NBA Season Preview 2019-20: 10 players most likely to be first-time All-Stars
The NBA is driven by its stars, so it’s time to take a look at the 10 players most likely to be first-time All-Stars in 2019-20.
In a star-driven league like the NBA, it’s only natural for fans to constantly look for the next big thing. The last generation of superstars like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki is all but extinct, the current generation of guys like Stephen Curry, James Harden and Damian Lillard is approaching the end of its peak, and even the young alphas like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic will be looking over their shoulders at Luka Doncic, Trae Young and Zion Williamson soon enough.
For all the chagrin over the voting process, All-Star selections remain one of the most effective ways to compare NBA careers to one another, not only because they indicate a high level of talent in a given year, but also popularity. While most think of that “popularity contest” aspect as a negative when measuring a player’s career resume, the NBA is the most fan-friendly league for a reason: Its stars are the most accessible of any sports league, and because of that, popularity kind of matters (and often correlates with individual success anyway).
Heading into the 2019-20 NBA season, plenty of talented young players will be looking to cement their places as perennial All-Stars with a first-time selection. Just last year, four players — Nikola Jokic, Khris Middleton, Ben Simmons and Nikola Vucevic — earned their debut All-Star appearances. This year’s crop could potentially one-up last year’s total of first-timers.
Looking at the Eastern Conference, one spot on last year’s All-Star roster will be vacant with Kawhi Leonard heading west. If Victor Oladipo‘s recovery process is hindered in any way, another spot could very well open up, and his replacement, D’Angelo Russell, went West as well.
Aside from those two, there’s no guarantee Vucevic, Middleton, Kyle Lowry or Blake Griffin hold onto their spots. If the Orlando Magic don’t build on last year’s success, Vucevic could be out. Middleton and the Milwaukee Bucks will need another big season for him to keep his spot. Lowry is another year older, with less talent around him, and injury concerns remain a concern for Griffin.
Out West, the competition will be fiercer, even with Klay Thompson out with an ACL tear and Kevin Durant injured/migrating East. Kawhi is almost certain to take up one of those spots, and though statistical slippage from guys like LaMarcus Aldridge and Russell Westbrook is possible, they’ll still be in the conversation. The same goes for a recovering Paul George and poor Karl-Anthony Towns as he wastes away on yet another subpar Minnesota Timberwolves team.
With that being said, there are a bevy of young studs and even a few established names who could be in line for their first All-Star selections in 2019-20. Here are the 10 guys most likely to break through this season.
Just missed the cut: Zach LaVine, Trae Young, Jamal Murray, Mike Conley, Caris LeVert, Zion Williamson, Josh Richardson, Brandon Ingram