NBA Power Rankings: The Best Player on Each Team That's Never Been an All-Star
All-Star Weekend is approaching us and this is around the time when the men are separated from the boys. The All-Star selections have been made and the recurring theme of "why wasn't I selected" once more has disappointed many deserving players.
For players like LaMarcus Aldridge, Monta Ellis, and many others, the honor of representing their team and conference as one of the best in the league just hasn't been part of their careers.
But here is their chance to be heard and appreciated. Here are the best players on each team who's never been an all-star. Hope you enjoy!
30. Atlanta Hawks: Josh Smith
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When one thinks of the Atlanta Hawks they think of the dynamic duo in Josh Smith and Joe Johnson, yet only one of them has made an appearance as an NBA All-Star (Joe Johnson).
Now there is no arguing that Joe Johnson is of the most deserving of being an All-Star, but is Josh Smith really not among the best in the East? To be honest Josh Smith seems to always be considered a second-tier player, not among the best in the league and for that reason he has never made an All-Star appearance, but that doesn't mean he won't in the future.
Kudos to Smith for being a solid player throughout these years and who knows, maybe he will one day make that All-Star appearance.
29. Boston Celtics: Kendrick Perkins
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One of the most underrated players in the NBA is Kendrick Perkins of the Boston Celtics. The fact that his numbers aren't real high don't take anything away from what he provides as a solid starting center. He plays hard and actually has some skills to go along with his well-known hustle, he just hasn't been selected as an NBA All-Star.
Perkins not making an All-Star may or may not be fair, but there is no doubt that he is one of the best centers in the East and that he is an essential part of the Boston Celtics. Without Perkins, the Celtics are missing a huge part of their puzzle.
28. Charlotte Bobcats: Stephen Jackson
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If there is one player that has been overlooked throughout his career it has to be Stephen Jackson; he has been the best player on his team consistently throughout his career and though some may argue that he shoots way too much, Jackson is one of those players that should be considered to be an All-Star.
Sadly, Jackson is most likely on his way down considering he is 32-years-old. This only means that the chances of making an All-Star may be a little too slim at this point.
Though Jackson has never really been popular in the NBA, there is no doubt that he was a good player in his prime and as many have experienced throughout history, some players just don't ever make it as an All-Star, and Jackson might as well be part of that group.
27. Chicago Bulls: Joakim Noah
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Usually those who are selected as an NBA All-Star are those who are popular among the fans, considering the fans themselves are the ones that vote the players in. Noah is unfortunetley not one of the fan favorites around the league and in turn it has effected him negatively when it comes to winning votes for an All-Star Selection.
Though Noah is already battling some injuries, his previous stats were proving to be All-Star worthy numbers. Unfortunately his health wouldn't have allowed him to play, even if he was voted in.
He is one of the more over-looked big men in the game today and hopefully the fans can get past his sometimes "annoying antics" and see the hard work and good skills he really has in the near future.
26. Cleveland Cavaliers: Anderson Varejao
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Known for his hard work ethic and crazy hair, Anderson Varejao is something the Cavaliers can somewhat be happy about—he never stops trying and he always brings energy to the floor.
The Cavaliers, as you already know, have surpassed the record of most losses in a row in a season, but Varejao's numbers have not plummeted at all, in fact they have risen compared to his previous career numbers.
One might argue that Varejao isn't good enough to be an All-Star, but the talent of the big men as a whole in the NBA isn't where it used to be and that should give hard workers like Varejao a chance to at least be considered as an All-Star, even if his stats aren't "All-Star worthy."
25. Dallas Mavericks: Jason Terry
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The former Sixth-Man of the NBA, Jason Terry is among the list of players to never make an All-Star selection. He is arguably one of the best bench players not only in the league today, but throughout his career.
Terry may not have amazing numbers, or highlight reel material dunks, but he sure can light up the other team in a split second and there really aren't many players who can provide what Terry provides off the bench, day in and day out.
24. Denver Nuggets: Nenê Hilario
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Nenê Hilario, a big man from Brazil, is by far one of the most underrated big men in the game today. He is virtually never spoken about when the premiere big men names are being mentioned and honestly, that is down right ridiculous.
