Who are candidates to make their first NBA all-star team this season

But USA Basketball’s training camp at UNLV last week was a reminder that there will be plenty of talent on display as the tournament progresses to its Sept. 10 gold medal game in the Philippines. The Americans started all-stars Anthony Edwards, Brandon Ingram and Jaren Jackson Jr. in their opening exhibition win against Puerto Rico last week, alongside two players who could earn their first invitations to the NBA’s midseason showcase this season.

As a reminder, the 2023 All-Star Game in Salt Lake City included six first-timers: Gilgeous-Alexander, Edwards, Jackson, Tyrese Haliburton, De’Aaron Fox and Lauri Markkanen. Here’s a look at the top candidates to make their all-star debuts at the 2024 event, which is set for Feb. 18 in Indianapolis.

Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks): The 26-year-old point guard has unexpectedly climbed into this conversation after slipping to the second round of the 2018 draft and coming off the bench for most of his first three seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. After signing with the Knicks in 2022 on the heels of a breakout season alongside Doncic, Brunson turned in a career year by averaging 24.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game while guiding a top-five offense. The Villanova product was one of last year’s biggest all-star snubs; Knicks forward Julius Randle wound up being the team’s only representative.

Ironically, Brunson’s path to a 2024 all-star spot got a boost when Kyrie Irving was traded by the Brooklyn Nets to the Mavericks, who desperately needed a Brunson replacement, last February. While Brunson lacks elite size and athleticism, he more than makes up for it with craft and intelligence. USA Basketball Coach Steve Kerr said that Brunson, who ranked 13th in the league in Win Shares last season, quickly established himself as the FIBA World Cup team’s heart and soul.

“Jalen is such a natural leader,” Kerr said. “He’s the one who’s leading the ‘1-2-3, U-S-A’ chant. Some guys, it just comes naturally to them.”

Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets): As the centerpiece of Brooklyn’s blockbuster haul for Kevin Durant, Bridges wasted no time settling in as the new-look Nets’ No. 1 option. This was quite the transformation: The 26-year-old forward spent four-plus seasons with Phoenix as a complementary three-and-D weapon flanking Chris Paul and Devin Booker before averaging 26.1 points on 18.6 shots in 27 games with Brooklyn after the midseason trade.

While the retooling Nets can’t expect Bridges to emerge as a…