Josh Hart is right: the NBA All-Star Game isn’t designed for players like him.
It’s a spectacle of fan favorites, household names, and the best players from the league’s top teams. Occasionally, a star from a struggling franchise sneaks in — like LaMelo Ball, whose 28.9 points per game rank fourth in the NBA, despite his Charlotte Hornets owning the league’s fourth-worst record.
For players like Hart, the stage rarely opens up. Yet his importance to the Knicks, the team with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference, is undeniable.
Hart entered Monday’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies averaging 14.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game while shooting a career-best 55.8% from the field and 36.4% from deep. He’s one of the most versatile and unselfish players in the league, a glue guy who keeps the Knicks functioning at a high level.
“He unlocks a lot in their game, and he does it in unselfish ways,” Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said ahead of Monday’s tipoff at Madison Square Garden. “Obviously, Brunson and Towns are gonna get a lot of the attention on the scouting report … [but Hart is] a lot to account for.”
Hart ranks second in the league in total minutes played, trailing only Knicks teammate Mikal Bridges. Despite being just 6-foot-4, Hart is the only player shorter than 6-foot-9 to record at least 400 rebounds this season, ranking 11th in total boards.
“I think the way he prepares himself; he’s really worked hard on shooting, and he’s just an all-around basketball player,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He’s a little undersized, but his instinct for reacting to the ball is special.”
Hart’s 20-point, 18-rebound, 11-assist performance against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday marked his sixth triple-double of the season and the 12th of his career—all since arriving in New York via a mid-season trade from the Portland Trail Blazers two years ago. He’s now tied for fourth in franchise history in career triple-doubles.
Despite his quieter profile compared to All-Star starters Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, Hart’s value to the Knicks is just as crucial. He doesn’t have the massive contract, the flashy numbers, or the ego. What he does have is a relentless motor, a big mouth that occasionally gets him into trouble, and a playing style that opposing coaches lose sleep over.
Hart understands how All-Star selections work. He knows his chances of being named an All-Star reserve are slim. The Knicks already have two All-Star starters — their first since Earl Monroe and Walt Frazier in 1975 — and the competition for reserve spots is fierce.
Cleveland’s Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley; Boston’s Jaylen Brown; Detroit’s Cade Cunningham; Atlanta’s Trae Young; and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton all have compelling cases. Even Damian Lillard, playing on a middling Milwaukee Bucks team, is in the mix.
With only 12 roster spots per conference, Hart’s inclusion feels mathematically improbable. But that doesn’t diminish his importance.
Hart’s ranking among the top-11 Eastern Conference guards in the final All-Star vote is validation of his contributions. Officially making the team may be a long shot, but in New York, he’s already an All-Star.
“I think he’s really having a terrific season,” Thibodeau said. “He’s put a lot into it. I think it’s great he’s being recognized for the contributions that he’s making because when you look at his role, he’s really starring in his role. You can’t ask for anything more.”
