Throughout NBA history, the NBA annually awards the best players of their position to make one of three All-NBA Teams. The All-NBA First Team features the cream of the crop. However, there have been some elite players who've never received this honor. Here's a look at the 10 most surprising stars that haven't made an All-NBA First Team.
10. Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving is arguably the best ball handler in NBA history. He has also won an NBA championship and made eight All-Star Game appearances in his career. But despite his reputation in the NBA as an elite point guard, it's surprising that the Dallas Mavericks star has yet to make an All-NBA First Team.
However, injuries and off-court drama have certainly hampered his career. Hopefully, his elite form for the Mavs should put him into consideration in the near future.
9. Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh was the face of the Toronto Raptors before becoming a crucial third option for the Miami Heat's Big Three. Bosh went on to win two-straight NBA championships in Miami. However, the 11-time All-Star would surprisingly make an All-NBA Team only once in his entire career, when he was selected to the All-NBA Second Team in 2007.
It's crazy how a player of his caliber wasn't able to snag a spot on the First Team at least once. But then again, the power forward position was stacked during this time in the NBA.
8. Pau Gasol
During Kobe Bryant's final chapter with the Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol was the key acquisition that gave the Lakers a second star that propelled them to back-to-back NBA titles. The six-time All-Star emerged as one of the best big men in the NBA.
Despite being a fixture in All-NBA Teams, the First Team eluded the Hall of Famer due to a stacked list of players in his position, including Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan.
7. Ray Allen
Regarded at one point as the best shooter in the NBA, it was a head scratcher how Ray Allen's elite three-point shooting failed to land him a spot in the All-NBA First Team at least once in his career.
The two-time NBA champion would also only make the All-NBA Team selections twice in his decorated career, none of which were First Teams, probably thanks to a handful of elite shooting guards that included the likes of Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, and Allen Iverson.
6. Klay Thompson
Speaking of shooters, Klay Thompson was known as one half of the Splash Brothers for the Golden State Warriors dynasty. Although Curry did collect some MVPs and First Team selections, the story was different for Thompson. Although he won four NBA championships, the elite shooter has only made two All-NBA Third Teams in his career.
5. Draymond Green
Aside from Thompson, the third piece in the Warriors dynasty, Draymond Green, has also been snubbed from the All-NBA First Team.
Although he made two All-NBA team selections and is a fixture in the All-Defensive teams, the former Defensive Player of the Year winner has often been left out due to a slew of elite big men such as NBA MVPs Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
4. Carmelo Anthony
Back in the day, Carmelo Anthony was an elite forward who ran the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks in his prime. However, the 10-time All-Star was never able to make a First Team in his decorated career, the same way an NBA championship eluded him all along.
Thanks to LeBron James pretty much solidifying himself in that position, Melo hovered in the All-NBA Second and Third Teams.
3. Paul Pierce
When it comes to elite forwards, Paul Pierce certainly deserves to be in that conversation. In fact, Pierce actually won NBA Finals MVP as the Boston Celtics won the NBA championship in 2008. But due to the amount of forwards headlined by LeBron James, Pierce was relegated to the All-NBA Third Team for the most part and an All-NBA Second Team selection in 2009.
2. Reggie Miller
Arguably one of the greatest shooters of all time, Reggie Miller was the face of the Indiana Pacers. Despite being one of the greatest Pacers ever, the Basketball Hall of Famer would only make the All-NBA Third Team thrice in his storied career. Not only did Miller fail to land a spot in the First Team, but the same applies to the All-NBA Second Team.
1. Jimmy Butler
Without Jimmy Butler, the Heat wouldn't have made the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023. The six-time All-Star is currently the undisputed leader of the Heat Culture. However, he has often been overlooked.
Not only has he been absent from the NBA MVP conversation, but Butler has only been on the All-NBA Second and Third Teams. It's a clear head scratcher for a player who has carried his team to the NBA Finals twice.