The best NBA players who never went to the All-Star Game
Some players don't always get the credit they deserve at the end of their careers. In this case, we'll look at someone who has never made it to an All-Star Game despite having a successful career. The causes are not all the same. These players have been unable to participate in the weekend of the stars due to a lack of continuity, playing in a secondary market, or the opposite, or playing alongside legends, or simply bad luck.
Here is a list of the best NBA players who have never attended an All-Star Game.
9. Sam Perkins
Photo: nbastraya
NBA career stats: 11.9 points + 6.0 rebounds + 1.5 assists in 1286 games
Sam Perkins spent his career juggling the roles of leading man and excellent supporting actor. Regrettably, he was never able to cross the border permanently. Between 1985 and 1992, he was at the pinnacle of his career with the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 15 points and 8 rebounds per game.
His best qualities were consistency and longevity, as well as a good 3-hand, which was unusual for a long time at the time. He played continuously from 1984 to 2001, for the aforementioned Mavs and Lakers, before moving to Seattle for the second half of his career and finishing with the Pacers. He made the playoffs 15 times out of 17 seasons, but he never established himself as a franchise leader.
8. Rod Strickland
Photo: bellyupsports
NBA career stats: 13.2 points + 3.7 rebounds + 7.3 assists in 1094 games
Rod Strickland is a fantastic assistant. From 1993 to 1998, he was second only to Stockton in averaging more than 9 assists per game for his teammates. He also had a good offensive output, averaging 18 points per game. Regrettably, he never developed good archery skills, which would have made him unstoppable.
In 1998, he was named to the NBA's second All-Star team, but for some reason, he was not selected for the All-Star Game. Despite having only played 17 games, Penny Hardaway was voted the starter on this occasion. In 1997, he was also "robbed" of his All-Star position. The NBA needed to find a replacement for Alonzo Mourning's injury, and the obvious choice would have been Strickland, but he was overtaken by a late-career Joe Dumars.
7. Marcus Camby
Photo: nydailynews
Career stats NBA: 9.5 punti + 9.8 rimbalzi + 1.9 assist in 973 partite
Marcus Camby, a former center, is arguably one of the most underappreciated NBA players of all time. Camby possessed tremendous physical strength, making him a formidable opponent on the scoreboards. With its ability to protect iron, it also made a difference defensively. On offense, he was mostly reliant on the main scorers, but thanks to his rebounding abilities, he was able to finish the various tap-ins effectively.
Despite the fact that he didn't immediately stand out, he frequently raised his hand to the media throughout his career. In 2007, he was named Defensive Player of the Year and was named Best Stopper of the Season four times. From his first year to his last, he averaged a double-double while adding 2.6 blocks per game.
6. Jason Terry
Photo: thesmokingcuban
NBA career stats: 13.4 points + 2.3 rebounds + 3.8 assists in 1410 games
Despite his offensive production as an excellent supporting role, Jason Terry has never played in an All-Star Game. Terry mastered all of the attacking techniques available to a winger, as well as good passer-by skills, and his game was explosive and electrifying.
During the 2010-2011 season, when the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA title, he demonstrated his immense ability to ignite during the game. After a lackluster freshman season, he averaged 20 points per game in Atlanta for the next two seasons. Its performance dropped slightly after that, but it quickly recovered, maintaining a double-digit average until the 2012-2013 season.
5. Ron Harper
Photo: sportingnews
NBA career stats: 13.8 points + 4.3 rebounds + 3.9 assists in 1009 games
Ron Harper, along with Jordan and Drexler, was the only player in the NBA's first eight years to average at least 19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals per game. He had all the numbers to be an All-Star at the time. Regrettably, his teams were never competitive during that time, particularly during the Clippers' reign. In 1994, he married the Bulls, reducing his offensive output and putting himself at Jordan and Pippen's disposal. Harper was unaffected by his failure to make the All-Star team.
4. Lamar Odom
Photo: epicbuzzer
NBA career stats: 13.3 points + 8.4 rebounds + 3.7 assists in 961 games
When the Lakers added Gasol to their roster in 2008, it put an end to Lamar Odom's All-Star dreams. After several years as Kobe's shoulder, he developed into an excellent reserve for the two long holders. Odom had a long set, able to average a double-double and constantly send his teammates to the basket. A strong winger with exceptional ball-handling and a good bow hand.
He previously played for the Clippers and the Heat before joining the Lakers. With over 17 points per game in his second year, he was the most productive offensively. In 2011, he was named the Best Sixth Man. Odom's inability to focus on his own production may have prevented him from reporting the numbers required to be considered an All-Star. The talent, on the other hand, was undeniable.
