Will any member of the Miami Heat be an All-Star reserve?

Will any of the Miami Heat players be selected as an All-Star reserve?

By now, the Miami Heat are sort of used to being overlooked and under-appreciated.

Still, that doesn’t mean they don’t continue to hold out hope that soon, the team’s hard work will be recognized. Including when it comes to this year’s All-Star selection.

With the NBA set to announce their picks for All-Star reserves on the evening of Tuesday, January 23, many are wondering if this is finally the time for members of the team to shine. Say, Hassan Whiteside?

Averaging 14.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks a game, the 28-year-old certainly continues to be one of the league’s top big men. Despite being sidelined for 18 games with a knee bruise, he has still proved his worth this season on multiple occasions, most recently by way of a 22-point, 13-rebound, 3-steal performance against the Houston Rockets. He also finished with 27 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks versus the Milwaukee Bucks last week, outworking Giannis Antetokounmpo on both ends of the floor.

"“They’re always trying to say we don’t have All-Stars,” Whiteside said on the possibility being of chosen. “No, you all just don’t vote them in. We have All-Stars. A lot those All-Stars are not even in the playoffs, so that’s where I’m going to leave it.”"

And he has a point. Unfortunately, the entire premise behind who gets selected to All-Star Weekend as a whole, has become a popularity contest. Much more dependent on the hype surrounding a team, than actual merit.

Now lately, the Heat have been excelling. At 27-20, they sit fourth in the Eastern Conference, just a game behind the Cleveland Cavaliers. But that may not mean much.

"“I think if we had started out the way we’re playing the last six weeks we’d probably been on more people’s radars,” said head coach Erik Spoelstra. “Then again you never know.”"

Something Heat Nation knows though, is that Goran Dragic certainly deserves a nod.

Having been named the East’s Player of the Week on two separate occasions now, the guard has begun to get more credit league-wide. But he still isn’t quite viewed as the elite player he is. And Spoelstra feels that too.

"“I would love to see Goran Dragic on that team… I don’t know if people have viewed us worthy to have an All-Star. That’s a shame.”"

That it is. Especially as the 31-year-old is currently averaging 17.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists a matchup, even being held back by multiple injuries this season.

Next: Miami Heat: Is Wayne Ellington this season's biggest surprise yet?

Will the Miami Heat finally have an official All-Star on their team? Only time will tell.