When discussing the NBA, the phrase “star player” gets thrown around a lot. Realistically, the criteria for what makes a player meet that threshold is less clear than one might think.
After all, the league is littered with players who, given the opportunity, could “star”. On a bad team or even a good defensive team with fewer offensive players, there are countless guys in this league who could rack up big stats. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re stars in the strictest sense.
Damian Lillard is a star. That’s an absolute fact that nobody can deny. In fact, he’s been dragging undermanned Portland Trail Blazers teams to the playoffs for almost a decade. He may not be your favorite player, but if you don’t think Dame is a star, your bias is showing.
By contrast, Julius Randle may or may not fit the description. In 2020-21, he certainly looked the part of a star. Randle was awarded with an All-NBA distinction for his play that year.
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Sadly, in 2021-22, his production declined substantially.
In the event that the Blazers see him as a star, here’s a deal that lands him on their squad this summer.