New Warriors guard bizarrely predicted to earn first All-Star selection next season

When it comes to predicting which Golden State Warriors players may become All-Stars for the first time next season, almost everyone would focus their sights on young duo Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski.

That makes sense. Not only are both players on the rise and slated for significant improvement, but the Warriors will need that individual growth to have any chance of being a contender in the Western Conference next season.

New Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield has been bizarrely projected to be a first time All-Star by at least one ESPN expert

In a recent poll of ESPN experts asking which NBA players would become All-Stars for the first time, it was extraordinarily Buddy Hield, not Kuminga or Podziemski, who received votes. That's so bizarre that it would almost seem like a typo, such is Hield's variance to the other eight players around the league who received votes.

Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama was the understandable and overwhelming choice, having received 101 points including 90% of first-place votes. Chet Holmgren ranked second ahead of Mikal Bridges, while Jamal Murray, Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley rounded out the top six.

There's a theme right -- four of the those six are 23-years-old or younger, with Bridges and Murray both 27. Then, to throw things in a completely different direction, we get to Hield who will turn 32 by the end of the year.

The new Warrior guard received three points to finish seventh. Under the voting system ESPN undertook, either one expert had Hield as their most likely player to make an All-Star team for the first time, or multiple experts voted him as their second or third choice. Either way, it's an incredibly unlikely prediction that's sure to have fans flabbergasted.

Not to downplay the potential value and importance Hield could provide Golden State in his first year with the franchise, but we're talking about a veteran player who's coming off the worst scoring season of his last seven years in the league.

It's highly unlikely Hield even has the opportunity to push for an All-Star spot, with the starting shooting guard role most likely headed to Podziemski or another former Philadelphia 76ers guard in De'Anthony Melton.

Hield's ascension to All-Star status would be incredible for the Warriors, but would equally be nothing short of a complete shock. Another pair of young players, Jaime Jacquez Jr. and Alperun Sengun, rounded out the players to receive votes, further defining just how odd it is that Hield featured in this category.