BROOKLYN -- The idea of media members voting on season-ending awards has been a sore subject for some players and explains why the National Basketball Players Association is attempting to create its own series of honors called the Players Choice Awards. The reason for the new honors was clearly spelled out by NBPA head Michele Roberts when she told players that "no one knows better than you what it takes to shine."
Washington Wizards star point guard John Wall disagrees.
"Us making votes, you'll have people saying they're MVP, they're the best player in the league," he said. "It will never be a fair race in my opinion."
Wall said that while players certainly know their peers very well, they are too biased to make fair decisions on awards, and James Harden's recent comments about his own candidacy underscore that point. That's why he said he probably won't participate in the Players Choice Award votes even though all he had to do was fill out a form an NBPA rep was distributing to players after the Wizards' shootaround.
"Us as basketball players, we know who [the best players] are," Wall said. "But sometimes your pride and ego comes in and you don't want to see that person win those awards."
This is not the first time Wall has gone against the grain of other NBA players. During the All-Star Game, he defended media bias, saying that "some players don't trust other players either." This was in response to Kevin Durant telling assembled media that they "don't really know s***" and that he only talks to reporters because he's required.
The Players Choice Awards votes will go on with or without Wall's participation. For what it's worth, teammate Paul Pierce was shouting to anyone listening that he would vote Wall for every award. Not that it matters to Wall anyway.
"I really don't care, to be honest."