The fans voted for the All-Star starters and in this column, I will select the seven reserves for both the East and West and why they deserve a trip to Denver.

Eastern Conference Reserves

Gilbert Arenas He is Dwayne Wade playing without Shaquille O?Neal.  He is just as explosive, just as crafty, just as exciting, just about everything except for O?Neal and perhaps maturity.

Chauncey Billups Richard Jefferson may have legitimate objections, but Billups is what a point guard in the East should be.  He can score whenever he wants, but he is content with running the machinery of Larry Brown?s offense.  Also, a carryover honor from his performance in the playoffs last season, as well as the location of the game, his hometown.

Steve Francis I?m not a fan of the systems that create shooting guard point guards out there like Stephon Marbury, Allen Iverson and Steve Francis, but there is no denying that these guys are All-Star caliber players.  Francis gets the nod over Marbury, who has similar numbers, because the Magic will be in the playoff while the Knicks will be in the lottery, hoping for Patrick Ewing magic.

Antawn Jamison Still not a max player and still no regret from either the Mavs or the Warriors from unloading Jamison, but he is a nice player, who has had several All-Star seasons in the past and deserves a trip to the game this season.

Jermaine O?Neal The Pacers forward is one of the most unique players in the game and has handled himself with a lot of class in the wake of the Detroit incident.  The Pacers organization has endured a lot of turmoil and they deserve representation this in Denver after having their season snatched from them.

Paul Pierce Need I say more?  He has his Celtics overachieving, in first place in the Atlantic, for whatever that means.  He remains one of the best two or three pure basketball players in the league.

Dwayne Wade He has become a legitimate superstar and a household name and will remain there indefinitely.  The NBA has their Larry vs. Magic match-up they wanted from Carmelo and Lebron, and the bonus is that Cleveland and Miami will battle in this season?s playoffs.  He should be starting and everyone knows it and he will next season after the Heat make the Finals.

Western Conference Reserves

Right off the top, the three Suns:

Shawn Marion Marion is exceeding all expectations playing the power forward position.  At 20 points and 11 rebounds per game, he is one of the most productive players in the entire NBA this season.  

Steve Nash The Suns are a great team, nobody can deny that.  How responsible is Steve Nash for their success?  I say pretty responsible, certainly enough for him to be in the All-Star game.  He couldn?t be used any better than he is now and there is no team that is more fun to watch than the Suns and Nash will thrive in the All-Star showcase, just as does every night with his high flyers.

Amare Stoudemire The third Suns All-Star selection and a young player who keeps getting better.  He is the precursor to Lebron, as a high school kid with a body that was NBA ready from the minute he stepped onto the hardwood during his rookie season.  In three short years, he has already become everything that a player like Derrick Coleman was supposed to become.

For the other four spots:

Ray Allen Seattle needs representation and it is clearly between Ray and Rashard, but as there are so many forwards already on the team, the shooter is selected.  

Dirk Nowitzki He has become the rebounding force that a 7-footer should be and has handled life in the post-Nash Dallas era quite well.  He may wish his mate hadn?t left for Phoenix, but in three years when Nash is breaking down and Harris is breaking out, and Avery Johnson is leading Dallas to the Finals, he will be quietly content.

Jason Richardson There is only one reason to watch the Warriors and that one reason is the same reason why they don?t lose by 30 every night and that is Jason Richardson.  He comes to play every single night with a positive attitude and a workman?s like approach to the game.  There is absolutely no diva in him and that is rare in an age when even mediocre players are demanding trades.  He is patient with a young team of depleted talent and still he expects to win every night.

Chris Webber Many thought Webber was done coming into this season.  They thought that his body wouldn?t be able to hold up at all.  They thought wrong, as Webber is biding his time, and has become one of the league?s best shooting power forwards, saving himself of the thrashings of the block.