The stars will be out this weekend in Dallas for the 2010 NBA All-Star game. The lights will be bright as LeBron, Kobe and other stars take the court on the biggest basketball stage ever. But for the NBA 2K series, there is always a group of players each year who always seem to put up star numbers despite relatively low ratings. These players are a handful to deal with when playing against the CPU, and you absolutely hate to matchup against them online. So allow me to introduce you to this year’s crop of NBA 2K10 All-Stars.

G Nate Robinson (New York Knicks)

Little-big Nate has a relatively small frame but a big-time game. Currently rated a 78 overall, Nate can do almost everything from the guard position. He is cat-quick, can penetrate with ease, and once he has a lane to the hoop his hops make it hard on the defense. Playing on the highest difficulty setting, I once witnessed Nate drive baseline and soar over Yao Ming making the Great Wall of China crumble. Nate can also score from the outside. His quick and easy release makes up for his lack of height, which enables him to score with the best of them. Lastly, Nate is a thief on defense and has the "Iverson" in-and-out crossover that is bound to leave the defense tripping.

G O.J. Mayo (Memphis Grizzles)

He has been a gem in NBA 2K since he came into the league, and with his real-life game also on the rise, I do not expect that to change. Avid 2K fans know that Ovington J’Anthony is perhaps one of the best pure shooters in NBA 2K10. His high-arching jumper is money from anywhere on the perimeter, and he is quite capable of slashing to the hoop when the defense plays him too tight. He can also influence a game defensively with a defensive-awareness rating that is higher than most pure shooters and has enough quickness to stay in front of a point guard. If you have him in your franchise or online league, make sure to hold onto him. I urge you to not pass the mayo on this one.

F J.R. Smith (Denver Nuggets)

OK, so I am fudging this a little bit to get J.R. in here -- but If Duncan is a center than J.R. Smith can be a forward. In real life, a lousy work ethic and immaturity has stopped J.R. from becoming a consistent All-Star. It seems like ages ago when J.R. and Chris Paul were the backcourt of the future for the Hornets. Luckily, we do not have to deal with his off-court issues in NBA 2K10. J.R. Smith was the first coming of O.J. Mayo, except he is a better shooter and a way more explosive athlete. Playing on the Denver Nuggets does not hurt neither. Teams are forced to pay attention to Carmelo and Billups, leaving J.R. with a few open looks. And once he heats up, there are not many in the league that can keep up with his streaky shooting –- in both the game and real life.

F Al Jefferson (Minnesota Timberwolves)

A player with tons of All-Star games in his future as long as he can stay healthy. The main piece in the Kevin Garnett trade a few years back, Big Al has come into his own and is a force to be reckoned with in NBA 2K10. Although he does not possess the defensive prowess of KG, Jefferson’s post game is as refined as they come in the league today. At 97 overall, he has the highest low-post offense rating, and believe me it is evident. With almost all the low-post move animations in his arsenal, Al Jefferson cannot be guarded one on one on the block. But what makes Jefferson virtually unstoppable is his smooth jump shot. His range stretches out to 20 feet, and the release on his J is quick enough to get the ball over the outstretched hands of opposing bigs. Simply put, Al Jefferson is an NBA 2K10 beast.

C Joakim Noah (Chicago Bulls)

Every team needs a defensive anchor, and it does not get much better than Joakim Noah in NBA 2K10. This ex-Gator is as ferocious as they come when protecting the hoop. Attacking the rim when Noah in the paint is a bad idea, unless of course you are trying to give out souvenirs to the fans in the third row. Trying to post him up is also not a wise option, as he possesses great defensive awareness, post defense and quick enough hands to strip the ball loose. And although his offensive game is still catching up to his defensive skills, Noah is sure to get his hands on more than a few put-back dunks with an astonishing 97 offensive-rebounding rating. He impacts the game too much to stay off a real All-Star team for too long.


So there you have it, your NBA 2K10 All-Stars. What players do you guys think perform above and beyond their overall ratings?