Getty Image / David Berding
It’s hard to remember a stretch in the NBA where the Eastern Conference was better than the Western Conference. It’s hard to explain exactly why that is, but it just always seems like the Western Conference is deeper.
Now, we have some data in handy chart form to give us just one example of how much more dominant the Western Conference has been compared to the Eastern Conference.
Sportico produced a chart of All-NBA selections by conference following the 2023-2024 All-NBA teams were released. Somehow, the Western Conference has had more All-NBA selections for 26 years in a row! Take a look.
The Western Conference had more All-NBA players than the Eastern Conference for the 26th straight season ‼️ pic.twitter.com/AU8iuIh6Yu
— Lev Akabas (@LevAkabas) May 23, 2024
If you look at the chart, it’s even more extreme than just the Western Conference having the most selections twenty-six years in a row. In only six of those years did the Eastern Conference even have seven of the fifteen selections. That means, that in twenty years, the West had a 9-6 advantage or better. In eleven years, the Western Conference had at least ten of the fifteen. This year, it was an 11-4 split for the Western Conference.
I can’t really come up with a definitive explanation of why it’s been so lopsided for so long. In fact, the Eastern Conference has had the player with the most All-NBA teams of all- time, Lebron James (20) for the majority of those years. And, it’s not like the Eastern Conference lacks big markets that should in theory be attracting superstars.
But, the Western Conference has simply dominated All-NBA selections. That’s played out in NBA championships since 1999, as well. Out of the last 25 seasons, they’ve won 17 NBA titles, with the Eastern Conference winning 8.
Could this change in the near future? I think it could be argued that the Eastern Conference has some really good young talent right now. But, honestly, the Western Conference still has more surefire All-NBA players moving forward like Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, and Anthony Edwards. Those three are guys you expect to be All-NBA selections every year for the next decade. The Eastern Conference may only have one of those players in Jayson Tatum. Tyrese Haliburton is close to that level, but probably not there yet .
A lot could change, but it seems like the Western Conference is going to keep their advantage over the Eastern Conference for the foreseeable future.