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Every year of NBA basketball brings with it a renewed barrage of storylines. Players lead breakout seasons and shatter insurmountable records, and in the process leave the fans wanting for more.
The inexact science of pointing out a potential future star is what leads to an added excitement to the game.
The ongoing 2019-20 regular season has so far provided us with mind-boggling highlights to ogle at, and we're not even at the halfway mark yet. Off-season workouts and conditioning have led to some of the most uncharacteristic individual performances so far this season.
In this piece, we make a bunch of wild-yet-possible predictions for players who just might sneak in and land the All-Star Game MVP this year around.
#5 Chris Paul
Coming off an underwhelming campaign with the Houston Rockets, Chris Paul found an unlikely home in Oklahoma. Although the sight of CP3 in a Oklahoma City Thunder jersey made almost everyone rub their eyes twice, the Point God has indeed reincarnated himself in the Chesapeake Arena this season so far.
Carrying a fringe playoff team, Paul is averaging impressive numbers in 16.3 points, 6.3 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game across the 26 he has played so far. The 34-year-old veteran is becoming a reliable finisher for the scrambling OKC roster, as they near a .500 record down at the 7th spot in the West.
Paul is shooting a near-career-high 39% from beyond the arc, along with averaging 1.7 steals per game on the defensive end. He is playing the quintessential floor general for the Thunder and is doing so at the expense of just 1.8 turnovers per game - which is the best of his career so far.
#4 Buddy Hield
After the lucrative contract made sure that Buddy Hield was the franchise cornerstone, the Sacramento Kings star has not disappointed in his approach this season. Leading a side plagued by injuries, Hield is scoring at a career-best rate of 21.6 points per game, on 38% shooting from the three-point line.
Playing over 34 minutes per contest, the 27-year-old has been a one-man scoring machine for Sacramento. Moreover, the talent level on the Kings roster is at par for a legit playoff team, and Hield adds the veteran finesse to close games down the stretch.
Despite things not going Sacramento's way lately, Hield's individual stats are the one positive keeping them afloat at the moment.
#3 Zach LaVine
Of all the young players leading their franchises out of trouble, Zach LaVine arguably possesses the highest ceiling as a basketball player. He is currently putting together a second straight season of scoring over 23 points per game.
His will to be the man for his team at just 24 years of age, shows his All-Star caliber. And LaVine backs his grit with elite scoring prowess.
He is shooting at a career-high conversion rate of 41% from beyond the arc and has made 89 three-pointers (6th best in the league) so far this season.
Zach has put in extensive work into taking his game to the next level on both ends of the floor, and it shows. He is recording 1.3 steals per game - which is a personal career-best - and his defensive intensity is only getting healthier with every passing game.
#2 Devonte' Graham
While all eyes were fixed on Terry Rozier making his splash in a Charlotte Hornets uniform, Devonte' Graham decided to make an ecstatic run for himself. Not only has he taken over the scoring control from Rozier, but he's doing it in fearless fashion.
The 34th overall pick from the 2018 draft is dropping three-point bombs at a 41% clip, and attempting over nine long-range attempts per game. Moreover, he is leading the Hornets with imposing averages in 19.4 points and 7.4 assists per matchup across the 30 games played so far.
The 24-year-old is chasing James Harden when it comes to three-point field goals made this season, and trails by only 23 at this moment. Graham is shooting more efficiently from beyond the arc than from the field.
#1 Montrezl Harrell
The Los Angeles Clippers take pride in their bench power. And Montrezl Harrell's contribution has been off the charts for them so far.
He is posting career-best numbers in 19 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, on a mind-boggling 57% shooting from the field. Coming off the bench in 29 of the 31 games played this season, the 26-year-old has played an integral role in the team averaging over 115 points per matchup.
His inside presence has been uncontainable even by teams possessing skilled bigs. Trezz is just too skilled with the ball and has nifty footwork to shuffle across the paint.
Unexpectedly, he is making a huge transition from a role player to a heavy contributor, despite the presence of two elite All-Stars on the squad now.
