The 25 best NBA players to never make an All-Star team

Bibby was routinely one of the league's best point guards for a while in the 2000s, during stints in Sacramento and Atlanta. From 2004 to 2006, for example, he averaged about 20 points and 6 assists per game for some good Kings teams. Still, Bibby wasn't getting All-Star nods over other Western Conference guards like Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, and Steve Nash.

Standing at 5'3", it's a miracle Bogues was in the NBA at all. He had some terrific years for the Hornets in the '90s, though. During his strongest stretch, from 1990 to 1995, he averaged a hair under 10 points, 10 assists, and a couple steals per night

Camby never wowed with his offense stats, which certainly hurt his All-Star prospects. He was one of the league's most feared defenders of the late '90s and 2000s, though. Camby led the league in blocks per game four times and won the Defensive Player Of The Year award in 2007.

With Lakers teammates like Kareem, Magic, and Worthy, Cooper wasn't counted upon on the offensive end. Instead, he made his mark on defense. For much of the '80s, he was one of the NBA's best perimeter defenders and was the Defensive Player Of The Year in 1987, a rare honor for a guard.

For much of his career, Crawford either was on teams that didn't enjoy much success or he wasn't his squad's primary scoring option. Still, he was regularly one of the biggest offensive threats in the league and one of the best spark plugs off the bench, as evidenced by this three Sixth Man Of The Year awards.

Stephen Curry has been the franchise player in Golden State for nearly two decades, but before that, the Warriors were Ellis's team. He earned it through hard work, picking up the Most Improved Player award in 2007. By 2010, he had upped his scoring output to 25 points per contest.

Gay was a borderline All-Star for a long time. For ten seasons, between 2008 and 2017, he averaged at least 17 points per game every year. That included a statistical peak of about 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists per game in 2015, his first full season in Sacramento.

Jefferson was a promising young big in his early seasons with Boston, although the Celtics faithful were initially skeptical about including him in the package to acquire Kevin Garnett. He went on to flourish during stops in Minnesota, Utah, and Charlotte, though. There were three seasons in which he averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, including 2014, when he was named to the third-team All-NBA.

In the latter half of his career, the part of his past that modern fans are most likely to remember, Jefferson was a solid veteran role player, most notably for the title-winning Cavs in 2016. Starting his career in New Jersey, though, Jefferson was part of a solid trio with Jason Kidd and Vince Carter. He was one of the team's scoring leaders in 2005 and 2008, averaging 22 a game both seasons.

Eddie Johnson, the longtime Atlanta Hawk, made a couple of All-Star teams. Eddie Johnson, who entered the league in 1981 and played with several different teams, made none. He had a few 20-points-per-game seasons, though, including in 1989 when he was named the Sixth Man Of The Year.

After spending his early 20s as one of Europe's biggest basketball stars, Kukoč made his way to the NBA. He wore a variety of hats during his time with the Bulls. In 1996, he was the Sixth Man Of The Year, and in the lockout-shortened 1999 season, he was Chicago's leading scorer.

Maxwell was a complementary piece when the Celtics won their titles in 1981 and 1984. In 1979, though, he was the guy, averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds a night as the team's offensive leader. He showed up once again in 1981, winning the Finals MVP trophy.

Martin was one of the best pure scorers of his era. From 2007 to 2011, he averaged 22 points a night, including a peak of just under 25 a game for the Kings in 2009. The issue, though, was that he didn't exactly spend a lot of time on winning teams, which hurt his All-Star chances.

Miller racked up a couple of big-time NBA accolades: Rookie Of The Year and Sixth Man Of The Year. He never quite nabbed an All-Star nod, though. Perhaps his best season was 2007, when he averaged 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game as part of a two-man scoring punch alongside Pau Gasol.

With over 8,500 career dimes, Miller is just outside of the top 10 of the all-time leaderboard for career assists in NBA history. He even led the league in assists per game in 2002, with just under 11 per game. He also averaged 16 points per game that season, giving him his best shot at the All-Star berth he ultimately never got.

Odom won titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010, but at this point in his career, he was a complementary piece. He had a more prominent role earlier in his career, as seen in 2001 when he averaged 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. But, when he was the focal point, his teams just didn't succeed.

Petrović was on his way to becoming an All-Star. In 1993, he made the All-NBA Third Team, averaging 22 points per game. But, after that season, in 1993, he died in a car crash, cutting a promising career tragically short.

Prince was part of the core of the successful Pistons teams of the 2000s, including the 2004 squad that went all the way. His play style was understated, but his impact was invaluable, with consistent scoring and lockdown defense. Ultimately, being an All-NBA defender wasn't enough to send him to All-Star Weekend.

J-Rich was one of the league's all-time most ferocious dunkers, but his game extended well beyond the highlights. He was a strong scorer for Golden State, averaging as many as 23 points per game in 2006. The issue was that his statistical peak didn't align with his time on good teams.

After becoming a college star as part of the "Fab Five" at Michigan, it took Rose a few years to find his footing in the NBA. Then, he won the Most Improved Player Award in 2000 and averaged at least 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists per night for three straight years. His Pacers and Bulls teams in those seasons were middling, though, not enough to get Rose to the All-Star Game.

Like Michael Cooper from earlier in this list, Scott had the unenviable task of standing out among All-NBA teammates. He actually did in 1988, when he led the Lakers in scoring. It was his three teammates (Kareem, Magic, and Worthy) who made the All-Star Game that year, though.

The Hawks were often a threat in the 2000s, and Smith was a big part of it. There was a stretch of five years or so where he was one of the league's best shot-blockers and defenders overall, and his scoring in the mid-to-high teens was also valuable. But it was teammates like Joe Johnson and Al Horford who were All-Stars instead of him.

Strickland is one of the NBA's most prolific passers ever, and he's only a few spots behind Andre Miller on the all-time assists list. He even made the All-NBA second team in 1998, when he averaged over 10 assists per game, leading the league in that category, and also nearly 18 points per game. Strickland had a good handful of seasons with similar numbers, but like so many other All-Star-ish players, his teams' lack of success didn't help his odds.

Every season from 2008 to 2012, Terry finished at least third in Sixth Man Of The Year voting, winning the award in 2009. He was one of the league's best 3-point shooters before the modern era, and he was good for at least a few assists per game, too. Despite his offensive impact, though, he finished his career as an All-Star snub.

Like Jason Terry, Williams was almost always in contention for the Sixth Man Of The Year award. He won it three times, but he never got to play at All-Star Weekend. His statistical peak was in 2018, when he averaged over 22 points and 5 assists for the Clippers, but they were a .500 team and didn't produce any All-Stars that year.