Alperen Sengun Replaces Shai Gilgeous-Alexander In NBA All-Star Game

Ana Kieu
Oklahoma City Thunder center/forward Chet Holmgren (7) defends a drive by Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) during the first half at Paycom Center

Houston Rockets star Alperen Sengun is set to replace Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Team World for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles, California. Here’s what you need to know about the recent change by the NBA.

Alperen Sengun Replaces Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Senior NBA insider Chris Haynes recently reported on X, formerly Twitter, “NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has named Rockets center Alperen Sengun as an All-Star replacement for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Team World.”

Haynes’ post on X attracted ample attention from the NBA world. X user, NBA InsightPro, stated, “Alperen Sengun is heading to his second consecutive NBA All-Star Game! He’s replacing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s out with an abdominal strain, on Team World. Sengun is averaging 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 6.3 assists this season, earning him a spot among the best international players. This is a great opportunity for Sengun to showcase his skills on the big stage.”

Another X user, HQE, asked in a pondering manner, “I wondered if it’s because (Joel) Embiid represented Team USA.”

Regardless of one’s thoughts about the Houston Rockets, the 23-year-old is a consistently good player who is far from flashy, flamboyant, etc. Also known as “The Goon” and “Baby Jokic,” the 23-year-old’s top talents include his basketball IQ, creative playmaking ability, and post skills.

Alperen Sengun’s Outlook

Sengun, who hails from Giresun, Turkey, has been named an NBA All-Star for the second time in his young career, becoming just the 12th player in franchise history to make multiple NBA All-Star appearances.

The Oklahoma City Thunder were without Gilgeous-Alexander during the Rockets’ 112-106 win over the Thunder on Saturday. Gilgeous-Alexander, 27, sustained an abdominal strain on Tuesday, Feb. 3.

The Rockets’ win was impressive, to say the least. Rockets Head Coach Ime Udoka praised Sengun for his “phenomenal performance” on both ends of the court.

Under the new United States vs. World format, the NBA made an easy switch, since both Sengun (Turkey) can replace Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) on the Team World roster.

Next Steps

The Giresun, Turkey native is averaging 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, while shooting 49.6% from the field, 29.8% from three-point range, and 69.3% from the free throw line, this season.

The Turkish big man’s rebounds and assists totals lead the Rockets. He’s the second-leading scorer behind his teammate Kevin Durant, who was already named an NBA All-Star for the 16th time in his career.

An accomplished journalist, Ana Kieu has been working as a sportswriter for a decade. Ana's sportswriting experience includes both national and local media outlets, such as USA Today, SB Nation, Inside Hockey, SFBay.ca, and Sports Radio Service.