5 players who could be first time All-Stars this season

4. Scottie Barnes

Scottie Barnes is another player from the 2021 draft class who can become an All-Star this season. Barnes, the 2022 Rookie of the Year (beating out Cunningham), has a chance at adding more hardware with the Most Improved Player award. He is up six points in his average from last season and is now at 22 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game.

With Dennis Schroeder replacing Fred VanVleet, Barnes has more opportunities to excel as the lead guy on the Toronto Raptors. All of his averages are up this year. He is Toronto’s leading scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker. Barnes’ teammate Pascal Siakam is a two-time All-Star but has seen his numbers drop significantly this year with the emergence of Barnes.

Barnes’s shooting percentages are also very high to start this season. Barnes is shooting 48.5% from the field and 38.1% from beyond the arc.

His three-point shooting and defensive numbers are elite, and he is taking a leap into an All-Star level player. The star on the Raptors deserves to get All-Star consideration this season.