NBA season preview: 5 players most likely to be first-time All-Stars

4. Ja Morant – Guard – Memphis Grizzlies

Ja Morant is quickly becoming one of the most impressive guards in the entire league. His explosiveness is impressive, and he’s a player the NBA wants to see in big moments like the All-Star Game. Zion Williamson was on the court last year representing the “next era” of NBA stars last season, but Morant is going to join him this season.

There are a lot of great guards in the Western Conference, but Morant is going to take another step forward in 2021-22, and he will make it where voters have no choice but to put him on the team. In his second year in the league, he averaged 19.1 points, 4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game. He was a much bigger part of the offense for Memphis, and that took some adjusting. His shooting percentage dropped, but now that he’s in a rhythm, it’s expected that should go back towards 50 percent from the field.

Morant is on the cusp of stardom for the Grizzlies, and all the stars get chosen for this game. If he breaks the 20-point per game mark, he will easily make the next All-Star Game. He isn’t ready to be a starter just yet, but a reserve spot should be reserved for him already.