Toronto Raptors Star Scottie Barnes Secures Second NBA All-Star Nod
The Toronto Raptors' franchise cornerstone, Scottie Barnes, has been honored with his second NBA All-Star selection, a testament to his exceptional performance and leadership during the 2025-2026 season. This recognition comes as the Raptors have unexpectedly climbed the Eastern Conference standings, showcasing their resilience and growth.
Barnes' Impressive Statistical Season
Barnes has been putting up career-best numbers, averaging 19.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game. His shooting efficiency has also reached new heights, with a field goal percentage of 50.1% and a free throw percentage of 82.5%. Notably, he leads all NBA players in stocks, a combined metric of steals and blocks, underscoring his defensive prowess.
This selection solidifies Barnes' status as one of the league's elite two-way players. He is a strong candidate for All-NBA and All-Defensive Team honors, should his current trajectory continue. His previous All-Star appearance was two years ago, making this a significant milestone in his young career.
Historical Context for the Raptors
With this achievement, Barnes joins an exclusive group of Raptors players who have earned multiple All-Star selections with the team. The list includes:
- Vince Carter
- Chris Bosh
- Kyle Lowry
- DeMar DeRozan
- Pascal Siakam
In the past six seasons, only Barnes and Siakam (each twice) and Fred VanVleet (once) have represented Toronto as All-Stars. The Raptors have not had a player voted in as a starter since Siakam in the 2019-2020 season, which ended a streak of at least six consecutive years with a Raptor starter.
Coach's Expectations and Ingram's Omission
Prior to the announcement, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic expressed optimism, stating, "I expect to have at least two all-stars announced tonight." He highlighted the team's achievements in their second year of a rebuild and praised both Barnes and leading scorer Brandon Ingram for their performances.
However, Ingram, who has one previous All-Star appearance, was not selected this year. Rajakovic will need to address this with fellow Eastern Conference head coaches, who chose Barnes but overlooked Ingram. This decision comes despite Toronto's strong position, entering Sunday fourth in the conference and on pace to match last season's win total of 30.
Full All-Star Selections and Notable Snubs
The All-Star starters for the East include Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey, Cade Cunningham, and Giannis Antetokounmpo (injured, likely to be replaced). West starters are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Steph Curry, Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokic. This year features three teams, including one composed of world players.
Key reserve selections include:
- East: Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell.
- West: Jamal Murray (first-time All-Star), LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker, Chet Holmgren, Deni Avdija.
Notable snubs include Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Alperen Sengun in the West, and Michael Porter Jr. and Brandon Ingram in the East. The teams will be finalized on Tuesday.
This All-Star recognition for Barnes not only celebrates his individual excellence but also signals a bright future for the Toronto Raptors as they continue to build around their young star.
