Each year, just 12 worthy NBA players from each conference are selected for the All-Star team. With 72 previous All-Star games, there have been at least 450 players throughout NBA history who have made at least one team.
That being said, it can be easy to forget which players have been rewarded with that honor, with more than a few players making only one or two all-star teams over the course of a long or even sometimes short NBA career. With that being said, here are 30 players you forgot were NBA All-Stars.
32) Nick Van Exel
Point guard Nick Van Exel was a journeyman throughout his NBA career, playing for a total of six teams over his 13 seasons. However, he is primarily remembered for his time with the Lakers, where he quickly made a name for himself.
He spent the first five seasons of his career in Los Angeles and was the team's starting point guard during the early years of the Shaq and Kobe Lakers. With Van Exel running the point, they made the Western Conference Finals during the 1997–98 season and Van Exel was named to his first and only all-star team that year, averaging 13.8 points per game and 6.9 assists per game.
Despite that, he was later traded to the Denver Nuggets and proved to be a steady playmaker who was known for his speed, 3-point shooting, and for his potent floater. He spent the next four seasons in Denver and posted the best numbers of his career, averaging a terrific 17.7 points and 8.4 assists.
Despite that, he failed to make the all-star team again, largely thanks to his playing in a loaded Western Conference that featured other guards such as Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, John Stockton, and Gary Payton. Still, he was an above-average point guard for the majority of his 13-year career.