It's a great honor to be voted by fans along with your peers as an NBA All-Star. Earning a spot in the game for the first time is always an impressive accolade to add to any player's resume, and this year, we saw several players join that exclusive fraternity for the first time in their careers.
Unfortunately, that fraternity is exclusive because ... well, it's a very hard one to join. And while those first-timers proved to be more than worthy of making the trip to the Bay Area, their likelihood of making it back for future All-Star Weekends is uncertain due to the ever-evolving landscape of the league.
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Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro
Amidst the tension between Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat front office, Herro has managed to put together arguably the best season of his career, one good enough for him to notch his first All-Star nod. Herro has put himself into elite guard conversations, averaging 23.9 points, 5.5 assists, and 5.5 rebounds on 46.5-percent shooting from the field while playing a key role in keeping the Heat competitive.
However, given just how many good guards there are in the Eastern Conference and the names who missed the game this season — like, for instance, LaMelo Ball — Herro's All-Star appearance may not become a common occurrence.
Herro has been spectacular this season; he's more than worthy of etching his name alongside some of the best in the game right now, but there's a real chance he won't see many All-Star games in the future if his shooting regresses back to prior seasons.
Oklahoma City Thunder wing Jalen Williams
Jalen Williams has been outstanding for the Oklahoma City Thunder this season, and the team's historic pace warranted more than one All-Star on the Western Conference roster. However, the fact remains that the West is stacked both now and into the future, which may make it difficult for Williams to get voted in consistently.
Williams has proven to be a stud throughout his time in Oklahoma City, the glue on both ends that keeps the Thunder so formidable. However, he is best suited as a complementary star to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, who, when healthy, is worthy of being an All-Star himself. Williams' numbers may dip a bit with Holmgren back, further complicating things for future All-Star bids without even considering the depth of talent in the conference.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley
Evan Mobley has been impressive this season for the 44-10 Cleveland Cavaliers, helping the team make the leap to legitimate title contender. The star big man's improvement on both ends of the court has turned him into one of the most well-rounded players in the league and earned him his first All-Star selection.
However, given the star power throughout the Eastern Conference, the depth of elite frontcourt players may be making it hard for Mobley to crack the All-Star game again moving forward. Paolo Banchero, the former No.1 overall pick for the Orlando Magic, didn't get voted in as an All-Star after misisng most of the season to date with an injury, while teammate Franz Wagner had a strong case but was also left out. And that's not even mentioning Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, one of the most talented players in the sport who is usually an All-Star when healthy.