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In case you need the reminder, we\u2019ll have a new All-Star format<\/a> this season as the NBA attempts to breathe life into its premier showcase game on Feb. 15. We will see the introduction of a Team USA vs. Team World format, but with a bit of a twist.<\/p>\n There will be three teams of eight players (24 total, no positional limit) involved in a round-robin mini-tournament. Among the player pool, 12 must come from each conference.<\/p>\n The teams will play each other once \u2014 Team A vs. Team B, the winner facing Team C in the second game, then the loser of Team A vs Team B facing Team C in the third game \u2014 with each game consisting of a 12-minute period.<\/p>\n The top two teams will play each other in the championship game. If the initial three games end with each team having a 1-1 record, the tiebreaker will be the overall point differential.<\/p>\n (Jonathan Castro\/Yahoo Sports Illustration)<\/p>\n Last month, I took an all-encompassing view<\/a> of what the All-Star teams \u2014 and the three-team constructions \u2014 may look like. For this piece, I want to focus on the potential first-time selections. The only thing more exciting than a new All-Star format is a group of newbies entering the fray for the first time. A couple of notes before we get rollin\u2019 and scrollin\u2019:<\/p>\n While there isn\u2019t an official games-played minimum for All-Star festivities, I personally use it as a consistent guardrail since I\u2019m keeping tabs for award selections anyway. A 65-of-82 limit comes out to roughly 79% of games played; the league average for games played right now is about 27, meaning players would need to have appeared in at least 20 contests for me through Dec. 19. It\u2019s why honorable mentions from last month\u2019s piece, like Aaron Gordon (13 games) and\u00a0 Stephon Castle (17 games), or guys like OG Anunoby (17 games) won\u2019t appear here.<\/p>\n Because it\u2019s me, there will still be honorable mentions. And be aware that this is ultimately my abbreviated list. I don\u2019t hate your favorite team or your favorite player (non-legal-issue division), I promise.<\/p>\n For this piece, I\u2019ve separated players into three categories. The \u201cClear Your Schedule\u201d group are essentially the locks \u2013 or at least, players I feel should be locks. The \u201cStay Ready\u201d group consists of players that are on the bubble \u2014 I can make arguments for them, but could also see them losing out to bigger names, their own teammates, or both. The \u201cMake Sure Your Vacation Is Refundable\u201d group is a tier below that \u2014 really good seasons that I don\u2019t expect to be rewarded, but I\u2019ll leave the \u201cinjury replacement\u201d or \u201cTeam World needs someone\u201d doors cracked open.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s dig in, shall we?<\/p>\n EASTClear Your Schedule: Jalen Duren (DET), Jalen Johnson (ATL)<\/p>\n Duren is, figuratively and literally, at the center of the East-leading Detroit Pistons\u2019 success this year. Boasting a career-best 18 points (62.9% on 2s), 11 rebounds (career-best 4.2 offensive rebounds), 0.9 steals and 1.0 blocks, Duren has leveled up in important ways on both ends of the floor.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Duren\u2019s screen-setting has made life easier for MVP candidate Cade Cunningham<\/a>. His decision-making in space has popped as well; whenever Cunningham draws a second defender, Duren has more consistently taken advantage of those opportunities with quicker processing as a passer (shoutout the dump-offs and lobs to Ausar Thompson) and improvement as a short-roll scorer. He\u2019s quietly making 53% of his floater-range shots <\/a>this season, and he\u2019s been one of the league\u2019s most effective drivers (1.18 PPP on 80 drives, per GeniusIQ tracking data) when he\u2019s put his head down.<\/p>\n On top of that, Duren has grown into a legitimately positive defender. When asked to drop back in coverage, there\u2019s a bit more nuance and understanding to the space he gives and when he decides to take that away with handplay or full commitments. He\u2019s more often asked to defend at the level of screens, where his athleticism more readily shines. The Pistons are allowing a sturdy 0.8 points per possession on trips featuring a ball screen defended by Duren; only the Rockets\u2019 Steven Adams has produced a lower figure (0.796), and that\u2019s with Duren outpacing him by 200 reps (513 to 313) to this point.<\/p>\n As for Johnson, it\u2019s hard to express how much fun it\u2019s been to watch him 1) build on the All-Star campaign he was establishing last season before injuries derailed it, and 2) grow as a legitimate offensive engine.