Who are the most likely first-time All-Stars in 2017?

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http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/17393774/will-kristaps-porzingis-karl-anthony-towns-hassan-whiteside-all-stars-2017-nba

Which players will break through to All-Star status this upcoming NBA season? Will second-year stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porzingis make the leap or is this finally the time for veterans like Gordon Hayward and DeAndre Jordan?


Last year, I tried to predict the answer to that question and the results weren't great. While my No. 1 (Kawhi Leonard) and No. 4 (Andre Drummond) candidates both appeared in Toronto, I thought Draymond Green wouldn't have much of a chance because the Golden State Warriors would regress (whoops!) and didn't even consider Isaiah Thomas, then projected as the Boston Celtics' sixth man.

Like a budding NBA All-Star, I'm going to shake off those misses and boldly attempt to predict who might be new this year in New Orleans.

1. Karl Anthony Towns

Minnesota Timberwolves
Frontcourt
Age: 20
Exp.: 1 year

Many of the NBA's biggest one-and-done stars like Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving and Derrick Rose made their All-Star debuts in their second seasons, and Towns is poised to join them. Towns was already a fringe All-Star candidate as a rookie, and improvement by the Timberwolves should make him a more viable contender.

It's possible Towns could become the league's best center this year, and that would certainly give him a good shot at the All-Star Game.

9. Andrew Wiggins

Minnesota Timberwolves
Frontcourt
Age: 21
Exp.: 2 years

Now we're into long-shot territory.

While Wiggins ranked 20th in the league with 20.7 PPG as a sophomore, the rest of his game wasn't close to All-Star caliber. Putting him in the top 10 is a nod to the possibility that Wiggins could blossom quickly under Tom Thibodeau, particularly at the defensive end. Still, it's hard to see him outplaying Towns or Minnesota getting a pair of All-Stars.