The Fast Break Forum All-Stars

Daniel Waddleton

April 10, 2025

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THE TIME HAS come. It's time for the selection of this seasons Fast Break Forum All-Stars.

Unfamiliar? Well here are the rules.

• I picked 12 players in the same format they used for the All-Star game.

• I'm not allowed to select anybody who made the All-Star game this season.

• I can pick whoever the heck I want.

Pretty simple. This isn't a list of the best guys that weren't all stars this season. I simply just cover the season, pick 12 non-all stars I really enjoyed watching, and that's that.

Here are the 2025 Fast Break Forum All-Stars.

Starters

Backcourt: Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers

Reaves was having his best offensive season to date for a Lakers team that really needed his on-ball creation -- putting up 19.2 points and 6.1 assists per game on 60.1% true shooting through February 11th. When Luka Doncic arrived, there were questions about how his production and efficiency would hold up playing next to two high-usage stars in Luka and LeBron James. Foolish thought experiment, because now he’s averaging 22.3 points and 5.3 assists on 63.6% true shooting since February 11th. Every time we try to give him a ceiling, he makes everyone look dumb and forces a re-evaluation. He’s turned into one of the better offensive players in the league, and soon enough, he’s going to be making the real All-Star Game.

Backcourt: Kris Dunn, Los Angeles Clippers

When it comes to point-of-attack defense, few can match what Dunn has been doing this season. Good luck trying to screen him -- nobody has seemed to figure out how yet. Dribbling around him is a safety hazard, and he’s constantly disrupting passing lanes even when he’s off the ball. While a lot of players on this roster deserve credit for the Clippers’ second-ranked defense, Dunn has been the head of the snake in a lot of ways. I’m really excited to see him get his first taste of high-leverage playoff basketball, watching opposing point guards try to run offense with Dunn on their hip.

Frontcourt: Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets

Speaking of defensive playmakers, we might be talking about the best one in basketball. Some people are still wondering if Amen Thompson is actually from Earth, because his 100th percentile athleticism just doesn’t make sense. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a defensive player with his combination of physical tools, motor, and IQ. He makes two or three plays defensively a night that instantly make you rewind your TV.

What’s been even more encouraging, though, is his offense. Despite being a very poor shooter that teams are happy to ignore on the perimeter, he’s found ways to stay impactful. On-ball, he still gets to the rim constantly with his insane burst and tight handle. Off the ball, he contributes as a cutter, screener, and offensive rebounder. Add in the passing feel he possesses, and you start to wonder if he might be the first non-center in NBA history where we don’t have to say, “Yeah, but imagine if he gets a jumper.”

Frontcourt: Isaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City Thunder

Hartenstein made too much sense for the Thunder to go after this offseason -- a big, physical body who could rebound the hell out of the ball was exactly what they were missing. Yet, the returns have been even better than expected. The team is +11.9 per 100 possessions in the minutes he plays, and it’s been his connective passing more than anything that’s fit in seamlessly with this roster. Sure, the offensive rebounds are great, and it’s nice having a big body to bang with the Jokic’s of the world, but IHart’s ability to be a release valve when teams blitz SGA, or a DHO partner for Jalen Williams to help grease the wheels of the bench unit has made him one of the most important pieces on this 65-win Thunder team.

Frontcourt: Ivica Zubac, Los Angeles Clippers

A second Clipper makes the FBF All-Star starters! Unlike Dunn, who’s been an unsung hero, Ivica Zubac has been the MVP of this team, and everybody knows it. Averaging 16.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists (all career highs) across 76 games, even those numbers don’t fully capture his impact. He’s been the centerpiece of what the Clippers do: a perfect pick-and-roll partner for James Harden, an efficient post-up threat averaging 1.06 points per possession, and the anchor of their defense night in and night out.

The Clippers hold a 108.3 defensive rating with him on the court and are 6.1 points better defensively when he plays. That on/off swing is likely a byproduct of opponents taking 4.6% fewer shots at the rim with Zubac in the game -- a 95th percentile mark league-wide. He ranks fifth in the NBA in estimated wins this season (based on Estimated Plus-Minus and total minutes played), trailing only SGA, Jokic, Giannis, and Tatum. Nobody has made a bigger two-year leap than Zubac, and he’s at the heart of this Clippers team’s unexpectedly awesome season.

