In the late 2010s, the NBA was ruled by the rivalry between LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Soon after, a new group of All-Stars became the league’s top dogs. The NBA yard is ruled by players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Jayson Tatum until further notice. There’s a good chance that any of these big-name stars will be the star of the NBA Finals in the 2020s.
However, there is always another pack of dogs ready to attack. Jokic and Embiid are in a tight tug-of-war over the MVP award, but a lot of young players are going to step up in the 2023–2024 season. But none of these new players has even the slightest chance of being the MVP, but they can still get recognition through the NBA All-Star Game, which happens every year.
In terms of win-loss records, the game itself doesn’t affect anyone’s status, but being named to the All-Star team is a big deal in the NBA. A player’s job is going in the right direction when they get a raise. Plus, extra money is always nice.
Soon, the new season will begin. Let’s take a look at five players who NBA Expert Picks could win the fan vote or the coaches’ poll next February.
#1. Mikal Bridges, Brooklyn Nets
After Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant left Brooklyn at the end of last season, the Nets didn’t have a leader. A team that had three big names on it before was now racing to find its next star player, which is kind of funny.
Even though some people say to “cross that bridge when you get there,” Mikal Bridges didn’t want to wait until the end of his Nets season to leave. He scored 26.1 points and made 47.5% of his field goal attempts in the 27 games he played after being traded to Brooklyn. For some background, those stats are better than the 17.2 PPG and 46.3% FG rate he was getting in Phoenix.
Did we mention that Bridges is the very definition of tough? He played in 83 games last season, but technically he played in 57 games while he was still wearing a Phoenix jersey. Bridges can make a strong case for being an All-Star this season by being consistent in addition to his great play.
What made Bridges a star? It happened in the bronze medal game of the 2023 FIBA World Cup. That’s why he made the All-Star team. With just 4.2 seconds left in regulation and Team USA down by three, Bridges purposely missed a free throw, got the offensive board, and made a corner three-pointer to send the game into overtime.
Even though Canada beat the USA in the end and prevented them from finishing in the top three, Bridges made a big impression on the basketball world.
#2. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
It’s clear that the Wildcat craze is taking over the league at this time. For all the praise given to Bridges, Josh Hart, and Kyle Lowry, there is one Villanova player who stands out from the rest.
In his debut season, Jalen Brunson led the New York Knicks in ways that Julius Randle had not been able to for four years. Brunson, the starting point guard for the Knicks, was a dependable presence who handled the game with the composure of a 35-year-old veteran. (He’s 27, in case you’re curious.) Remember that in a very close second-round series against the Miami Heat—who went on to win the Eastern Conference Championship—Brunson posted 31 points and 6.3 assists per game.
To be honest, Brunson’s omission from the 2023 All-Star team was a terrible mistake in and of itself. All four Inside the NBA judges thought that Brunson would be one of the seven names on the East All-Star reserves list before it was made public in early February. Right after Ernie Johnson announced the coaches’ choice, Charles Barkley said he was surprised that Brunson wasn’t included.
People will probably make things right in 2024, when Brunson’s name comes up loud and clear in their thoughts.
#3. Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
Let’s move on from the Nova boys and talk about the Blue Devils.
You might have heard of Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith, and Paolo Banchero before the 2022 NBA Draft. They were all candidates for the first pick. When everything was over, Banchero was the first person to get to Orlando. Banchero won Rookie of the Year in his first season with the Magic, making him the first No. 1 pick since Ben Simmons in 2017-2018 to do so.
Even though the Magic didn’t have a great record, Banchero had a strong case for the award. He averaged 20 points and 6.9 boards per game. For his second year, the 6-10 forward from Duke is ready to make an even bigger difference on the court. It could be because he has a chip on his shoulder, or a medal around his neck that isn’t there.
Like the rest of Team USA, Banchero is probably not too happy that their poor FIBA World Cup run came to an end. He never looked really at ease playing the fifth spot behind Jaren Jackson, Jr. during the championship. Feel free to guess that when Banchero puts on his old Magic jersey again, he will enjoy being back in his home court, play well in his own way, and get picked for the All-Star team.
#4. Walker Kessler
Banchero only needed two more first-place votes to be named Rookie of the Year by everyone. The person who got those two votes? A World Cup friend who can’t wait to add “All-Star player” to his name.
The attacking end of the court is where four of the five players on this list really shine. On the other hand, Walker Kessler does all the messy work on defense, or the stuff that makes NBA coaches excited. In the last game of the season, the Jazz center had 4 blocks, 8 offensive rebounds, and a 9th per cent overall rebound rate. Just for fun, he was put on the All-Rookie first team with Banchero.
If Kessler doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would be an All-Star, keep in mind that important players like Ben Wallace have been chosen in the past. Also, think about how his tough defense will affect the offensive lines that are known for being too big in All-Star games. It would be great to have that added!
But if you have to have offense, all you have to do is look at Kessler’s huge game against the Sacramento Kings in late March. Kessler scored 31 points that night by consistently making lob throws, rim runs, and putbacks. This future All-Star won’t stop working hard even when he’s on attack.
#5. Jamal Murray
For now, let’s just talk about how surprising it is that Jamal Murray has never been to an All-Star game.
On the one hand, it will be hard to get into the All-Star Game as a guard if you play in the same league as Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Damian Lillard, and Devin Booker. On the other hand, many fans are still confused about how Murray, who is a great scorer and fierce fighter, could have been left out of the All-Star Game so many times.
With a title ring on Murray’s finger going into the 2023–2024 season, it will be hard for voters to say no to his inclusion. Depending on how his Western Conference rivals do in the first three months of the season, Murray might even be able to get the starting spot for that big game on February 18.
Now that he has an NBA title to his name, Murray is likely to score more than 20 points per game and make more than 45.4% of his shots from the field and just under 40% from 3-point range. It would be the first time since Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups in 2010 that Murray and Nikola Jokic would both make the All-Star team if he gets picked.
