5 potential first-time All-Stars this season
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.