As the former generation of NBA superstars slowly loses to Father Time. A new generation of NBA stars is on the rise to superstardom. Last season, four players made their first All-Star game, taking their first steps to superstardom. Another three players made their first All-NBA appearance, solidifying their status as rising superstars. Which three players are ready to begin their rise to superstar status next season, making their first All-NBA team appearance in the 2024-25 season?
3 Players Ready for an All-NBA Jump Next Season
Bam Adebayo
Bam Adebayo has been one of the best defenders in the league for the past five seasons, earning five All-Defense team selections and five top-five finishes in Defensive Player-of-the-Year voting. Over those past five seasons, Adebayo has made three All-Star teams but has yet to make an All-NBA team. Last season, Adebayo showed exceptional growth as a three-point shooter, finishing the season taking 1.6 threes a night during the last 17 games. Adebayo finished the 2023-24 season with 15 made threes after making just eight in his first six seasons in the NBA. During the Olympics, Adebayo kept shooting threes, launching nine in his limited playing time, connecting on three. With Adebayo adding an outside shot to his arsenal and everything else he does at a high level on both ends of the court. He is ready to make the jump to being an All-NBA player.
Tyrese Maxey
With the Philiadepa 76ers moving on from James Harden last season, all eyes were on Tyrese Maxey and how good he would be. Maxey more than lived up to expectations, making his first All-Star team and winning the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. Maxey averaged 25.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists for the season on 57% true shooting, which earned him votes for All-NBA. What stopped Maxey’s campaign for All-NBA was the 76ers free-failing once Joel Embiid got injured at the end of January. In games without Embiid following his injury, the 76ers went 16-27, plummeting down the standings.
However, when you look at the games without Embiid and with Maxey, the 76ers went 14-20. While he couldn’t keep them above 500 without Maxey, the 76ers would have been fighting for ninth and had an even more challenging road to the postseason. Last season, Maxey showed he can produce at a near All-NBA. With another year under his belt, he is poised to make the jump All-NBA this coming season.
Paolo Banchero
Paolo Banchero has lived up to the expectations that come with being the first overall pick. He won Rookie of the Year and, in year two, made his first All-Star team, being the first in his draft class. On a team level, Banchero has done what you hope a first-pick can do: turn your franchise into a winning one again. Banchero led the Magic to the fifth seed in the 2023-24 season, leading the team in points, rebounds, and assists. Banchero joins Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic as the only players to achieve this feat last season. Of course, Banchero isn’t on the same level as the other two, but it speaks to his ability to impact every area of the game.
Banchero can do everything on the court, and in the playoffs, he showed he can score with the best. Dropping 27 points a night against the Cavaliers. If Banchero keeps his scoring close to what he did in the playoffs, All-NBA is right there for him.
