Last year, I had 5 names I was rotating between for my last two Eastern Conference All-Star Performance spots. Those 5: Trae Young, Bam Adebayo, Kristaps Porzingis, Kyrie Irving, and Bradley Beal. At the time, I picked Trae and Bam as my final selections. I felt unconfident at the time and agonized over my decision, but All-Star Break sprung up on me and those were the choices I made at the time. Over the course of early May and then again in July and August, I watched more of the Wizards pre and post ASB. By the time Kristaps was traded to Boston, I was already wavering about standing by my decision to pick Trae Young over Porzingis. By mid-August, I had fully flipped my decision. I love being wrong and Kristaps' play made me decidedly so. I knew he was a decisive force as a shot blocker and overarching presence at the rim. Kristaps was one of 7 bigs to defend more than 7.5 shots per game within 10 feet of the rim and hold opponents to 8% or worse below expected on those shots (the rest being Ivica Zubac, Brook Lopez, Nic Claxton, Steven Adams, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler). The man who Ant Edwards once called