Every season, a player flies right under the radar. For these players, they could have an eruption of a season in 2020-2021. Each player displayed glimpses of taking the next step in their game. For those reasons, these three players could be on an All-Star team this year.
Lonzo Ball, New Orleans Pelicans
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft has been a solid player. According to best bonus, aking a leap towards All-Star status would be a great addition for the franchise. He hasn’t been a superstar by any means, but he has carved out a reputation as a productive role player in the league. Last season, Ball played the most games (63) out of all three seasons. In Year 4, the Pelicans need their point guard to produce at a high level to help the Pelicans contend for a playoff spot. While Ball is a great defender, his offensive stats are just okay. Last year, Ball averaged a career-high 11.8 points per game to go with 6.1 rebounds and 7.0 assists. The biggest jump from 2018 to 2019 was that his three-point shooting percentage jumped from 32.9% to 37.5%. Ball is still just 23 years old, so the ceiling for his play is up in the air. All we know is that if Ball can keep up the same amount of rebounds and assist, but improve his point production, the award could land in New Orleans for a second straight season.
Tyler Herro, Miami Heat
Herro made a name for himself last year, especially when the team played in the bubble. His most memorable performance was his 37-point outburst against the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. When Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic battled injuries in the championship, it was Herro stepping up as the second-leading scorer. On the season, Herro shot 38% from the three-point range to go with 13.5 points per game. If the postseason was any indication of what Herro can do, the Heat might find themselves with a 20-point per night performer. Herro will continue to come off the bench for Duncan Robinson, but Lou Williams has come off the bench for the majority of his career and look at what he has accomplished.
Shae Gilgeous-Alexander
The team traded away Chris Paul, Steven Adams, and Dennis Schroder, while Danillo Gallinari signed with the Hawks in free agency. That leaves the 22-year old as the last remaining core piece of last year’s playoff team. Last year, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 19.0 points, shot 47% inside the arc, and shot 36% from the three-point range. This has a feel like Gilgeous-Alexander could be the next Devin Booker. Other media outlets even have him ahead of current All-Star players. Even on bad Suns teams, Booker has found a way to average over 26 points per game. The Thunder are going to rely on Gilgeous-Alexander to score the majority of their points. The Thunder are going to be the worst team in the Western Conference. If Gilgeous-Alexander is playing at a high level, he could be snubbed from the All-Star team because of the team’s poor record.
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