Kawhi Leonard, Brandon Ingram and the NBA All-Star Reserve’s biggest grumps are revealed

every year, NBA All-Star Weekend will show the most successful stars of the respective season. Edition 2025-26. will be no different as all-stars from the Western and Eastern Conferences head to Los Angeles for the All-Star Game on February 15th.

The NBA announced the starters for both conferences last month and discovered reserves February 1. While the former qualified through the vote of the citizens in their positions, the latter punched their ticket through the vote of the league’s coaches.

West will see LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker, Jamal Murray, Chet Holmgreen and Danny Avdi as reserves. As for the East, their bench stars will be Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylen Johnson, Pascal Siakam, Norman Powell, Jalen Duren and Scotty Barnes.

Not everyone can make it to the All-Star Game in mid-February. As a result, multiple players could not hear their name on the All-Star roster this year unless injuries occur at the last minute.

Here’s a list of stars who could have earned a spot in 2026 NBA All-Star Game but failed to make the final cut.

Highlights from the 2026 NBA All-Star Game

Kawhi Leonard – Los Angeles Clippers

While injuries may have played a role in preventing Kawhi Leonard from being a major part of the celebration, he has enjoyed a solid season with the Los Angeles Clippers thus far.

In the 34 games he played, Leonard averaged 27.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.1 steals per game. He is shooting 49.6% from the field, including 39.5% from beyond the arc and 93.6% from the free throw line. The Clippers are 18-16 with him and 5-9 without him.

Leonard made six All-Star selections during his career, the last in the 2023-24 season. It’s unfortunate to say the least for a player who has won two championships and two NBA Finals MVP awards, but has yet to win an All-Star.

Brandon Ingram – Toronto Raptors

While Scotty Barnes was set to take home the top prize as the Raptors’ breakout star, Brandon Ingram had a dark horse casket to talk about. However, the coaches did not give him credit in the end.

After an injury-riddled 2024-25 season, Ingram returned to health for Toronto. He averaged 21.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest in 48 appearances. He is making 47.2% of his overall shots, including 36.1% from downtown and 83.3% from the charity stripe.

Ingram last earned an All-Star selection in 2019-20, his first with the New Orleans Pelicans. While other stars get more hype than the star winger, Ingram has shown his ability to help Toronto return as a playoff contender.

Paolo Banchero – Orlando Magic

Paolo Banchero has plenty of time to continue developing his game as one of the best players in the East. However, his second All-Star nod would have to wait another year.

Buncher’s fourth season has seen some ups and downs as Orlando tries to stay in the playoffs. Zvezda’s forward is averaging 21.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game in 37 appearances. He is shooting 46.2% overall, including 29.7% from deep and 76.4% at the line.

While Orlando has made solid progress in building a team that can compete for a playoff spot, the team will need to see Buncher make significant strides in order to earn recognition as one of the conference’s elite.

Alperen Sengun – Houston Rockets

Bursting onto the scene as one of the best centers in the NBA, Alperen Sengun fell short of a second consecutive All-Star selection of his career.

Sengun is in his fifth year in the league with the Houston Rockets, enjoying a strong campaign as the team is in serious contention for the playoffs. He scores 21 points, 9.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists per contest in 40 appearances. He is making 50% of his shots overall, including 30% from three and 68.4% from the free throw line.

Sengun could use the rest to help Houston in the long run, conserving his energy for potentially deep playoff runs the team could make.

Michael Porter Jr. – Brooklyn Nets

Despite having the best season of his NBA career, Michael Porter Jr. will not represent the Brooklyn Nets in Los Angeles as an All-Star.

It might come as a surprise to some when Porter’s numbers are in the picture. He is having a career year with 25.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals per contest in 38 games. He is shooting 48.2% from the field, including 39.8% from downtown, and 85.1% from the charity stripe.

The Nets are having a brutal season as they go through a rebuild. However, the vast improvements Porter has made since joining the team should get the nod.

James Harden – Los Angeles Clippers

Last but not least, James Harden rounds out the list of underachievers.

Harden earned an All-Star selection last season, while Leonard battled through injuries in the regular season, leading the Clippers through ups and downs. With his counterpart healthier this time around, Harden remained very productive in the team’s offense. He averaged 25.4 points, 8.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game in 44 contests. He is shooting 41.9% overall, including 34.7% from deep and 90.1% at the line.

During his career, Harden made 11 All-Star selections. While he’s aware that his prime years are over, he’s still valuable as one of the best veteran stars in the league.