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The 2020-21 NBA season has witnessed some impressive performances from veteran elites and new-age talent making names for themselves this campaign.
Despite the on-going effects of the pandemic hindering teams and their schedule, fans can still expect the league to go ahead with the All-Star Game. Die-hard NBA fans will be buzzing with excitement to see who gets the nod for the revered All-Star selection this time around.
NBA 2020-21: 5 players who can become first time All-Star this season
The league has officially opened the NBA All-Star Voting 2021. Fans can now help their favorite player by voting for them multiple times until February 16 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
The voting for the NBA All-Star starters can be done on NBA.com, the official NBA App and Twitter.
In this list, we will take a look at five players who have performed remarkably this season and could make their debuts as first-time All-Stars.
#1 Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans)
Zion Williamson is one of the prime candidates to break through as an All-Star this season. The New Orleans Pelicans have two All-Star candidates with Zion and Brandon Ingram, both posting impressive numbers thus far.
The Pelicans have moved Williamson off the minute restrictions this campaign and have unleashed his potential in the process. Despite the Pelicans' struggles this season, Zion continues to dazzle fans with his impressive skill set.
Zion was the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft and could benefit from his popularity among basketball fans around the globe. This season, he is averaging 23.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists on 59% shooting from the field.
#2 CJ McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers)
CJ McCollum is long over-due for his first All-Star selection. He has been a proven bucket-maker all his career and has taken a leap over the past few seasons. He came out with a sense of urgency this season and was leading his side in scoring before getting injured; an impressive stat line considering superstar Damian Lillard's presence in the backcourt. He is expected to return to the floor in a few weeks.
This season, CJ is averaging a whopping 26.7 points, 5.0 assists, and 3.9 rebounds. He is shooting a lights out 47.3% from the field and an efficient 44.1% from beyond the arc.
#3 Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)
Ja Morant had an outstanding rookie year for the Memphis Grizzlies last season and continues to impress with his stellar play this campaign. His flair and athleticism make for epic highlight reels that would serve as a perfect addition in the All-Star game.
Not to mention, a nod for his first All-Star selection could boost his morale tenfold and infuse more confidence in the 21-year-old's future in the association. That said, his inclusion is possible only as a reserve player in a talent-rich Western Conference.
This season, Morant is averaging 22.6 points, 7.0 assists, and 2.0 rebounds on an impressive 53.2% shooting from the field.
#4 Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)
Jaylen Brown has worked hard on his game over the last two seasons and has successfully taken his game to the next level. He has been tearing it up this campaign and continues to raise his ceiling.
Brown has steadily marked improvements in his scoring average and shooting percentages still, that's just half of it. Where Brown truly outshines others is in his defensive prowess. Jaylen has shown the ability to lock down his defensive assignments on a nightly basis and score on the other end with high accuracy. It can be argued that Brown is now on par with Jayson Tatum, and the duo could potentially feature in this year's All-Star selection together.
This season, Brown is averaging a career-best of 27.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists on an impressive 52% shooting from the field and 44% shooting from beyond the arc.
#5 Collin Sexton (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Collin Sexton has been on fire this season and has marked an impressive improvement in his third year in the league. From his rookie year, where he averaged 16.7 points, he is now averaging an impressive 25.2 points per game.
He recently made a mockery out of the Brooklyn Nets super team by orchestrating their defeat in back-to-back games where he registered a season-high 42 points in their first matchup and followed it up with a 25-point performance with nine assists in the second game.
This season, Collin is averaging 25.2 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.7 rebounds on an impressive 51% shooting from the field and 47% shooting from beyond the arc. If he can continue to play the game at a high level, his All-Star selection becomes a matter of when and not if in the future. That said, Sexton has an outside chance of getting the nod this year, and if he does make it, it would be as a reserve player.
