The 2022 NBA All-Star Game saw six different players selected for the first time in their careers. This continued a five-season trend of at least five players being named first-time All-Stars. The NBA is filled with young rising stars poised to place themselves amongst the upper echelon of the league. There are a number of players to watch that could be on the All-Star radar this upcoming year. Here are just a few of the young stars that could be All-Stars for the first time in 2023.
Likely First-Time All-Stars in 2023
Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Jalen Brunson could very well become an All-Star and make the New York Knicks a playoff contender. There is also the chance that he could be a major bust and the team a borderline play-in team. Though if his run in the 2022 playoffs is any indication then the former could be much more likely than the rather.
The 25-year-old guard played very well in the regular season averaging 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. It was in the postseason, however, that earned Brunson his max contract with the Knicks. He averaged 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists helping lead the Dallas Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals.
Brunson put himself on the map in a three-game stretch in the first round in which Luka Doncic was out due to injury. He put up 32.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists including a 42-point performance in game two. If he is able to replicate these numbers with New York, Brunson will surely be on the All-Star radar.
Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
The Sacramento Kings shocked the world when they traded away their top 2020 draft pick Tyrese Haliburton. The rising star guard was off to a great start in his sophomore campaign recording 14.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.7 steals.
It seemed like all was going well until he was traded to the Indiana Pacers prior to the trade deadline. The move seemed to be a blessing in disguise for Haliburton who put up better numbers with the Pacers than he did with the Kings.
In 26 games with Indiana, he averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 9.6 assists, and 1.8 steals. The only thing that could potentially hold back his All-Star bid is the performance of his team. The Pacers went 6-20 in the games following the trade with the Kings. If Haliburton is to become an All-Star like he is capable of doing, the team’s production will need to improve.
Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
It is very likely that Scottie Barnes makes an All-Star push in his sophomore campaign. In what was a loaded rookie class, Barnes bested them all for the Rookie of the Year award. He became the first Toronto Raptor to win the award since Vince Carter in 1999.
Barnes tallied 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 74 games. He helped lead the Raptors to the fifth seed in the East a year after they missed the postseason. The young rookie showed great heart playing through an injury in the Raptors’ playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Despite his injury, Barnes was still able to post 12.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists in four playoff games. If health is not an issue, the Raptors star could easily make a bid for a 2023 All-Star selection.
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards is probably the most obvious pick to make his first All-Star team next season. The 2020 number one overall pick showed this past season that he is not just a future All-Star, he is a superstar on the rise.
In his first two NBA seasons, Edwards has averaged 20.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. If his great regular season performance wasn’t enough, he doubled down with an even better postseason.
Edwards put up 25.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in the Timberwolves series against the Memphis Grizzlies. As he continues to get better in his career, the All-Star Game is the next logical achievement for the young forward.
