in the NBA, and then he was gone. We haven’t seen him or his career 7.9 points per game average since.