3. Richard Jefferson
Photo: kingjamesgospel
NBA career stats: 12.6 points + 4.0 rebounds + 2.0 assists in 1186 games
Richard Jefferson was a fantastic character actor. We often overlook the earnings Richard earned in the first half of his career. He was one of seven players to average more than 19 points per game and more than three assists per shoelace between 2003 and 2009. With Jason Kidd in charge, his talent exploded as the early 2000s glory days of the New Jersey Nets came to an end.
Jefferson, who joined the league in 2001, set a career-high with an average of 22.6 during the 2007-2008 season. In 2009, he joined the San Antonio Spurs, where he began to play more on the wing and gradually reduced his stats. In the 2004-2005 season, he was unable to participate in the All-Star Game due to a wrist injury. With LeBron James in Cleveland, the rest is history.
2. Mike Conley
Photo: fansided
NBA career stats: 14.8 points + 3.0 rebounds + 5.7 assists in 829 games
Mike Conley would have won the most underrated player award several times in recent years if such an award existed. He and Marc Gasol led the Memphis Grizzlies to a period in the last decade when they were a legitimate contender. His performance at the time paid off financially, as he signed a total contract worth 153 million dollars in 2016. His defense is unquestionably excellent. He's faced the best guards in the Western Conference over the last six years and still managed to average 18 points and six assists per game.
Along with Curry, Paul, and Lowry, he is the only player with similar numbers. At least four All-Star Games have been attended by all three. In his case, time and place played a significant role. If he had played in the East, he would almost certainly have been an All-Star by now. His best days appear to be behind him now: his most recent season, his first with Jazz, was a disappointment. We'll see if it can turn the trend around in the near future.
1. Cedric Maxwell
Photo: hardwoodhoudini
NBA career stats: 12.5 points + 6.3 rebounds + 2.5 assists in 835 games
Cedric Maxwell did his part in sharing the field with the best athletes of his time. Tiny Archibald, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish were his teammates. Maxwell appeared to be a complete player on the court.
The only flaw was archery, but it should be noted that the bomb was regarded as a marginal skill for a long time at the time. He averaged 19 points in his second season, and he was named Finals MVP in 1981. In 1979 and 1980, he had the best pitch percentage in the NBA both times. Between the 1970s and 1980s, he deserved a spot in the All-Star Game, but he was still a secondary player in the public eye.
Bai 22: Top 10 worst first picks of all time in the NBA Draft
We all know that the NBA Draft can be full of unpleasant surprises for those who get to pick first. The benefit of being able to pick your next star calmly can turn into a nightmare on several occasions. This was the case with Michael Jordan's Washington Wizards when they decided to give Kwame Brown a chance, or the Portland Trail Blazers when they believed they had Greg Oden as the league's next dominant center. Note that other first choices aren't as bad as the ones just mentioned. And The Athletic arranged them in a specific order.
10. Pervis Ellison, Louisville, Sacramento Kings, 1989
Photo: sportscasting
Credits: Most Improved Player
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Glen Rice (4), Tim Hardaway (14), Shawn Kemp (17), Vlade Divac (26), Clifford Robinson (36)
Sacramento wasn't allowed to pick first very often during the NBA Drafts, and when she did, she was completely wrong. Pervis Ellison, the first choice from Louisville, is in this situation. The Californians chose to entrust the fate of their franchise to the former center in a Draft class that included several intriguing names.
The Kings decided to send "Out of Service Pervis" (his nice nickname coined by Danny Ainge, ed) to Washington after only a year (closed at about 8 points on average). Pervis spent his best years in the capital, averaging 16.2 points and 9.8 rebounds over four seasons and winning a nice Most Improved Player award in 1992. Then there was nothing else. He had a special circumstance: he had knee problems that severely limited his potential.
9. Fred Hetzel, Davidson, San Francisco Warriors, 1965
Photo: projects.latimes
Credits: All-Rookie
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Rick Barry (2), Billy Cunningham (5), Dick Van Arsdale (10), Tom Van Arsdale (11), Bob Love (33)
What about Fred Hetzel, the Warriors' first-round pick in 1965? Fred's first year in California was a disappointment: he averaged only 6.8 points per game (albeit in 12 minutes) while shooting 39 percent from the field. In his third season in the NBA, Fred has significantly improved his numbers, averaging 19 points per game. Then, like Pervis, he suffered an injury that limited his mobility. Fred decided to retire at the age of 28 after only six seasons in the league.
