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With regards to the point guard spot, the names Chris Paul, Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard seem synonymous with the term “All-Star.” Though these names are without a doubt the best in their position, it doesn't mean that there's no space for a few more. After all, almost every season, NBA fans see up-and-coming talents rise up and boot out such familiar names.
With this reality in mind, there are four point guards to watch out for in the 2020-21 NBA season. Keep your eyes peeled as this might be the first time in their careers they'll be named as All-Stars.
LaMelo Ball – Charlotte Hornets
Not including LaMelo in this list is just a travesty. Being crowned Rookie of the Year last season was enough proof that the hype surrounding him was real. LaMelo has the gift of vision and the passing inherent in him. He's just like his older brother Lonzo Ball—but a bit better. Not just that, but LaMelo already has a reliable shooting stroke in his toolbox.
As we all know, being named as an All-Star means that you also have to be popular with the fans and not just blessed with basketball skills. LaMelo, thanks to his gregarious father LaVar Ball, has been amassing fame even before he set foot in the NBA. LaMelo further propelled his fame after fans realized that he's the real deal. There's little doubt that the 2021-22 NBA season will mark his first stint as an All-Star.
Jamal Murray – Denver Nuggets
It's unfortunate that Murray has yet to become an All-Star. After all, whenever people mention the Nuggets, it's not just Nikola Jokic who comes to mind. Murray, for the past few years, has been the second best player on the team. In the Nuggets' back-to-back 3-1 comebacks in the 2020 NBA Playoffs, many people believed that Murray was the best player.
Murray's value to the Nuggets was further highlighted last season. To recall, he went down with an ACL injury which made him miss the entire postseason. The result? The Nuggets, even with league MVP Jokic in the fold, got swept in the Western Conference Semifinals. In the coming season, perhaps fans will finally realize that like Jokic, Murray is an All-Star too.
Ja Morant – Memphis Grizzlies
Morant may be the fastest rising star in the point guard spot today. In his rookie season, he almost guided the Grizzlies to the NBA Playoffs via the play-in tournament. He continued his stellar play in his sophomore year by finally guiding his team to a postseason appearance for the first time since 2017.
Apart from this, Morant's style is very appealing to the eyes. He's fast, he's athletic, he involves his teammates. And more importantly, he has a serious arsenal of nasty dunks up in his sleeve. Morant has all the tools and the popularity to become a perennial All-Star in the NBA. Don't be surprised if he does so in the years to come.
De'Aaron Fox – Sacramento Kings
Fox may be the black sheep in this list primarily because the Kings have struggled mightily as an organization for the past few years. The last time they made the NBA Playoffs was in 2006. Winning is really all that matters in this sport. Fox averaged a career-best 25.2 points per game last season but this was not enough to lead the Kings even at least to the play-in tournament. This could be just a team issue, particularly a coaching one. The Kings have very good players on the roster but Luke Walton can't seem to utilize them properly.
Despite this odd situation, we should continue to hope that fans will finally realize that Fox is a special talent to watch out for. Maybe there's a good reason why the Kings front office hasn't fired Walton. Maybe the 2021-22 NBA season will be the team's year. Maybe Fox will finally gain the respect he deserves.
