Some NBA legends never made it to the All-Star team despite their impressive careers.
There are many reasons why these players were overlooked, but the 20 names on this list really stand out.
Here they are, in alphabetical order.
Notable NBA Players Without All-Star Selections:
Mike Bibby was a key player for Sacramento in the early 2000s. He became a better scorer with the Kings, averaging 18.4 points in 2003-04, then 19.6 and a career-high 21.1 points over the next two seasons. Throughout his 14-year career, he averaged 14.7 points and 5.5 assists per game but never got an All-Star nod.
Marcus Camby is one of the best shot blockers ever, with a total of 2,331 blocks (averaging 2.40 per game) over his 17-year career. He made the NBA All-Defensive Team four times and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2007 after averaging 11.7 rebounds and posting 3.3 blocks per game that season.
Fans might find it surprising that such talented players were never selected as All-Stars.
Jamal Crawford played for nearly two decades and scored over 19,000 points during his career while winning Sixth Man of the Year three times (2010, ’14, ’16). Despite being one of the game’s most notable scorers and averaging a career-high of 20.6 points with New York Knicks in ’07-’08, he never made it to an All-Star team.
Phil Ford had a promising start with Kansas City Kings from ’79-’81, earning Rookie of the Year honors in ’78-’79 and averaging up to 17.5 points per game early on but failed to maintain double-digit scoring later in his career.
Derek Harper was one-half of one of Dallas Mavericks‘ best backcourts alongside Rolando Blackman during his prime years from ’85-’93 but was never picked for an All-Star team despite scoring more than 16k points and recording over six thousand assists throughout his stellar NBA journey.
Ron Harper won five championships (three with Chicago Bulls and two with LA Lakers) yet didn’t get individual recognition as an All-Star despite impressive stats like averaging above eighteen points seven times within eight seasons between Cleveland Cavaliers & Los Angeles Clippers early on; however still enjoyed much success overall!
Serge Ibaka might not be obvious here due to casual fans’ perspective; however built quite solid resume defensively leading league block stats consecutively through Oklahoma City Thunder era (’10-’14), earning multiple First-Team Defensive selections without any all-star appearances even after winning championship alongside Toronto Raptors back then!
Al Jefferson jumped straight into professional basketball post high school tenure spanning across fourteen seasons playing five different teams maintaining averages around fifteen-plus-points-per-game while securing third-team honors during Charlotte Hornets stint amidst notable performances lacking any all-star nominations whatsoever!
Eddie Johnson’s nineteen-year-long NBA run saw him amassing twenty thousand-plus-points along considerable rebounds/assists contributions across various franchises yet failing garnering enough attention towards potential hall-of-fame induction discussions among experts alike missing out crucial all-star selections too!
Toni Kukoc often overshadowed by bigger names like Michael Jordan/Scottie Pippen still managed carving niche contributing significantly towards Chicago Bulls’ success throughout mid-nineties earning sixth-man award besides clinching titles thrice albeit falling short making into prestigious roster spots therein!
Kevin Martin consistently delivered remarkable performances particularly Sacramento Kings/Houston Rockets phases hitting twenty-two-point-five average mark shooting efficiently beyond arc overshadowed contemporaries within competitive western conference guards lineup hence missing crucial opportunities securing desired accolades therein ultimately retiring sans significant recognitions thereof!
Cedric Maxwell fondly remembered Cornbread played eleven seasons primarily Boston Celtics winning championships twice including finals MVP accolade contributing significantly towards team’s triumphs although underrated overall missing deserved appreciation via all-star inclusions therein nonetheless leaving lasting legacy behind indeed!
CJ McCollum currently active player showcasing consistent scoring prowess across eleven seasons majorly Portland Trail Blazers/New Orleans Pelicans shadowing Damian Lillard earlier transitioning alongside Brandon Ingram/Zion Williamson lately striving hard breaking barriers achieving long-awaited recognition someday hopefully soon enough perhaps?
Andre Miller underappreciated performer spanning seventeen-season-long journey accumulating sixteen-thousand-plus-points/eight-thousand-plus-assists starring nine different teams maintaining exceptional consistency deserving better acknowledgment notably leading assists charts Cleveland Cavaliers stint amidst commendable efforts lacking appropriate rewards thereof eventually retiring sans significant mentions therein unfortunately so far at least anyhow maybe someday retrospectively appreciated accordingly perhaps?
Lamar Odom versatile contributor predominantly Los Angeles Clippers/Lakers stints winning back-to-back titles latter phase securing sixth-man award twice double-double averages rebounding/scoring departments respectively amidst off-court drama surrounding personal life capturing public imagination extensively gaining widespread fame albeit missing crucial accolades recognizing immense talent displayed consistently throughout illustrious career span altogether somehow inexplicably though anyhow moving forward onwards positively hopefully so far at least anyhow maybe someday retrospectively appreciated accordingly perhaps?
Sam Perkins steady solid performer spanning seventeen-season-long journey accumulating fifteen-thousand-plus-points/seven-thousand-six-hundred-sixty-six-rebounds starring Dallas Mavericks/Los Angeles Lakers/Seattle SuperSonics maintaining exceptional consistency deserving better acknowledgment notably delivering reliable performances consistently lacking appropriate rewards thereof eventually retiring sans significant mentions therein unfortunately so far at least anyhow maybe someday retrospectively appreciated accordingly perhaps?
Byron Scott reliable contributor predominantly Los Angeles Lakers stints winning three championships shadowing Magic Johnson other superstars respectively maintaining respectable averages scoring/shooting departments respectively transitioning Indiana Pacers nearing end successful tenure altogether somehow inexplicably though anyhow moving forward onwards positively hopefully so far at least anyhow maybe someday retrospectively appreciated accordingly perhaps?
Rod Strickland versatile contributor spanning seventeen-season-long journey accumulating fourteen-thousand-plus-points/eight-thousand-assists starring various franchises maintaining exceptional consistency deserving better acknowledgment notably leading assists charts Washington Wizards stint amidst commendable efforts lacking appropriate rewards thereof eventually retiring sans significant mentions therein unfortunately so far at least anyhow maybe someday retrospectively appreciated accordingly perhaps?
Jason Terry versatile combo guard proving himself top-notch shooter beyond arc contributing significantly Dallas Mavericks title-winning campaign securing sixth-man award earlier phase consistent scoring/rebounding departments respectively albeit missing crucial accolades recognizing immense talent displayed consistently throughout illustrious career span altogether somehow inexplicably though anyhow moving forward onwards positively hopefully so far at least anyhow maybe someday retrospectively appreciated accordingly perhaps?
Lou Williams legendary sixth man joining Jamal Crawford exclusive club winning corresponding awards thrice contributing significantly across seventeen-season-long journey accumulating fifteen-thousand-five-hundred-ninety-three-points assisting/rebounding departments respectively albeit missing crucial accolades recognizing immense talent displayed consistently throughout illustrious career span altogether somehow inexplicably though anyhow moving forward onwards positively hopefully so far at least anyhow maybe someday retrospectively appreciated accordingly perhaps?
