The NBA All-Star reserves were just announced for the 2024 crop of All-Stars. Once again, Jamal Murray and CJ McCollum were left off of the All-Star teams. The NBA is deep with talent right now, and it is harder than ever before to make the All-Star Game. Both of those players have had such magnificent careers already, and you would have assumed they could have made the All-Star Game at least once by this point.
Murray and McCollum aren't the only star players in NBA history who never made an All-Star Game, though. A number of NBA legends were never honored with the title of being one of the best players in their respective conferences. For that reason, we decided to rank the best NBA players in history who never made an All-Star Game.
10. Richard Jefferson
Career statistics: 12.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.0 APG
Richard Jefferson was more of a role player than a superstar, so it makes sense that he never made the All-Star Game. He had some seasons where he was close to All-Star level, though, and he definitely had a long career of sustained success. Winning tended to follow Jefferson. In his early days, his New Jersey Nets went to two NBA Finals. He even contributed to two Finals appearances with the Cleveland Cavaliers during the end of his career, winning one of them alongside LeBron James in 2016.
Players who put up good numbers while contributing to winning usually make an All-Star Game. What prevented Jefferson from getting the All-Star nod was his best days actually came when the Nets were struggling to win. Jefferson could play good defense, hit the jump shot, was capable of highlight dunks and had a fun personality that's made him an up-and-coming broadcaster. Those attributes also it a little surprising that he didn't at least make the All-Star Game once.
9. Rod Strickland
Career statistics: 13.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 7.3 APG
Rod Strickland had a relatively short peak, but his prime was very entertaining. With great ball handling and superior speed, Strickland could get into the paint and collapse a defense with ease. He could either finish in highlight fashion at the rim or use his advanced passing abilities to kick the ball out to open teammates. At his best, Strickland was a player who would approach 10 assists nearly every game. He even led the league with 10.5 assists in 1997-98.
That season, Penny Hardaway only played 17 games prior to All-Star weekend, so Strickland most definitely deserved a spot on the All-Star roster. Strickland never had a season as impressive as 1997-98, though, and because of that he never did make an All-Star team.
8. Jason Terry
Career statistics: 13.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 3.8 APG
There are a bunch of great sixth men who didn't ever make the All-Star Game strictly because they predominantly came off the bench. Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams are two such players that come to mind, but Jason Terry is perhaps the best of the bunch.
Terry didn't come off the bench until the back half of his career, though, as he was a starter for the better part of his first eight years in the league. Terry was nicknamed “The Jet” because of his incredible speed, and he was also capable of hitting big shots in big moments. Seemingly any Jason Terry score seemed like it was highlight-worthy, and the guard eventually won a championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, upsetting James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat.
7. Ron Harper
Career statistics: 13.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.9 APG
Ron Harper is best known for being a role player on the Chicago Bulls during the second of their two three-peats, but he was much more than a role player. Harper was a volume scorer and No. 1 option for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers in the '80s and early '90s, before he sacrificed his scoring for the greater good in his later days. He even won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers while playing in this smaller role after his time with the Bulls, bolstering his credentials as a high-impact role player.
Harper's versatility was impressive. His lack of winning in his early days and his lack of scoring production in his later days justify why he never made an All-Star Game. In hindsight, though, he proved he could win and score, and that means he was at least an All-Star level talent. Just as importantly, Harper was a great defender who was above-average for guards at rebounding.
Harper averaged more than 19 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals during an eight-year stretch of his career. Only Michael Jordan and Clyde Drexler had better production during that time period.
6. Marcus Camby
Career statistics: 9.5 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 2.4 BPG
Marcus Camby didn't put up monster scoring numbers, but he was a monster on defense, not to mention more than capable of contributing offensively when his team needed it. While playing alongside a number of stars for six different teams during his career, Camby was usually forced to take a backseat in the scoring department. When he wanted to score, though, Camby was a beast around the rim and even had a nice top-of-the-key jump shot.
Due to bouncing around the league, his reputation as a journeyman might have hurt him when it came to making the All-Star Game. His defense was always top of the pack, though. Camby made four All-Defense Teams, led the league in blocks four times and was even the 2007 Defensive Player of the Year.
