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There's an irony to the Jazz's ascension this season and it has created an argument over who — beyond the team itself — should reap a tangible reward for it.

A team that was thought to be in position to make a positive move had a bunch of good players, but it didn't have any stars. And the worn formula for authentic contention in the NBA has almost always begun with that basic foundation.

Now, more than halfway through, in the run-up to the league's All-Star game, the Jazz's problem isn't a lack of stars, it's determining which of two players — Rudy Gobert and Gordon Hayward — is most worthy of that status because … there's no way they both should be named, right?

Wrong.

Both are deserving.

The notion is based on fact, not fiction, on honest observation, not homerism. It has moved from informational to straight advocacy.

In an informal canvassing of national NBA writers, many of them were split on which of those two would be named by coaches. Some said Gobert, some said Hayward. A number of them suggested that the Jazz, in a throwback to the days of Stockton and Malone, should again have an All-Star duo.

They're bang on.

Asked if he felt like an All-Star, Gobert answered in classic Rudy fashion, "Of course."

He added: "To me, basketball is about winning and I think I help my team win. People look at stats, they should look at impact, what you do at both ends to help your team win. … They want the numbers. I'm more about winning. Maybe I get penalized for that. It's OK, I focus on the team."

When Hayward was asked whether Gobert should be an All-Star, he said: "For sure, you look at the impact he has, we wouldn't be where we're at without him."

Asked the same question about himself, Hayward answered: "I feel like I have to be one for us to be successful. I have a lot of responsibility. I expect myself to play like one. If we're going to win games, I have to be like that. It means different things each night, maybe it's scoring, maybe it's defense, maybe it's being a playmaker. So, for me, it's keeping us healthy in the win column. The rest of it takes care of itself."

Maybe it will, maybe it won't. But it should.

Opposing coaches are now game-planning around Gobert, who is the league's best rim-protector, its most imposing defensive presence, and an effective offensive option. He not only averages 13 points and 13 boards, he's first in the NBA in blocks per game, first in true shooting percentage, second in offensive rating, first in defensive rating, and fifth in rebounding.

Hayward, like he said, does a lot of everything for the Jazz. He scores better than 22 points a game, gets six rebounds and four assists. He has built up his body to more effectively take the beating that regularly occurs when he attacks the basket and plays rugged defense. Teammate Joe Johnson, himself a seven-time All-Star, said of the small forward: "If he keeps putting in the work, everything will fall into place for him."

Work isn't an issue. Regarding Hayward's diligence, longtime Jazz personnel guy Dave Fredman, said: "There are only three Jazz players I've seen work as hard as Gordon. All three of them are in the Hall of Fame."

Those would be Adrian Dantley, John Stockton and Karl Malone.

"I want to get better each year," Hayward said. "There are things I can improve on when I go into the offseason. I don't want to leave anything behind when I'm done with the game. I don't want to look back and say, 'I shouldn't have done this' or 'I should have done that.' I think I have a long way to go, and for me it's one of those things where I try to strategically look at what I need to work on. It's something I like doing. I like going to work, putting the work in. It's really rewarding when you do something on the court that you couldn't do before."

Hayward used a rare analogy, comparing his game to studying for an exam: "You put in the effort, the practice and you can go in 100-percent confident. I went into each test trying to know all the answers. I treat basketball the same way."

On account of that preparation, Quin Snyder said he expected an All-Star season out of Hayward: "He's been consistently good to great. He's had great moments and he's always been good. That consistency says a lot. It's hard to do. He played with a broken finger for the first month and a half. I can't say enough about the leadership that he's shown, and he's a great teammate."

As for Gobert, Snyder said: "I don't know if there's a guy who likes to play and compete more than Rudy. He just loves the game. He loves to play. He's never nervous. He's just excited about playing basketball. You can feel that when he plays.

"Rudy's probably underappreciated as it is because the box score doesn't show all the things he does. … His productivity and his impact are different than a typical player that you look at and say they're having a great year. It's double-doubles and blocked shots and changed shots."

It's being an emerging force.

Considering the major contributions Gobert and Hayward are giving, the ground they are gaining, not just for themselves but for their team, they deserve to get, too. You give, you should get.

"Those guys," Snyder said, "are having special seasons."

They are having All-Star seasons. Both of them.

GORDON MONSON hosts "The Big Show" with Spence Checketts weekdays from 3-7 p.m. on 97.5 FM and 1280 AM The Zone. Twitter: @GordonMonson.