NBA: The best players to never make an All-Star Game

An ode to the tremendous players with illustrious careers who unfortunately haven’t been able to leap the final hurdle into All-Star status. This is their Lifetime Achievement Awards Show.

We are in the home stretch of the regular season now; time sure flies folks. Teams are currently honing their focus on seeding battles, pushing for a playoff berth, or Harrison Barnes…hoping to reach .500 so he can shave again.

While there are myriad enticing storylines on the near horizon, let’s take a look back on to the recent All-Star Weekend. As a matter of fact, let’s look back on the last decade-plus of All-Star Games. Those games featured generational talents, flash-in-the-pan trend players, and almost everything in between.

This article is to honor those “almost” players. Those who have had All-Star worthy careers but simply haven’t been given the nod. We will focus on active players who have spent over a decade in the NBA, produced noteworthy careers, continue to contribute meaningfully this season, and crucially, have never played in the All-Star Game.

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Picture it as an actor winning a lifetime achievement award at The Oscars despite never winning Best Actor/Actress, only this will be for…you know…basketball players. Let’s meet the bench players and head coach first.

Bench Players

Trevor Ariza – Portland Trail Blazers

– Career Stats: 10.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 42.3 FG%, 35.1 3P%, 73.0 FT%
– Accolades: 2009 NBA Champion

A versatile wing scorer and respected defender, Ariza has contributed valuably in each of his 11 different stops. He could be the NBA’s version of “Seven Degrees of Kevin Bacon.” From winning a title with Kobe’s Lakers to nearly knocking off the “Hampton Five” Warriors, Ariza has played in a plethora of big games throughout his career.

JJ Redick – New Orleans Pelicans

– Career Stats: 13.1 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 2.0 APG, 44.8 FG%, 41.6 3P%, 89.1 FT%

Redick began his NBA career exactly how he played collegiately at Duke, as a shooter. His career path aged perfectly as the league adapted and emphasized 3-point shooting like never before. Holding the second-highest 3-point percentage this year, Redick shows no signs of slowing down either. That is, as long as Zion doesn’t mess it up for him.

Danny Green – Los Angeles Lakers

– Career Stats: 9.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.6 APG, 42.4 FG%, 40.2 3P%, 81.0 FT%
– Accolades: 2x NBA Champion, 2017 All-Defensive Team

Green fought his way through the then D-League and limited minutes in Cleveland to solidify himself as a legitimate NBA player. He flourished as a prototypical 3-and-D player in San Antonio along with Toronto, hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy in both locations. Look no further than the 2013 NBA Finals to validate Green’s skillset where he set a new record for 3-pointers made in a Finals Series.

Coach

Nate McMillan – Indiana Pacers

McMillan has led a long career heading the ship for the Seattle SuperSonics, Portland Trail Blazers, and currently the Indiana Pacers. He was, and is, a consistent feature in the playoffs at each of his stops. McMillan is the most tenured active coach to never lead an All-Star team, so let’s give him some well-deserved acknowledgment here as well.

Starters

Mike Conley – Utah Jazz

– Career Stats: 14.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 5.7 APG, 43.9 FG%, 37.5 3P%, 81.8 FT%
– Accolades: 2013 All-Defensive Team

Was this whole article an excuse to write about Mike Conley as a Memphis fan? Indubitably. Should that detract from his inclusion on this list? Not in the slightest. Conley was the conductor of Grit n’ Grind, one of the most community-fitting mantras of any team in recent memory. He served as the face of the Grizzlies franchise for over a decade, leading to a sustained period of success to what had been a doomed franchise before his arrival.

Dubbed “Mr. Memphis” and “Captain Clutch” by his adoring fan base, Conley often drew praise as both one of the most underrated players in the league as well as one of the best to never make an All-Star Game. Despite never receiving enough votes, Mike Conley has sunk enough right-handed floaters to cement quite an admiral legacy in this league.

Lou Williams – Los Angeles Clippers

– Career Stats: 14.5 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 3.4 APG, 42.0 FG%, 34.9 3P%, 84.0 FT%
– Accolades: 3x Sixth Man of the Year

Like a fine wine, Sweet Lou Williams only gets better with age. If any player could be defined as a “professional scorer,” Lou Williams is your guy. His acceptance of continually serving as a Sixth Man is both generous and brilliant. It shows that his primary concern isn’t logging the most minutes and is more than willing to serve his role as a good teammate, a veteran leader, and (you guessed it) a scorer.

Williams also gets the added benefit of scorching backup units for a number of minutes each game. His role is not likely to change, therefore his All-Star potential likely won’t either. However, if he continues contributing at such high volumes and scoring in clutch situations for the Clippers, he may just get himself a ring in the process.

Eric Gordon – Houston Rockets

– Career Stats: 16.6 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.9 APG, 42.6 FG%, 37.1 3P%, 81.0 FT%
– Accolades: 2009 All-Rookie, 2017 Sixth Man of the Year

*insert confused Spider-Man meme here*

So many characteristics of Lou Williams’ career also apply to Eric Gordon’s. Having a track record of efficient scoring and knockdown perimeter shooting has landed Gordon consistent minutes, production, and salary at each of his stops. Now, he has found his Shangri-La in Houston.

A system that emphasizes ultimate floor-spacing and 3-point shooting have been the perfect home for Gordon on the back-nine of his career. The Rockets’ embargo on centers will certainly look unorthodox in the post-season, but it could also provide Gordon an opportunity to shine even brighter on the league’s grandest stage.

Danilo Gallinari – Oklahoma City Thunder

– Career Stats: 16.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 42.7 FG%, 38.0 3P%, 87.3 FT%

Gallinari will forever be linked with Carmelo Anthony due to the trade which sent Gallinari to Denver and Melo to the Knicks. Despite this connection early in their careers, their trajectories have been vastly different. Gallinari has been a quiet contributor to the casual fan, being used as a selling piece in multiple trades to bring bigger names to his prior franchises.

Despite that hectic nature along with an ACL injury, he has been nothing consistent. Gallinari averaged 6.1 points per game his rookie season and hasn’t come close to averaging single digits since. Showing no signs of slowing down either and helping lead the resilient Oklahoma City Thunder, Danilo Gallinari could be playing his way into quite the payday this offseason.

Serge Ibaka – Toronto Raptors

– Career Stats: 12.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 0.8 APG, 51.5 FG%, 36.1 3P%, 75.9 FT%
– Accolades: 2x Block Champion, 3x All-Defensive Team, 2019 NBA Champion

The narrative of Serge Ibaka’s career has been a fascinating one to follow. Starting as the hyper-athletic, shot-blocking role player in his early Thunder days through his elder-statesman status today in Toronto, Ibaka has demonstrated the ability to evolve his game when necessary. Not nearly the explosive athlete he was earlier in his career, he now serves as a defensive anchor for one of the best defenses in the league and has drastically improved his perimeter shooting as well.

Next. Philadelphia 76ers are destined for an early playoff exit and a teardown. dark

Receiving an invite to the All-Star Game would only enhance what is an already decorated and diverse resume for Ibaka. We can all rest easy that Ibaka won’t leave our lives after his playing days are over, either. He has a bright future ahead in revolutionizing the scarf industry as well.