Atlanta Hawks, Jalen Johnson, their leader in ppg, rpg and apg, earns his first NBA All-Star selection.
On the same night that LeBron James extended his record for most consecutive and most overall All-Star selections with his 22nd nod, six players added ‘NBA All-Star’ to their résumés for the first time on Sunday.
Nearly half of the 14 reserves selected by the league’s coaches will make their All-Star debuts in Los Angeles next weekend. Let’s take a closer look at those six players — three coming from each conference — as they get ready for their moment in the spotlight.
Note: All statistics are through games played on Feb. 1, 2026, and include league rankings for categories in which the player ranks in the top 25.
Deni Avdija | Portland Trail Blazers
Season Stats: 25.5 ppg (14th), 7.2 rpg, 6.7 apg (13th), 0.8 spg, 0.6 bpg, 46.7 FG%, 35.6 3P%
In the debut of the US vs. World All-Star format, Avdija’s breakout season has helped him become the first Israeli to be named an NBA All-Star. In his sixth season overall — and second in Portland — Avdija is averaging career highs of 25.5 points (up 8.6 from last season) and 6.7 assists (up 2.8 from last season), along with 7.2 rebounds. Avdija is one of only three players averaging at least 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists this season. The other two — Denver’s Nikola Jokić and Los Angeles’ Luka Dončić — are All-Star starters and will be teammates with Avdija on the World team next weekend.
Jalen Duren | Detroit Pistons
Season Stats: 18.0 ppg, 10.7 rpg (6th), 1.8 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.8 bpg, 63.5 FG% (6th)
In his fourth NBA season, Duren has established himself as a force inside the paint for the East-leading Pistons. He’s averaging a career-best 18 points per game, often coming off lobs from fellow All-Star Cade Cunningham or via Duren’s specialty — cleaning the glass. Duren ranks sixth overall in rebounding but ranks third in offensive boards at 3.8 per game and 10th in second-chance points at 3.6 per game. Meanwhile, he’s also one of the anchors of Detroit’s second-ranked defense (108.3 DefRtg) and ranks 11th in defensive rebounds per game.
Chet Holmgren | Oklahoma City Thunder
Season Stats: 17.7 ppg, 8.5 rpg (17th), 1.6 apg, 0.5 spg, 2.1 bpg (3rd), 56.6 FG% (12th), 36.6 3P%
In his third NBA season, Holmgren anchors the league’s top-ranked defense (105.8 DefRtg), ranking third in the league in blocked shots and second in overall rim protection (47.1% allowed). This has helped OKC limit opponents to league lows of 108 points per game and 40.3 points in the paint per game. Holmgren has coupled his defensive excellence with career-best numbers on the glass (8.5) and in scoring (17.7 ppg) as OKC’s second-leading scorer behind fellow All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Jalen Johnson | Atlanta Hawks
Season Stats: 23.1 ppg (21st), 10.5 rpg (7th), 8.0 apg (4th), 1.3 spg, 0.5 bpg, 49.9 FG%, 36.0 3P%
A year ago, Johnson’s breakout season was halted by a torn labrum that required season-ending surgery. Back healthy to start the season, Johnson picked up where he left off and continued to elevate his game. The fifth-year forward is putting up career-best marks in points, rebounds and assists — joining All-Star starters Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo as the only players averaging at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists so far this season. Johnson’s eight triple-doubles, which quadruple his career total entering this season, rank second only to Jokić as Johnson’s all-around game has earned him his first All-Star selection.
Jamal Murray | Denver Nuggets
Season Stats: 25.5 ppg (13th), 4.4 rpg, 7.5 apg (7th), 1.0 spg, 0.4 bpg, 48.7 FG%, 43.9 3P% (11th)
A longtime member of the “best player to never be named an All-Star” discussion thanks to his multiple 50+ point games, game-winning buckets, and big-game performances in both the regular season and playoffs, Murray breaks through in his ninth season while putting up career-best numbers in points, rebounds, assists, field goal and 3-point percentages. Murray was also a catalyst for keeping the Nuggets top three in the West while Denver dealt with a plethora of injuries. That includes leading the Nuggets to a 10-6 mark while three-time MVP and All-Star starter Nikola Jokić was sidelined for a month.
Norman Powell | Miami Heat
Season Stats: 23.0 ppg (22nd), 3.7 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.2 spg, 0.2 bpg, 47.2 FG%, 39.2 3P%
After being on the short list of near All-Stars a year ago while playing for the Clippers, the 32-year-old Powell earned his first All-Star nod in his debut season with the Heat. The 11-year vet is averaging a career-best and team-leading 23 points per game, leading the NBA’s second-highest scoring offense (120 ppg) in points, field goals made, 3-pointers made, free throws made, 20+ and 30+ point games. Powell will have a slight home-court advantage with the All-Star Game being played at LA’s Intuit Dome, where Powell shot 48.7% overall and 41.3% from 3-point range over 33 home games in the arena’s inaugural season in 2024-25.
