Surprising Names Deserving of NBA All-Star Consideration
by Sam Cox | by Tyler Doty
There are some surprising All-Stars every season. The 2025-26 NBA campaign is no different. It’s a competitive race for All-Star selection, even with injuries to Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, and Kyrie Irving.
All-Star regulars like Steph Curry and Kevin Durant remain elite. Peaking stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been healthy and productive. Victor Wembanyama is as good as a lock.
There are only a couple of places up for grabs in each conference. Some surprising names are all but guaranteed of selection, while others are fighting it out for those last few places.
Dillon Brooks
Dillon Brooks has been a more efficient isolation player than Jamal Murray, Jaylen Brown, and Kevin Durant. He’s scoring more and getting to the line more than ever before with a career-high true shooting percentage.
Phoenix isn’t going to get two All-Stars – with Devin Booker the clear lead candidate from the team – but Brooks is at least worthy of a place on the longlist.
All those years of ill-advised shots have led to this. Brooks is taking fadeaways, dribbling into mid-range attempts, and firing up ambitious-looking threes. They are falling more than they have before – his scoring has been desperately needed on this team that lacks shot creators outside of Booker.
Kon Knueppel
Making over 43% of his three-point attempts and averaging 19 points per game, Kon Knueppel has a case for Rookie of the Year. He’s been far better than even the most optimistic members of the Hornets’ front office could have imagined.
An average of 4.1 assists per game also shows Knueppel is more than a spot-up deadeye. Charlotte is giving him a share of pick-and-roll responsibilities. He’s making shots on the move and creating for others.
It’s a longshot that Knueppel will make the All-Star game, but he’s been good enough to deserve some surface-level consideration with how the Hornets have been playing over the last few weeks.
Scottie Barnes
Considering Scottie Barnes was named an All-Star two seasons ago, this might not seem that surprising on the surface.
It’s important to remember, though, that Barnes’ Raptors only won 30 games last season. Toronto had a -2.7 net rating with Barnes on the floor.
How many people tabbed Barnes as an All-Star before this season began? He’s gone on to have his most efficient offensive season, which has been aided by a reduction in his three-point attempts. On defense, he remains one of the most versatile players in the NBA.
Norman Powell
Miami is 3.5 points better per 100 possessions with Norman Powell on the floor. Powell has taken stellar 2024-25 with the Clippers a step further, adding two points per game and increasing his assist rate to a career-high 13.4%.
Of players to have more than two isolations per game, Powell’s points per possession is second in the league to Aaron Gordon. When he’s the ball handler in the pick-and-roll, he is more efficient than Steph Curry, Devin Booker, and Darius Garland.
Miami’s ball movement has brought the best out of Powell. He makes smart decisions in possession and moves enough off-ball to either attract the defenses attention or work his way into space.
Trey Murphy III
Trey Murphy III being worthy of All-Star consideration is only surprising because the Pelicans are so bad. It’s not often anyone on a 10-35 team is in the mix.
Murphy does a bit of everything on offense, working his way to 22 points per game. He can initiate, run off screens, and take handoffs from Derik Queen or Zion Williamson. On defense, he’s active, earning 1.5 steals per game.
The numbers aren’t eye-catching enough for Murphy to earn a spot in an absolutely loaded Western Conference. There are too many players on better teams having great years for Murphy to sneak onto a roster, but he’s playing at an All-Star level and that at least warrants acknowledging.