Nene has all of the tools to be an All-Star: he can defend any big men in this league; he can rebound; and the most over-looked part of Nene's game is his ability on the offensive end, getting offensive rebounds and finishing at the rim.
Because Nene has never dominated in this league, the lack of acknowledgement is understandable but he is definitely worthy of making an All-Star in the West, possibly as the back-up center.
23. Detroit Pistons: Charlie Villanueva
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The former UCONN Huskie has proven to be impressive in his NBA career. Not many people expected him to be averaging close to 12 PPG along with 4.4 RPG.
Charlie Villanueva is one of the more solid small forwards in the East and though he sometimes is inconsistent—ranging from really good to mediocre—he is among the best small forwards in the East today.
It is not a sure thing whether Villanueva is an All-Star or not, but he should at least be considered, as long as he continues to play at the current level at which he is playing at the moment.
22. Golden State Warriors: Monta Ellis
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Monta Ellis of the Golden State Warriors is one of the more shocking surprises of this year's All-Star selection. He is averaging 25.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 5.5 APG.
Now, are you telling me that's not All-Star worthy numbers? Well actually that can't be the case because obviously those numbers clearly are All-Star worthy, the things that hurt Ellis when it comes to being selected for an All-Star are that his teams are never quite good enough to consider Ellis and that he isn't very popular among NBA fans.
Maybe Ellis just has bad luck, or maybe he just dug a hole for himself that he can't get out of. Whatever it is, Ellis is no doubt All-Star worthy, but the reality is he is still without an All-Star selection.
21. Houston Rockets: Aaron Brooks
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As one of the most beloved Duck' basketball players of all time, Aaron Brooks has done the city of Eugen, Oregon proud but he still hasn't been able to make an All-Star selection.
Brooks recently was awarded with the NBA's Most Improved Player Award and has continued to improve as a young point guard in today's game.
The only aspect of Brook's NBA career that may hurt him is his popularity or his team's inability to be good and only those who are just too good to be ignored (Kevin Love) can be selected into the All-Star Game when his team is also bad.
Hopefully Brooks can continue to prove that he is among the top-tier guards in the league and maybe then he can give the city of Eugene, Oregon, and the area of Houston, Texas, something more to cheer about.
20. Indiana Pacers: Mike Dunleavy
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Mike Dunleavy Jr. has been in the league for quite some time now and sadly, he hasn't been able to make the cut in the All-Star selection.
Dunleavy is another player that is struck with the reality that he has never really dominated in this league, instead he has been consistently good which is usually not good enough to make an All-Star.
It may be a little too late for Dunleavy to try and push for an All-Star in the future considering he is 31-years-old, but who knows, some players have career years at random times.
19. Los Angeles Clippers: Eric Gordon
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If you are currently a Clippers' fan wondering why someone like Eric Gordon isn't in the All-Star selection this year, there's no need to worry; Gordon is only 22-years-old and players like Kobe are eventually going to fade away, which will indeed open up some slots for talented players such as Gordon to make an All-Star.
If there weren't so many good shooting guards in the West, Gordon would have made it, most likely as a reserve, but nonetheless he would have made it.
This shouldn't be a disappointment for Gordon considering he is already known for being one of the top guards in the league. Gordon is playing very well as of late and not making an All-Star in his early stages of his career shouldn't be much of a surprise for anyone.
18. Los Angeles Lakers: Lamar Odom
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This comes as a huge surprise coming from a Lakers fan. Lamar Odom has been consistently among the best Sixth-Man's in the NBA ever since joining the Lakers, and he hasn't managed to squeeze in an All-Star selection.
Though this year's All-Star Game is being held in Lamar's hometown, he still didn't manage to get in. Honestly there isn't much to say, except that Odom is still being overlooked by fans, which isn't too surprising but it is more disappointing.
For Odom, not making an All-Star team is most likely due to the mix of the current voting system and his lack of respect in the league. He still has time though, so let's not count Mr. Kardashian out yet.