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n The box-score numbers speak for themselves: 23.6 points (57\/39\/82 splits; 62% true shooting), 10.5 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.6 steals. He and Nikola Joki\u0107 are the only two players averaging at least 20-10-8-1 this season \u2014 pretty good company, if you ask me!<\/p>\n Beyond the \u201cwhat\u201d is the \u201chow\u201d of Johnson\u2019s game. He\u2019s been empowered more as a grab-and-go threat, and the Hawks have done well to move him around the board as an early ball-screen initiator, high-post hub, and even a recipient of off-ball screens to get him head starts as a driver. From there, his (late) jump passing, budding midrange jumper (41% on middies, up from 37% last season) and bulldozer drives have popped all season.<\/p>\n He more than held down the fort without Trae Young, who made his return<\/a> on Thursday night after missing 22 games with a knee sprain. If Johnson isn\u2019t firmly Atlanta\u2019s best player yet, he\u2019s at least established himself as the Hawks\u2019 most important player moving forward.<\/p>\n Stay Ready: Norm Powell (MIA), Franz Wagner (ORL)<\/p>\n Powell put together a fringe All-Star case last season with the Los Angeles Clippers and has leveled up again with the Miami Heat. In their wide-open offense<\/a>, Powell is averaging career highs in points (24.4 on 54\/43\/86 splits), rebounds (3.8) and assists (2.5). Though the Heat have notably cut down their screening usage this year, they\u2019ve been smart to weaponize Powell with a mix of handoffs, regular pindowns and staggered screens to get him shots \u2014 or driving opportunities \u2014 with a head start.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t the space to have a Wagner vs Paolo Banchero debate, but I think it\u2019s fair to note that Wagner (who is currently out with a high ankle sprain) has at least been the most consistent of the two this year \u2014 and #TheThing is happening again<\/a>. Wagner\u2019s box-score averages are strong again: 22.7 points (54\/36\/82 splits), career-best 6.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.2 steals. His drives and early transition seals in particular have been big parts of the Magic\u2019s paint-heavy attack, and he\u2019s an underrated part of Orlando\u2019s top-10 defense.<\/p>\n Make Sure Your Vacation Is Refundable: Josh Giddey (CHI), Michael Porter Jr. (BKN)<\/p>\n The Bulls have fallen off the proverbial cliff after an entertaining (and impressive) 6-1 start to the season. Still, Giddey is in the midst of a career year. He\u2019s one of three players \u2014 Joki\u0107 and Johnson being the others \u2014 currently averaging at least 20 points (20.3), 9 rebounds (9.4), and 8 assists (8.9), and he\u2019s still knocking down 3s at career-best efficiency (40.4%) and volume (4.8 attempts). The Australian having Team World eligibility could open a door for him.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n In more of the injury replacement realm, could I quickly highlight the season Michael Porter Jr. is having in Brooklyn? He\u2019s averaging nearly 26 points per game while shooting the leather off the ball (39.6% on 9.2 attempts), and I\u2019ve really enjoyed the way head coach Jordi Fernandez has utilized him to this point. He\u2019s done a great job of scheming around Porter Jr.\u2019s on-ball limitations, instead moving him around the board as an off-ball weapon \u2014 and helping him develop great two-man chemistry with Nicolas Claxton, another guy having an under-the-radar breakout.<\/p>\n WESTClear Your Schedule: Austin Reaves (LAL), Chet Holmgren (OKC)<\/p>\n The Reaves case is an easy one to make, at least today: he\u2019s right at the 21-game threshold for me. Still, in light of LeBron James missing the beginning of the season, and Luka Don\u010di\u0107 missing a handful of contests, Reaves leveling up to this degree should be celebrated.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Before suffering a calf strain, Reaves was having the season of his life: 27.8 points (61\/37\/88 splits), 5.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1 steal per game. He found a new level of command offensively, balancing full-steam drives with more off-tempo ones to keep defenders off balance \u2014 and thus, making it easier for them to fall susceptible to Reaves\u2019 deep foul-drawing bag. The playmaking has perked up, and his growing comfort as an off-the-dribble 3-point threat \u2014 this is the first season he\u2019s taken more 3s off the bounce than off the catch<\/a> \u2014 has made him one of the league\u2019s best offensive players.