8. Rodney “Hot Rod” Hundley, West Virginia, Cincinnati Royals, 1957
Photo: wikipedia
Awards: All-Star (2x)
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Sam Jones (8)
Rodney Hundley, who retired from the game at the age of 28, suffered a similar fate. He spent six years with the Lakers, three with the Minneapolis Lakers, and three with the Los Angeles Lakers after their relocation. Hundley had a double-digit points average for a couple of seasons, but he was forced to retire after multiple problems with his crystal knees. He went on to become one of the most popular NBA technical commentators on television.
7. Art Heyman, Duke, New York Knicks, 1963 Credits: All-Rookie
Photo: foundagrave
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Nate Thurmond (3), Gus Johnson (10)
Art Heyman's story is a classic example of someone who could have been but wasn't. Despite this, Heyman had a good rookie season with the New York Knicks, averaging 15.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. In a few years, he appeared to be capable of capturing the rest of the League.
Instead, by the end of his second season, his bad temper had manifested itself in such a way that the Knicks had decided to remove him from the rotation. As a result, the New York franchise decided to send the player elsewhere, first to San Francisco, then to Philadelphia in his third season, and finally out of basketball in 1966. He joined the ABA in 1967 and played for three more seasons before retiring in 1970.
6. Bill McGill, University of Utah, Chicago Zephyrs, 1962
Photo: projects.latimes
Notable Picks in Draft Same: John Havlicek (8), Chet Walker (12), Don Nelson (17)
Bill McGill spent three NBA seasons with four different teams before moving to the NABL and eventually the ABA. McGill played for ten different teams in three different leagues over eight years. Not one of these stood out.
5. Dick Ricketts, Duquesne, St. Louis Hawks, 1955
Photo: spark.adobe
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Maurice Stokes (2), Jack Twyman (8)
Dick Ricketts only spent three years in the NBA as a professional player, dividing his time between basketball and baseball. He eventually dropped out of basketball to devote his full attention to baseball. Ricketts averaged 9.3 points + 6.3 rebounds per shoe in his three years in the league and shot a questionable 32.8 percent from the field. Maybe it was for the best.
4. Mark Workman, West Virginia, Milwaukee Hawks, 1952
Photo: thedraftreview
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Clyde Lovellete (9)
Not even Mark Workman's arrival in the NBA has signaled the end of his career. Workman has spent more time with the Harlem Globetrotters than he has with the league. That said, he was drafted first overall by the Milwaukee Hawks, with whom he only played 5 games at 2.2 points per game before finishing with the Philadelphia Warriors, where he set a career-high with 5.3 points per game. After 14 inactive appearances with the Baltimore Bullets the following year, his NBA career came to an end.
3. LaRue Martin, Loyola Chicago, Portland Trail Blazers, 1972
Photo: marca
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Bob McAdoo (2), Paul Westphal (10), Julius Erving (12)
LaRue Martin is finally here. In a Draft class that included Bob McAdoo and Julius Erving, there was a lot of talk about the former Portland Trail Blazers player. Martin was viewed as a key player by the Oregon franchise at the time. LaRue was so important that he was traded after four seasons and packaged to the Seattle SuperSonics, who put him to the test by cutting him before the season. Martin, fortunately for him, has found success outside of basketball and now serves on the board of directors of the National Basketball Retired Players Association.
2. Gene Melchior, Bradley, Baltimore Bullets, 1951
Photo: foxsports
Banned for life by the NBA
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Mel Hutchins (2)
Gene Melchiorre, a classic Italian surname, is not a household name among NBA fans, but his story is still worth telling. Gene was the Bullets' first-round pick in the 1951 draft, but he was suspended from the league after only two months in Baltimore.
What is the reason for this? Well, Melchior was arrested after a scandal in which he was involved in match-fixing involving 32 players and seven schools during his college days. By pleading guilty to the crime before a New York court, Melchior and four of his teammates admitted to taking bribes to keep scores low against St. Joseph and Oregon State University. The NBA decided to ban all players involved, including Gene after his criminal sentence was suspended.
1. Anthony Bennett, UNLV, Cleveland Cavaliers, 2013
Photo: pinterest
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Victor Oladipo (2), CJ McCollum (10), Steven Adams (12), Giannis Antetokounmpo (15), Rudy Gobert (27)
The intriguing names from the 2013 Draft class can be seen above, and it would be insane to pick someone before Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Cleveland Cavaliers (actually, the other 13 teams, ed) decided not to give the Greek a chance to stake everything on Anthony Bennett, a little-known Canadian.
Bennett's name was a surprise to several NBA teams who had never heard of him or considered him during the Combine, so the Cavs' selection surprised everyone. And now we know why: the winger has only been in the league for four years - which is already too long - and has spent time in Cleveland, Minnesota, Toronto, and Brooklyn. He hasn't appeared in an NBA game since 2017.