17. Memphis Grizzlies: Rudy Gay
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Rudy Gay is a rising star in today's league and he is no doubt All-Star worthy, but he is also experiencing the effects of playing in the West where Manu Ginobili, Kobe Bryant, and Carmelo Anthony play. It is hard to make an All-Star, but it just adds so much more difficulty when having to compete for a spot in the West.
Gay is currently averaging 20 PPG and 6.2 RPG, and because he is young there isn't any rush to put Gay into the All-Star Game just yet. Just wait a couple years Grizzlies fans, Gay will make an All-Star soon enough.
16. Miami Heat: Mike Miller
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Mike Miller has been one of the premiere shooters of this generation and surprisingly he hasn't made an All-Star selection.
Miller has had to compete with great shooters all his career for the best shooter title; players such as Ray Allen, Peja Stojakovic, and Jason Kapono, and yet he has consistently been among the best. That is why it is surprising that he hasn't made an All-Star in his career.
With Miller now playing as a Sixth-Man for the Heat, he may not have enough stats to be an All-Star, but one things for sure: Mike Miller can still stroke it better than most NBA players.
15. Milwaukee Bucks: Brandon Jennings
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As one of the more better point guards in the East, Brandon Jennings has had somewhat of a good year considering he has already dealt with a bad foot injury early in the season.
The problem with Jennings is that he doesn't really seem to have improved much from last season; in fact, he may not be playing up to par when comparing his season last year.
Nonetheless, Jennings is still a very solid guard and though he hasn't made an All-Star selection yet, he can still make one as long he continues to work hard not only during the season, but during the offseason.
14. Minnesota Timberwolves: Michael Beasley
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Michael Beasley is one of the more underrated big men in the league today. His stats are better than most and yet most people have forgotten about him simply because he plays for a bad team.
With Kevin Love making the All-Star selection I guess it would make it nearly impossible for Beasley to make it, but Beasley does have the stats and talent to make an All-Star selection.
The one thing about Beasley that people may have trouble with is his personality. In order to make an All-Star, one must also be popular among the NBA' fans and Beasley hasn't really established that relationship yet. He hasn't proven to be a "punk," but he hasn't really been anything else, that is why he hasn't made an All-Star yet and it will continue to be the issue unless Beasley can show why fans should vote for him.
13. New Jersey Nets: Brook Lopez
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In the last two years, the New Jersey Net's center Brook Lopez has proven that he belongs among the best centers in the NBA today.
Lopez, unlike many centers in today's league, has a strong variety of post moves and he can also defend with the best of 'em.
He is no doubt the second best center in the East behind Dwight Howard, and it won't be a surprise if and when Lopez makes an All-Star team.
12: New Orleans Hornets: Emeka Okafor
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In a league that is dominated by point guards, big men are usually looked at second. Emeka Okafor is one of the more solid centers in the NBA and is currently averaging a double-double.
He is one of Chris Paul's favorite targets alongside David West, and Okafor has proved to be a little more than an average center.
Okafor may not be good enough to be an All-Star, but he is definitely a very solid player who hustles and rebounds for the better of the team.
11. New York Knicks: Raymond Felton
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Over the years, Knicks' guard, Raymond Felton has grown into a great leader and a solid point guard. His numbers may be deceiving with how Felton plays, but he obviously isn't someone who should be taken lightly.
He is still pretty young and many people are probably wondering why Felton hasn't yet made an All-Star selection. Well there really isn't an answer besides he isn't there yet; meaning that he has a ways to go before he becomes an All-Star, but that doesn't mean it won't be in the near future.
10. Oklahoma City Thunder: Jeff Green
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Jeff Green may be the third wheel of the Oklahoma City Thunder, but that doesn't mean he isn't All-Star worthy. He has proven to be a legitimate scorer in this league and he doesn't shy away from shooting the outside jumper.
Green is a very solid player and in the coming years he seems to be the type of player to work harder to get better every year and that is why making an All-Star selection for Green shouldn't be a problem in the future.
9. Orlando Magic: Jason Richardson
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In this generation, Jason Richardson has been known for being one of the prime-time dunkers. He is a 2-time Dunk Contest Champion and there is no doubt that his athletic ability is out of this world.