<\/p>\n While we\u2019re on offensive leaps, I\u2019d like to toss Holmgren\u2019s hat into the ring. It\u2019s a career year for Holmgren, averaging a shade under 19 points in 29 minutes. He\u2019s draining over 40% of his 3s for the first time in his career, but I\u2019ve been more impressed with his work inside the arc. He\u2019s more comfortable and effective as a driver, and the midrange shot-making from him \u2014 53% on the season, per Cleaning The Glass<\/a> \u2014 has been outstanding and timely. Add in his defensive chops and the fact that he\u2019s putting this season together on one of the best (regular-season) teams in NBA history; I\u2019d be shocked if he wasn\u2019t a lock.<\/p>\n Stay Ready: Jamal Murray (DEN)<\/p>\n I suppose there\u2019s some potential for Murray being a \u201cWest is deep\u201d casualty if the Nuggets slide from the 2-seed to the 4-seed, but I\u2019d also be surprised if he ultimately doesn\u2019t make it \u2014 especially considering his Team World eligibility. Murray\u2019s been awesome this season, boasting career-highs in points (25.2), rebounds (4.3), and assists (6.6). He\u2019s never shot this well (45.6%) or this much from deep (7.3 attempts), but the drives have really stood out to me. Among 53 players to log at least 200 drives so far this year, only three have produced more efficient offense on a per-possession basis than Murray (1.17).<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Make Sure Your Vacation Is Refundable: Deni Avdija (POR)<\/p>\n It\u2019s pretty easy to make an All-Star case for Avdija. In what has easily been the best season of his career, the six-year swingman is averaging 25.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists for an injured-but-pesky Blazers group. Joki\u0107, Luka Don\u010di\u0107 and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the only other players averaging at least 25-7-6 this year.<\/p>\n Avdija leads the league in drives (527), and is producing elite offense (1.10 PPP) on those forays due to his finishing ability and (understandably annoying) foul-drawing craft. In light of the injuries and lack of reliable shooting around him, the Blazers have needed every one of those drives. It helps explain why they\u2019re a slight positive with Avdija on the floor, but fall off a cliff<\/a> whenever he goes to the bench.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Between the depth of the conference, the Blazers\u2019 current record (11-16, half a game ahead of Dallas for 10th), and the looming LeBron All-Star case \u2014 he hasn\u2019t played (well) enough for top-12 status this year, but he\u2019s LeBron James in what could possibly be his last All-Star appearance \u2014 I have my doubts about Avdija\u2019s case.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What an NBA season we\u2019ve been treated to so far! With the NBA Cup past us \u2014 congrats…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":359085,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[557],"tags":[3891,4131,64,19702,30097,63,7187,19704,3894,6167,16112,7214,19711,7228,19701,12836,3901,8642,12845,7896,7236,11473,7223,5549,590,196131,3906,196130,9275,2785,19710,21938,85,12848,19698,106745,12830],"class_list":["post-359084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-aaron-gordon","tag-atlanta","tag-au","tag-ausar-thompson","tag-austin-reaves","tag-australia","tag-brooklyn","tag-cade-cunningham","tag-chet-holmgren","tag-dallas","tag-deni-avdija","tag-detroit-pistons","tag-franz-wagner","tag-giannis-antetokounmpo","tag-jalen-duren","tag-jalen-johnson","tag-jamal-murray","tag-josh-giddey","tag-knicks","tag-lebron-james","tag-los-angeles-clippers","tag-luka-doncic","tag-miami-heat","tag-michael-porter-jr","tag-nba","tag-nicolas-claxton","tag-nikola-jokic","tag-norm-powell","tag-og-anunoby","tag-orlando","tag-paolo-banchero","tag-rockets","tag-sports","tag-stephon-castle","tag-steven-adams","tag-team-world","tag-trae-young"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/359084","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=359084"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/359084\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/359085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=359084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=359084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=359084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"(Jonathan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/121825_NBA_first-time_All-Stars.jpg\"\/)
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