I’m not sure why Carmelo Anthony has been criticized in some circles for wanting to play in the NBA All-Star Game, as if it was some sort of meaningless exhibition between shirts and skins. Playing in an All-Star anything is a privilege and honor and never should have been taken for granted.

With this year’s All-Star Weekend Feb. 13-15 being held at Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where Anthony was born, there’s even more incentive to play in the annual showcase.

“It’s a blessing to represent New York,” Anthony said before scoring 25 points in Friday night’s 113-106 victory over the Magic at the Garden. “I never thought I’d be playing an All-Star Game in New York. For the fans, who voted me in, I honor that. I truly appreciate that.”

There’s room to debate Anthony’s selection, specifically whether anyone from a team that is 8-36 deserves to be on an All-Star roster, much less a starter. The fact he was voted in as an Eastern Conference starter along with John Wall, Kyle Lowry, LeBron James and Pau Gasol took the pressure off those who had to fill out the roster.

Anthony’s selection was more on reputation than merit. This is the seventh straight year he will be an All-Star starter and it’s his eighth trip overall to the midseason game. But he has struggled through a frustrating season, hampered by knee and back injuries. He has averaged 24 points per game to rank among the top five scorers in the league, but hasn’t been able to keep the Knicks from potentially their worst season in franchise history.

“We told him last night he was an All-Star starter on one knee and a bad back,” said Knicks head coach Derek Fisher, adding, “It’s been a tough year so far. I think he’ll enjoy the weekend.”

There was discussion earlier this year over whether Anthony should sit out the remainder of this meaningless season to heal his knee. He missed six games at one point, but returned, with some suggesting his only reason was to play in the All-Star Game — as if that was a bad thing.

“As fans, I hope they understand the hard work we put in,” Anthony said in validating his selection. “You can’t control injuries. For me, my injuries are something I couldn’t control. It happened and I’m still dealing with it. For them to vote me in, obviously there’s a big fan base out there that wanted to see me and wanted me to represent New York.”

Fisher said he thinks Anthony deserves to be applauded for wanting to play through his injuries and helping his team to three consecutive wins after 16 straight defeats.

“He’s fought through it and not necessarily use it as an excuse for why he hasn’t played well on certain nights,” the coach said. “He still wanted to be out there with his teammates and not give up on the season and on his teammates.”

All-Star Weekend likely will be a bittersweet experience for Anthony. On one hand, he was voted into the game by the fans and recognized as still being one of the elite players in the league. By the time mid-February comes around, he likely will be an enthusiastic unofficial host with no Nets expected to be on the East squad.

“I’ll represent New York in a very fashionable way,” Anthony said.

Yet, having the basketball world centered on New York also will spotlight the Knicks’ woeful season and uncertain future. Cap space, draft picks and the leadership of team president Phil Jackson and Fisher are supposed to improve things starting next season. But this has been another wasted year for Anthony, who admitted he wasn’t sure if he would be playing in the All-Star Game this year if it were in another city.

“This is New York,” he said. “This is the mecca of it all. For me to represent New York in New York during All-Star Weekend and the All-Star Game it means a lot.”

Anthony deserves to enjoy his selection. It will be the high-point of an otherwise dreadful season.