Andrew Schlecht and Alex Speers of The Athletic NBA Daily were joined by Trill Bro Dude and Sam Sheehan of the You Know Ball Podcast to discuss and draft their picks for first-time NBA All-Stars in the 2025-26 season.
Here were their selections:
Alex | Sam | Andrew | Trill | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Round 1 | Franz Wagner | Desmond Bane | Jalen Johnson | Amen Thompson |
Round 2 | Josh Giddey | Cooper Flagg | Chet Holmgren | Ivica Zubac |
Round 3 | Jamal Murray | Derrick White | Deni Avdija | Cam Thomas |
Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija was the 11th pick off the board. Schlecht justified his selection, highlighting Avdija's end-of-season stretch and Portland's offseason moves as factors that could lead to an All-Star season.
"In 20 games post All-Star break last year, 23, 9, and 5 for Deni, which feels like a lot. I don't know if he can get back to that. He was also shooting 41 percent from three and 50 percent from the field during that stretch. No Anfernee Simons here. Who's taking all the shots is the question you have to ask yourself."
Did the Blazers land an All-Star in Deni Avdija?
Unsurprisingly, the first three picks were from the Eastern Conference. It will be an uphill battle for Avdija to make his first All-Star appearance in the loaded Western Conference. But it's not out of the question. Speers noted that, dating back to 1997, on average, there are over six first-time NBA All-Stars per season. Last season, there were exactly six: Cade Cunningham, Tyler Herro, Jalen Williams, Evan Mobley, Victor Wembanyama, and Alperen Sengun.
Avdija has a better chance to represent the Blazers in the West than many would expect. There's a reason he's tied for having the best odds to win Most Improved Player of the Year next season on DraftKings. The stars could align for Avdija in 2025-26 if he carries the momentum over into next season, just entering his prime while Portland's offseason moves pave the way for him to take on an increased role as the No. 1 option from the start.
"40 percent of the 20-point games scored by the Blazers last season came from Anfernee Simons, Deandre Ayton, and... Dalano Banton, of course, who had nine 20-point games... They lost a ton of scoring. I know you said his stats seem a little inflated. Deni Avdija is really scoring 19 a game? I think it could go up, just because who is going to score on this team?" Speers added.
Trill Bro Dude (what a name) brought up the most significant factor in Avdija's All-Star case: he's simply Portland's best player. Many other names on this list are on better teams than the Blazers, making them second and third options. Avdija was arguably the No. 1 option for the Blazers last season once his shot settled and he embraced his role as their point-forward. But now, there's no debate that this is Avdija's team (until someone like Scoot Henderson or Shaedon Sharpe proves otherwise).
The Blazers invested in Avdjia through subtraction this summer. Players like Jrue Holiday and rookie Yang Hansen are significantly less ball-dominant than Simons, Ayton, and Banton. The Blazers may have doubled down on their defense too much, leaving serious questions about whether their offense will be enough to make a play-in spot. But Portland's loss is going to be Avdija's gain this season. They will have to rely on him more than they should. It will increase Avdija's numbers across the board, and potentially even result in his first All-Star appearance.