It’s a reality that some worthy players won’t make the NBA All-Star team every year.

This is simply how it goes.

The league boasts a wealth of talent, and with only 24 spots available on the roster, not every player having an All-Star-worthy season can be acknowledged.

These players are referred to as snubs.

With the announcement of the 14 reserves, it’s time to reflect on this year’s selections.

However, remember that if you believe a certain player deserved a spot, you’ll need to think about who would be removed from the current roster—it’s a challenging task.

Regardless, here are the players we think deserved a spot on the All-Star team.

De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings

Currently, Fox ranks 14th in scoring with an average of 25.1 points per game and is regarded as one of the top clutch performers in the league. At 27 years old, Fox is still aiming for his second All-Star appearance. The last time he made it, he averaged 25.0 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.2 rebounds. This season, he is posting averages of 25.1 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.0 rebounds. The main difference is that the Kings were performing well that year, finishing third in the Western Conference, while they started sluggishly this season before showing recent improvement.

Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

Maxey is seemingly the lifeline for the Sixers as he keeps the team competitive amidst Joel Embiid’s injury struggles and Paul George’s inconsistent performances. After earning his first All-Star selection last season, Maxey is having a breakout year, averaging a career-high 27.1 points and only slightly trailing last year’s numbers in rebounds (3.5) and assists (6.0) by just 0.2 percentage points.

Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks

Despite Luka Dončić’s limited play this season—participating in just 22 games—Irving is putting together a solid season, facing increased defensive pressure. Though his scoring, assists, and rebounding stats have dipped slightly compared to last year, he remains a formidable long-range shooter, hitting a career-best 41.9% of his three-point attempts.

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

Young presents a fascinating case for All-Star snubs. He leads the league in assists per game (11.4), outpacing the second-leading assist provider, Nikola Jokić, by 1.3 assists. Young has accumulated 78 more assists than Jokić, despite the latter playing only two fewer games. However, Young’s scoring is at its lowest since his rookie campaign, averaging 22.7 points per game, with a career-low shooting percentage of 40.2%. Additionally, his defense has not been impressive, though the Hawks have been more competitive this season.

Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings

Sabonis is frequently underrated, yet he consistently produces strong numbers. He leads the league in rebounding, averaging 14.5 boards per game, along with 20.9 points and 6.6 assists. He often serves as the focal point for Sacramento’s offensive strategies and holds the third spot in the NBA for triple-doubles with eight. However, the challenge for Sabonis is the overloaded frontcourt talent in the Western Conference, raising the question of which player would need to be sidelined for him to be included.

Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls

LaVine didn’t receive much serious All-Star consideration, possibly due to his frequent mention in trade rumors and the Bulls’ struggle to find success—currently sitting eight games below .500. Nonetheless, LaVine has made strides in efficiency, posting career highs in shooting percentages: 51.1% from the field and 44.6% from beyond the arc. Remarkably, he ranks fifth in three-point percentage among players with at least 100 attempts and first among those with over 200, with 305 three-point attempts this season.