Scottie Barnes is officially an NBA All-Star - again.
The 24-year-old forward has been named one of the seven Eastern Conference reserves for this year’s All-Star Game, marking his second career selection. It’s a well-earned nod for Barnes, who’s been the heartbeat of a Toronto Raptors team quietly climbing the standings in the East.
Barnes joins a group of East reserves that includes Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson, New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns, Indiana’s Pascal Siakam, Miami’s Norman Powell, and Detroit’s Jalen Duren. It’s a mix of established stars and rising talent - and Barnes, in many ways, represents both.
Through 49 games this season, Barnes is putting up 19.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. That’s not just solid production - that’s the kind of well-rounded impact that coaches around the league notice.
He’s scoring efficiently, rebounding with purpose, and facilitating like a point forward. Simply put, he’s doing a little bit of everything for a Raptors team that’s currently sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference at 29-21.
Barnes becomes just the sixth player in Raptors franchise history to earn multiple All-Star selections, joining a pretty elite list: Chris Bosh, Vince Carter, DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, and Pascal Siakam. That’s significant company, and it speaks to the trajectory Barnes is on. His first All-Star nod came as an injury replacement back in 2024 - this time, he earned it outright.
Before Sunday’s game against Utah, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic made it clear he believed more than one Raptor deserved the All-Star spotlight. He pointed to forward Brandon Ingram - who’s leading the team with 21.9 points per game - as another player worthy of selection.
“I think what our team accomplished so far in the second year of a rebuild, the way Scottie is playing this season, the way BI is playing this season, I think those two guys deserve consideration, nomination and to be announced as all-stars tonight,” Rajakovic said. “We’ll take it. We’ll take both of those guys being in the all-star game.”
Only Barnes made the cut this time, but the message is clear: Toronto’s rebuild is ahead of schedule, and Barnes is leading the charge. His growth this season - both statistically and in terms of leadership - has been undeniable.
He’s defending multiple positions, initiating offense, and stepping up in big moments. That’s what All-Stars do.
And now, he’s officially recognized as one of the East’s best - again.