Before the 2025-26 NBA season even begins, the search is on for the next wave of stars in the NBA. Often, that focus applies to young players who haven't quite broken out at this juncture, but with the injury-related absence of both Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton this season, the stage is also set for certain Eastern Conference players to make the NBA All-Star team for the first time.
Rather than projecting players to make massive leaps, this space will center on four players who have performed at something approaching an All-Star level in the past. This year, there is potential runway for each of them, particularly if they can combine individual excellence with team success.
Here is a look at four potential first-time All-Star choices in the East:
Franz Wagner
Franz Wagner is entering his fifth season and, in each of his first four NBA campaigns, the former Michigan star has increased his productivity. In 2024-25, Wagner averaged 24.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, and those are numbers that would certainly garner All-Star consideration in any context. In addition, the Orlando Magic are widely projected to be a contender for a top-four seed in the East, and Wagner is capable of matching or exceeding those numbers in 2025-26.
The one potential concern is efficiency, with Wagner shooting only 46.3 percent from the field and 29.5 percent from 3-point range a year ago. If he can clean that up, an All-Star bid appears quite reasonable, and he was the highest-scoring Eastern Conference player last season that has not made an All-Star appearance.
Jalen Johnson
The Atlanta Hawks are a popular pick for a team set for substantial improvement this season. Some of that stems from the acquisition of Kristaps Porziņģis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, but some of it also comes from the return of Jalen Johnson. The talented forward was limited to only 36 games last season after suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery. On a per-game basis, however, Johnson put up 18.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. Those numbers alone could get him firmly into the conversation, and Johnson is capable of more.
Desmond Bane
Desmond Bane is the only player on this list who changed conferences in the offseason. He was the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade that sent him from Memphis to Orlando, joining Wagner and Paolo Banchero for an interesting "Big 3" for the Magic. Bane's raw box-score production took a small step back last season, but over the past three years combined, he averaged 21.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 39.4 percent from 3-point range.
That kind of performance would turn heads in the Eastern Conference. The only hold-up may be that he could be battling Wagner for the All-Star "credit" as the No. 2 to Banchero.
Derrick White
It is entirely possible that Derrick White's best chance at an All-Star berth may have happened last season. After all, he enjoyed career-highs in scoring (16.4 points per game) and rebounding (4.5 per game) for an awesome Celtics team. White has also finished in the top-10 in Defensive Player of the Year voting in back-to-back seasons, and he is an elite role player by any description.
This year, the theory would be that White could be in for a more prominent offensive role alongside Jaylen Brown. With Tatum, Porziņģis, and Jrue Holiday unavailable or elsewhere, White could put up bigger stats and, if the Celtics can stay in the playoff mix with a limited roster, he could earn the attention for helping the team stay afloat amid challenging circumstances.