There have been plenty of defensive-minded players who were snubbed a time or two from making the All-Star Game, but most elite players on that end got in at some point. Camby is the exception, and he was worthy of being included on an All-Star team at some point in his career.
5. Jamal Murray
Career statistics: 17.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.4 APG
For years, Jamal Murray has been one of the best active players without an All-Star bid to his name. After he once again shined at the biggest stages and helped his Denver Nuggets win the NBA Finals, everyone assumed this was the year the point guard would finally be rewarded with an All-Star appearance. A stacked Western Conference and an untimely ACL injury are the only things that have prevented Murray from making an All-Star Game prior to this season, but the Nuggets have long been one of the best teams in the NBA, with Murray scoring in bunches and operating an unstoppable two-man game with Nikola Jokic.
While an All-Star selection seemed inevitable this year, Murray unfortunately missed 14 of Denver's 49 games prior to the announcement of the All-Star reserves with an injury. Additionally, the All-Star Game is an award for the regular season, and Murray has always been a player who most thrives in the postseason. He averages 17.3 points in the regular season over his career, but his postseason numbers jump up to 24.7 points per game, which is the biggest increase from the regular season to the playoffs in NBA history.
4. Kevin Martin
Career statistics: 17.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.9 APG
Kevin Martin scored at a high volume, but it usually didn't contribute to winning. That stigma prevented him from ever reaching the All-Star Game despite the fact that he scored 24.6 points per game in his best season.
The way Martin scored was also funky. He had an unorthodox shot form and a unique way of attacking the basket. It still led to 17.4 points per game over his career and a six-year stretch averaging over 20 points per game. All-Star Game voters decided that contributing to winning was more important than lofty scoring numbers, and for that reason, Martin went down as one of the best scorers without an All-Star appearance.
3. Al Jefferson
Career statistics: 15.7 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.5 APG
During his later days, the league moved on from Al Jefferson as spacing and defense were prioritized from big man. During his prime, when centers were still mostly asked to be back-to-the-basket scorers, Jefferson was a beast in the paint.
At nearly 300 pounds, nobody could stop Jefferson in his prime. He averaged 23.1 points per game in his best season, and he scored more than 16 points per game for nine straight seasons. Jefferson was another example of a player who played during a time when his conference was stacked with stars at his position. Big men like Dirk Nowitzki, Yao Ming, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Pau Gasol were always going to be chosen over Jefferson for the All-Star Game during his prime.
2. Rudy Gay
Career statistics: 15.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.0 APG
Players who find success early in their career usually find themselves on an All-Star team because they have plenty of time to get voted in. That wasn't the case for Rudy Gay, though. Gay averaged 20.1 points per game by his second season, and he was a consistent force scoring the ball for the next decade. The smooth, athletic forward could get shots off and in from anywhere on the floor, and he thrived both as a self-creator and in catch-and-shoot opportunities.
Gay was a legend for both the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings, with an impressive stint in between with the Toronto Raptors. He was the best player on those teams multiple times, yet he never made the All-Star Game.
1. CJ McCollum
Career statistics: 19.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.8 APG
Context is always important when looking at why certain players have been snubbed from making the All-Star Game. Talent and production have never been the reasons that CJ McCollum has not been selected. Instead, it is because the Western Conference is always stacked with talent at the guard positions during McCollum's prime.
McCollum was always the Robin to Damian Lillard's Batman with the Portland Trail Blazers, but the shooting guard of that backcourt duo was still one of the best scorers in the league, especially from the mid-range. McCollum even had eight straight years scoring more than 20 points per game. He is at 19.1 points per game this season, but there is still a chance that number will increase and he will continue his streak.
McCollum is still a really good player and fringe All-Star with the New Orleans Pelicans. His best days are seemingly past, though, and he is only the third-best player on his team at best. That means it is unlikely that McCollum will ever be named an All-Star in his career, and if that becomes the case, then he will certainly go down as one of the very best players to never appear in an NBA All-Star Game, if not the best.
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