NBA all-star voting officially started on December 19. Each year fans get to pick five players from the East and five players from the West to represent their teams and conference in the all-star game. Although the all-star game format is different this year, the voting has remained the same. I will look at the league’s best players and predict which ten deserve to be NBA all-stars.
Lamelo Ball-G-Hornets
Lamelo Ball has finally taken the leap into superstardom that everyone was expecting after winning Rookie of the Year in 2021. He’s always been a confident player, but injuries have prevented him from getting into a consistent rhythm. Ball has already matched the total number of games played from last season on December 28 of this year. With (relatively) good health this season, he’s managed to score a career-high in points per game with 30.
Damian Lillard-G-Bucks
The second guard spot in the east will likely bring up the most debate. There are many good options, but Damian Lillard takes the cake for now. Lillard is having a bounce-back season from his down year last year. His shooting from two-point range is the most notable improvement, from 49 percent last season to 54 percent this season. Although it’s not prime Lillard production he’s still having a very good season.
Jayson Tatum-F-Celtics
Jayson Tatum is having the best season of his career as he looks to lead the Celtics to another championship. Tatum has been looking to become more all-around in recent years and his work is paying off with a career high in rebounds and assists. His nine-point-six rebounds per game are impressive, a player under six foot nine rarely gets that many rebounds.
Giannis Antetokounmpo-F-Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo is having yet another dominant season that will lead to an all-star appearance. The NBA Cup MVP is leading the league in points per game with 32.7 as of December 29. His three-point frequency is the lowest it’s been since his second season. He’s no longer swimming against the tide, he knows teams can’t stop his drives so he’s playing to his strength.
Karl-Anthony Towns-C-Knicks
Karl-Anthony Towns was given bombshell news that he was being traded to the Knicks just a few days before training camp. Towns has contributed from the center position in both old-school and new-school ways. He’s shooting a career-high 45 percent from three. Meanwhile, he leads the league in rebounds per game with 13.5 (both stats as of December 29). Although Towns was on a new roster, he was working with his former coach Tom Thibodeau. This likely eliminated the awkward adjustment phase most major stars have on new teams and allowed him to dominate from the jump.
Shai Gilgeous Alexander-G-Thunder
Many people believe Shai Gilgeous Alexander should be the MVP of the league. At the very least, he should be an all-star starter. Gilgeous Alexander has averaged at least 30 points per game for the last three seasons. The past two seasons he’s led his team to a top three seed in the tough western conference. It almost seems like he’s due for an MVP. He’s also (whether intentionally or not) taking on the argument that he shoots too many free throws. He’s shooting the least amount of free throws and most field goals that he’s had in this three-year 30-point-per-game stretch.
Luka Doncic-G-Mavericks
Luka Doncic has set the standards so high, that even a strong season could seem like a disappointment. Many NBA analysts have talked about Doncic’s season in the context of not living up to expectations. He is averaging six less points per game this season as of December 29 compared to last season, but 28 points per game and eight assists are still all-star starter-worthy numbers. One place he has managed to get better is on defense. He is currently averaging a career-high two steals per game. This doesn’t make him an elite defender or anything but the increased effort can’t go unnoticed.
Anthony Davis-F-Lakers
Although LeBron James is still defying age, he’s starting to show his first sign of serious decline. This had allowed Anthony Davis to become the best player on the Lakers. He’s having his best season since the 2020 pandemic season. As of December 30, he’s shooting 31 percent from three, his best mark since 2020. This has led to Davis averaging 26 points, also his most since 2020. Davis is also averaging exactly two blocks per game right now. In his 13 NBA seasons, Davis has averaged two blocks or more in 11 of them. Davis is a major contributor on both ends.
Victor Wembanyama-F-Spurs
In just two seasons Victor Wembanyama has become one of the best players in the league. The 2024 rookie of the year has improved in almost every stat in year two. Most notably, he’s averaging four blocks per game as of December 30. In terms of pure stats, you can’t find defensive numbers more eye-catching than that. However, he isn’t just more dangerous on defense. On offense, he’s been much more efficient from every spot on the floor.
NBA All-star Ten- Nikola Jokic-C-Nuggets
Nikola Jokic is a three-time MVP. He may be topping them all this season despite already reaching the top of regular season performances many times. Jokic is averaging 30 points per game for the first time in his career this season. This is due to a massive jump in three-point shooting. As of December 30, he’s shooting 50 percent on four and a half attempts per game. Jokic already entered this season as the best in many offensive categories, and it looks like three-point shooting needs to be added to the list as well.
