5 players most likely to make their first NBA All-Star team in 2019

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4. De’Aaron Fox

It is not hyperbole in the slightest to say the Sacramento Kings have been the biggest surprise so far of the 2018-19 season. After amassing just 27 wins last year, the Kings have already won 19 before Jan. 1 and are right in the thick of the playoff picture out west.

The biggest reason for Sacramento’s success has been the play of second-year guard De’Aaron Fox. With all the attention surrounding playoff-bound rookies like Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell and Ben Simmons, his name was rarely mentioned throughout last season.

This season, however, has seen De’Aaron steal most of that coverage for himself with increased numbers across the board, including a massive uptick in both field goal and 3-point percentage.

Coaches like to reward winning, but what they probably like even more is to give credit to both players and teams exceeding expectations.

Nobody could’ve thought the Kings would be this good this soon. After all, they just had the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and are being led by a floor general barely old enough to enter his local bar.

It’ll be some time before coaches are tasked with filling out the roster, and Sacramento may have fallen back down to earth by then, but if not, there’s no reason the organization shouldn’t be represented by one of the brightest young stars in the game today.