Reserves

Backcourt: Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers

You want to take a guess who ranks first in the entire NBA in perimeter isolation defense this season, according to Basketball Index? If his name wasn’t sitting right here, you probably wouldn’t have gotten it, but yes, it’s Andrew Nembhard. Sure, he’s guarding opposing guards nearly 73% of the time -- less than guys like Lu Dort or Jaden McDaniels, who take on all shapes and sizes -- but that doesn’t mean Nembhard isn’t elite at what he does. He hounds opposing point guards for all 94 feet, making them uncomfortable the entire time he’s on the floor. He's also a solid secondary ball handler, making him a nice two-way fit next to Tyrese Haliburton.

Backcourt: Ty Jerome, Cleveland Cavaliers

I was honestly surprised to see Jerome on the court the first Cavaliers game I watched this season, but man, I'm glad Kenny Atkinson had so much faith in him after their time together in Golden State. Jerome has been a huge part of this team’s success in his 20 minutes a night, averaging 22.5 points per 75 possessions on +5.6 relative true shooting. The advanced stats love him -- his 3.1 EPM ranks in the 93rd percentile. He’s allowed the Cavs to keep their two-guard creator model rolling even when Garland or Mitchell go to the bench, with the team posting a 124.2 offensive rating in his minutes. If he keeps this up through the postseason, a well-earned payday is coming this summer.

Frontcourt: Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers

In the running for the most underrated defensive player in basketball, Toumani Camara has defended just about every offensive archetype at a high level this season. From Nikola Jokic to Kevin Durant to Damian Lillard, there’s hardly a star the 6'7 wing hasn’t given fits. He’s also been an effective weakside rim protector and a solid rebounder. Offensively, still a work and progress, but at 24 years old, there’s plenty of room to grow. Shame the Suns traded him for Jusuf Nurkic -- he would’ve been a perfect fit next to their offensive stars!

Frontcourt: PJ Washington, Dallas Mavericks

In a season so awful that not even a nightmare could’ve drawn it up this bad, Washington’s continued ascent has been one of the lone bright spots for Dallas. He’s turned into a legit defender -- able to stay in front of perimeter players while also disrupting shots around the rim. His quickness and 7'2 wingspan allows him to show in gaps and still recover out to shooters. Offensively, he’s looked sharp handling the ball and attacking the rim, and he’s suddenly knocking down 37.1% of his threes on over four attempts per game. It’s a shame we likely won’t get to see him this postseason, because he’s become exactly the kind of role player built for playoff basketball.

Frontcourt: Al Horford, Boston Celtics

I mean… is this guy ever gonna age? At 38 years old, Horford is still giving Boston 27 minutes a night of switchable defense, rim protection, spot-up shooting, and even the occasional drive-and-kick. He’s timeless and still integral to what Boston wants to do, backed by the team’s +12 per 100 net rating with him on the floor and his +3.7 on/off. More than anything, he’s the ultimate locker room guy -- nobody’s had a bad word to say about him in 18 seasons!

Wild Card: Dorian Finney-Smith, Los Angeles Lakers

I forgot how much I loved me some Finney-Smith before he joined the Lakers. Elite role players like him can sometimes get lost in the NBA shuffle when they’re stuck on bad teams and the little things go unnoticed in meaningless games, but since landing in L.A., I’ve been obsessed. He’s a long, rangy defender who can kind of guard anybody, and has some great hands. His 38.6% from three is just the icing on the cake with all the open shots guys like Luka and LeBron generate. Figures that when you build the ideal wing role player in a lab, he ends up with a +14.9 on/off per 100 since joining the Lakers.

Wild Card: AJ Green, Milwaukee Bucks

For my final Wildcard spot, I went with someone who’s gotten almost no media attention but has quietly had a strong season for an otherwise disappointing Milwaukee team. Green has been flat-out one of the best shooters in the league, hitting 42.9% from three and giving the Bucks’ stars some much-needed spacing. He’s not just a spot-up guy either -- he’s a legit movement shooter, especially effective in inverted pick-and-pops with Giannis. And while defense hasn’t exactly been Milwaukee’s calling card this year, Green has quietly been one of their more reliable perimeter defenders.