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Seven months back, Giannis Antetokounmpo, DeAndre Jordan, Gordon Hayward and Kemba Walker made their 1st All-Star appearance in New Orleans. This season promises a few new faces at the All-Star game, thanks to the massive shift of talent from the Eastern Conference to the West.
Therefore, some of the emerging stars in the West won't be making this list. So, for that very reason, we predict the five players who could be first-time All-Stars at the 2018 event to be held in Los Angeles:
Khris Middleton
2016/17 Averages: 14.7 Points, 4.2 Rebounds, 3.4 Assists
I was really considering Rudy Gobert or Kristaps Porzingis for the final spot, but I've gone with somewhat of a dark horse candidate. With Gordon Hayward and George Hill having left, expect Utah to struggle in the tough West and the Knicks are in complete rebuild mode. The Bucks should have no such problems.
Middleton had a break-out season in 2015-16 averaging 18.2 points but a hamstring injury limited him to just 29 games last season. While Giannis steals the spotlight, Middleton is easily their 2nd best player. An excellent shooter, he's a decent playmaker and a very good defender. Provided he stays healthy, he should be able to improve on his numbers from two seasons back and help the Bucks challenge for a top 4 seed in the East.
Karl-Anthony Towns
2016/17 Averages: 25.1 Points, 12.3 Rebounds, 1.3 Blocks
Despite the West being as loaded as it is, Towns should make it. His numbers last season were more than good enough to make the team. The main reason why he missed out was that the T-Wolves didn't have a good record. Now, with Jimmy Butler in tow, expect the Wolves to probably get the 5/6th seed in the West.
Towns has the potential to be one of the best players in the League and he's already one of the premier scoring big men, scoring both in the post and from 3. One thing holding him back, however, is his lack of defense. Towns struggled a lot on defense last season, but that is expected of a guy in just his 2nd year. Expect him to improve on those numbers this season.
Joel Embiid
2016/17 Averages: 20.2 Points, 7.8 Rebounds, 2.5 Blocks
An injury is the only way Embiid doesn't get in this season. He put up remarkable numbers last season for someone who played under a minutes restriction of 25. He missed out last season mainly because of injuries which limited him to only 31 games and the fact that Philly wasn't in the Playoffs mix. With a year under their belt and the additions of Simmons, Fultz, and Redick should keep the 76ers in the mix for the final playoff spots in the extremely weak East.
Much like Towns, Embiid is the perfect Modern Day big. He surprised a few people with his 3 point shot last season and has drawn comparisons with Olajuwon for his post skills. Unlike Towns, however, the 76ers were among the best defensive teams last season when Embiid was on the court. Provided he stays healthy, he'll be a perennial all-star.
Bradley Beal
2016/17 Averages: 23.1 Points, 3.5 Assists, 3.1 Rebounds
In his fifth season, Beal finally showed why the Wizards picked him 3rd Overall in 2012. He averaged career highs in scoring, assists, field goal %, and free throw %. Beal has struggled with injuries so far but played 77 games last season which was a personal best. He just missed out last season, but with multiple spots opening up on the East roster, Beal will likely get in this time. The Wizards should once again be a top 4 seed in the East which will further help his case.
Beal does have some ways to go in terms of being an elite SG. While he is an excellent shooter, he needs to improve as a secondary playmaker and his defense needs some work as well. If he can overcome those weaknesses, he and Wall could probably become the best backcourt in the NBA.
Hassan Whiteside
2016-17 Averages: 17 Points 14.1 Rebounds 2.1 Blocks
Miami's poor start last season was the main reason Whiteside missed out on making the roster. That shouldn't be the case this year. The Heat started last season 11-30 but had a complete turnaround in the second half and went 30-11, narrowly missing the playoffs.
Whiteside's story is an incredible one. His NBA career had seemingly come to a halt in 2012 after the Kings let him go. He spent the next 2 years in the D-League and played overseas. He was snapped up by the Heat in 2014 and he hasn't looked back. He has upped his scoring and rebounding averages in all 3 seasons he's spent with the Heat.
He's also been one of the best rim protectors in the league. His offensive game, however, needs a lot of improvement. Regardless, he should make the Roster this year thanks to the outflux of talent from the East.