Richardson has been around the league for some time now, but he still hasn't managed to make an All-Star selection. Whether it be because of the system or his luck, Richardson is approaching the near end of his career, making an All-Star may not be in reach.
This of course does not take anything away from the fact that Richardson has been one of the best second-tier scorers in the league for a long time and making an All-Star wouldn't change that.
8. Philidelphia 76ers: Jrue Holiday
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Jrue Holiday is one of the rising stars in the NBA. He is a great young leader for the 76ers and he seems to be improving.
Holiday may not seem an All-Star selection soon, but if he continues to improve and prove that he is among the best in the East, who knows what could happen?
7. Phoenix Suns: Jared Dudley
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Jared Dudley has become one of the more better shooters in the NBA, knocking down any open jumper that is given to him.
He provides great energy for the Suns and his shooting ability really spreads the floor for Steve Nash to make things happen.
Unfortunetely at this point in his career, he probably isn't quite good enough to make an All-Star team, and honestly with his game he probably won't see one, unless he drastically improves over the summer.
This doesn't take away from the fact that Dudley could become one of the premiere shooters in the next couple of years and that isn't anything short of a good career.
6. Portland Trail Blazers: LaMarcus Aldridge
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In virtually every All-Star selection there are controversies over whether some players should make it and why others should not.
LaMarcus Aldridge has been involved with this year's controversy over whether he should have gone instead of Kevin Love.
It is a very close call between the two, both statistically and just by watching them, but the reality is Love just had the slight upper-hand in the votes, probably because he is having such a freak of a year.
For Aldridge this was simply bad timing. But with his high level of play, it isn't going to be too hard for him to make one in the future, so 'Blazers fans don't have to dawn over this one year, because Aldridge should be able to make one in the near future.
5. Sacremento Kings: Tyreke Evans
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Last year's Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans has proven to be a prime-time scorer and point guard in this league. Though he hasn't drastically improved his game from last season, Evans is still the main focus of other team's defenses when playing the Kings.
Evans has the potential to become one of the best point guards in the league, but there isn't a sure sign of Evans having a drive to become the best yet.
In the next couple of years we will see what Evans will most likely become for the rest of career and based on those years will also in turn so us whether he is an All-Star or not.
4. San Antonio Spurs: George Hill
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Only in the early goes of his career, George Hill of the San Antonio Spurs has become a viable candidate for Sixth-Man of The Year. Backing up Tony Parker isn't easy, but Hill has done a good job of doing well behind him.
At this point in his career, Hill isn't good enough to be in the All-Star Game, and until he becomes a starter for either the Spurs or another team, we might not know what he is fully capable of. So until then, Hill will most likely remain as a very good back-up point guard.
3. Toronto Raptors: Andrea Bargnani
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One of the great surprises for the Toronto Raptors has been the performance of Andrea Bargnani a.k.a. "II Mago," which translates to the Magician.
Though the Raptors aren't doing as well as they would like, Bargnani is carrying the team, averaging 21.1 PPG and 5.6 RPG, which is unheard of from a somewhat of a unknown in Bargnani.
With his stats alone, Bargnani should be considered an All-Star, but when comparing him with other players at his position, an All-Star selection at this time probably isn't realistic for "II Mago."
2. Utah Jazz: Al Jefferson
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Whether it was because he played for the Minnesota Timberwolves for a long span time, or he is just merely overlooked, Al Jefferson has been undervalued throughout his career.
He is currently averaging close to a double-double and he is competing with virtually every center in the league and yet he hasn't been selected to be an All-Star.
Though Jefferson still obviously has a lot left in his tank, his chances of making an All-Star selection may be little out of reach at this point, which is a shame but this obviously doesn't take anything away from the fact that throughout his career, he has been more than a solid center in the league.
1. Washington Wizards: John Wall
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The sensation of last year at the college level, John Wall has proven to be a great young talent in the NBA. He is providing great numbers and great potential for the Wizards.
Though he didn't make the All-Star this year, he is playing for the second worst team in the NBA, so it is essentially not his fault. Expect Wall to make an All-Star appearance soon.
