Nearly two weeks after voting for the 2026 NBA All-Star game launched, we found out which players have received the most by fans, with only one Miami Heat player cracking the top-20 in the East.
No, it’s not three-time All-Star Bam Adebayo, or one-time All-Star Tyler Herro, who has missed 27 of the team’s 33 games due to myriad lower-body injuries.
Instead, it’s Norman Powell, who’s been arguably the team’s best offensive player this season. Powell, 32, who has never made an All-Star team, came in No. 18 of 20 East players listed. He’s trailing Joel Embiid, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, Josh Giddy, OG Anunoby and LaMelo Ball, among others, in the fan vote.
The voting won’t be concluded until Jan. 14. Fan votes account for 50 percent of the starters, 25 percent from the media and 25 percent from players themselves. Though the seven reserves from each conference will be chosen by the coaches only.
It will be an uphill battle for Norman Powell to make an All-Star team:
There’s no questioning how good Powell’s been for Miami in his first season with the organization. Across 28 games, he’s averaging 23.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals across 31.2 minutes per game. He’s shooting 47.9 percent from the floor, 39.8 percent from 3-point range and 86.7 percent from the free-throw line.
But this will be the first year that it’s positionless — as they are debuting a new round-robin format with two American teams (8 players each) and one international team.
Of course, there could be an imbalance as to how many American-born players versus international players make the team. In that case, commissioner Adam Silver noted in November that he would pick as many All-Stars as required to fill the respective minimums (16 for USA, 8 for world).
However, that still leaves an uphill climb for Powell. Barring injury, you could pencil in Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Brunson, Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Brunson, Jaylen Brown and Kevin Durant as All-Stars (USA).
That’s eight. Here’s the next tier (or two), where Powell is (in no specific order):
- LeBron James
- Karl-Anthony Towns
- Jalen Johnson
- Brandon Ingram
- Devin Booker
- Austin Reaves (injured)
- Mikal Bridges
- James Harden
- Chet Holmgren
- LaMelo Ball
- Michael Porter Jr.
Powell’s well within that mix, but it’s not going to be an easy list to crack. There’s more international talent, but the top of Team USA is also a damn good one.
All in all, it would be very cool to see Powell, who’s been instrumental to the team’s success offensively through 33 games, finally get that call, however.
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I hope he will have his all star game. He is that good.
Powell is the only one on the team who deserves consideration for the all-star team. I hope Riley signs him up for an extension very soon! He is the Heat’s SG of the next few years.
Herro is not a natural PG and prefers not to play the position. Therefore, the handwriting is on the wall. Play Herro with the second unit. If it improves the team, keep him until next summer and decide what to do with him then. If not, trade him if a good opportunity comes along, preferably to a western conference team.