Last season’s NBA All-Star Game was won by a veteran-heavy team featuring Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and other long-time veterans, but there’s a passel of promising young players — and a few less-young players — ready to join them. As the NBA season opener approaches on Oct. 21, here are five NBA players ready to become All-Stars in 2025-26.
Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
Franz Wagner put up All-Star caliber numbers in 2024-25, averaging 24.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists. But he suffered a torn oblique at the worst time for his All-Star chances, missing 21 games in December and January.
Wagner still needs to improve his 29.5 percent three-point shooting, but he shot a stellar 72.6 percent at the rim. He showed he could drive the Orlando Magic offense while Paolo Banchero was out with his own oblique injury. After leading Germany to a EuroBasket win while averaging 20.8 points (in 40-minute games), he’s ready to become an All-Star.
Ivica Zubac, Los Angeles Clippers
The competition at the center position in the Western Conference is rough, with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and French phenom Victor Wembanyama all competing, not to mention 2025 All-Star Alperen Sengun. Despite his lack of All-Star recognition, Ivica Zubac was as good as any save Jokic.
Zubac averaged 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds last season, leading the NBA in total rebounds. He was voted to the All-Defensive second team thanks to his rim protection and the Los Angeles Clippers’ No. 3 defense. If Zubac can improve his 66.1 percent foul shooting, he has a real chance to play in the All-Star Game at his home arena.
Derrick White, Boston Celtics
Derrick White has never been an All-Star, though he’s generally recognized as one of the NBA’s best guards. Part of that is that White is an elite defender, and All-Star voters tend not to appreciate that side of the ball. He’s also been overshadowed by Boston Celtics teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
But this year, Tatum is out, Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis are gone and the Celtics need White to score. He averaged 16.4 points, but was fourth in three-pointers per game last season. With Tatum out — and former All-Stars Darius Garland, Tyler Herro and Tyrese Haliburton injured — this could be the year White’s excellence leads to an All-Star nod.
Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III took a big leap forward in 2024-25, but injuries derailed his season. He improved his scoring from 14.8 to 21.2 points per game, while upping his assists from 2.2 to 3.5. But a hamstring kept him out for the beginning of the season and slowed him when he returned, and a torn labrum ended his season early.
If he can avoid the injury bug, it’s easy to imagine a healthy Murphy scoring 24 points per game and shooting over 40 percent on a high volume of three-pointers (38.3 percent career three-point shooter). Those are All-Star numbers.
Coby White, Chicago Bulls
Coby White proved his breakout 2023-24 season was no fluke by putting up even better numbers in ’24-25, averaging 20.4 points and upping his three-pointers to 2.9 per game. White’s scoring exploded after Zach LaVine was traded to Sacramento, putting up 27.7 points per game in March and 23.8 points after January.
With White as the unquestioned primary scorer on the Chicago Bulls next season and the ranks of Eastern Conference guards thinned by injury, White having a month like last March in December instead could propel him to his first All-Star appearance.
