In the NBA, players that make the All-Star team tend to be scorers above all. Or great point guards. But usually, regardless of position, it’s a player who can put points on the board. Which is pretty important. The Nets have gone years without an All-Star. For more on that, here’s the NY Post:
The Nets have not had an All-Star in four years, and it has been far longer since they had a young franchise player to build around. They’re convinced D’Angelo Russell can be that, but only if he buys in and gets more consistent.
“Nobody in this arena will question his talent. You just want him to do it consistently,” said DeMarre Carroll, 31, who has been tasked with taking Russell under his wing. “D’Angelo’s probably the closest thing we have to an All-Star on our team if he did it consistently. Me, being his big brother, being a leader, I just challenge him to come in and hit it hard every day…
The Nets haven’t had an All-Star since 32-year-old Joe Johnson in 2013-14. That might be unrealistic, but they have bet high on the 22-year-old Russell, who dealt with a knee surgery that cost him 32 straight games.
“We’ve got a long way to go, me and him,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “But he’s headed in the right direction. With each game I compare it to a rookie quarterback, second, third-year quarterback not forcing it into tight areas. His shot selection’s improving, defensively he’s getting after it. I’m just pleased. There’s a serenity to him now.”
