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

DENVER - NOVEMBER 9: Marcus Camby #23 of the Denver Nuggets pumps his fist after a big play against the Sacramento Kings in the fourth quarter on November 9, 2005 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /

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P.J. Brown Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images /

The 25 best NBA players never to make an All-Star game — 17. P.J. Brown

Louisiana native P.J. Brown entered the league in 1992, drafted 29th overall by the New Jersey Nets. The 6’11” big man was likely doomed from the start to never make an All-Star game; he lacked the pedigree and the offensive skill to amass the necessary counting stats.

What Brown did do was carve out a 15-year career as an elite defensive force, a true rim protector who could bang inside with post-up bigs and step out to challenge midrange jumpers. That skill set, while less useful in the 2010s, was the ideal makeup for a low-usage defensive big in the 1990s and 2000s.

He established himself as a vital piece on 11 different playoff teams in his 15 seasons, starting 990 of his career 1089 games. No player has more career starts without an All-Star appearance. Brown was a three-time All-Defensive Team selection, and ranks 53rd all-time in defensive win shares; only Marcus Camby has more among players without an All-Star appearance.

At the tail end of a long career, Brown signed with the Boston Celtics late in the 2007-08 season. He became a key part of their dominant postseason run and eventually celebrated a title along with them, a fitting end to a hard-fought career.

Closest Call: While he put forth elite defensive campaigns during his career, his best shot was likely during his strongest offensive season. In 2002-03, Brown’s first with the New Orleans Hornets, he led the league in offensive rating as he combined efficient finishing with high-percentage free-throw shooting. The Hornets won 47 games that year, and a relatively weak Eastern Conference All-Star field may have had room for him.