NBA News: Five Breakout Players Who Should Be First-Time All Stars

All-Star season is looming in the NBA, and it’s that time of the year when fans, experts and even the players themselves argue on who should be selected to participate in the annual mid-season spectacle.

Each year, 24 of the NBA’s best players get selected to be participants in the All-Star Game through a combination of votes.

The ten starters from both teams are chosen by the fans, players and media, while the seven reserves for each squad are chosen by the respective head coach.

With well over 24 players performing at an elite level each year, it’s unavoidable that there are some players that will get snubbed.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, it’s also highly likely that a number of players will be earning their first-ever All-Star selection.

This season, there are a handful of players that could finally get to add “NBA All-Star” to their list of accolades. Here are five of them.

Julius Randle

A lot was said when the New York Knicks signed Julius Randle back in the 2019 off-season.

A lot of it was negative, given that Knicks fans expected that they were getting Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

Instead, both men signed with the other Big Apple-based team, and the Knicks were left with, well, Randle.

In his second season with the Knicks, however, his signing is looking more and more like a good move. The seventh-year forward is averaging a career-high 23.1 points to go with 11 boards and almost six assists per game.

He has helped the long-struggling Knicks to the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Zach LaVine

Zach LaVine is no stranger to All-Star weekend, having won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest twice.

Now, the Chicago Bulls swingman is looking to finally be part of the big weekend’s main event. In his fourth season in the Windy City, LaVine is putting up career-high marks of 28.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, all while keeping the franchise in the hunt for a playoff spot.

The Bulls are currently sitting at No. 9 in the Eastern Conference, just half a game behind the sixth-seeded Knicks, and that’s all thanks to LaVine’s breakout season.

Jaylen Brown

Boston Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown has taken quite the leap this season. No longer the third option behind Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving (when he was still there) and Kemba Walker, he is leading the team in points with 26 per game, a six-point jump from his marks last year.

Thanks to Brown’s massive step up in production, the Celtics are currently fifth in the East and could easily make a run for a home-court advantage spot in the post-season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

In just his third season in the NBA, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already the face of a franchise in Oklahoma City.

When the Thunder shipped Chris Paul to Phoenix during the off-season, it quickly became clear that the club was now SGA’s team, and he hasn’t disappointed.

The OKC guard currently leads the team in points (22.6) and assists (6.5) per game. With Shai at the helm, the Thunder are currently just a game and a half behind the play-in tournament eligible-10th spot in the Western Conference.

Zion Williamson

Last season’s most exciting rookie has blossomed into a legitimate go-to guy for the New Orleans Pelicans.

The high-flying Zion Williamson currently leads the Pels in points per game at 24.6, just above reigning Most Improved Player of the Year Brandon Ingram.

The Pelicans are currently sitting at 11th place in the West, half a game behind the 10th-seeded Dallas Mavericks for a spot at the play-in tournament.