With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined by an abdominal strain and set to miss the All-Star festivities, the NBA needed an international replacement - and they didn’t have to look far. On Sunday, commissioner Adam Silver tapped Rockets big man Alperen Şengün to fill the void, slotting him into the revamped All-Star format that’s turning heads across the league.
This year’s All-Star Game isn’t your traditional East vs. West showdown.
In celebration of the league’s 75th All-Star edition, the NBA is rolling out a three-team format: Team USA Stars, Team USA Stripes, and Team World. It’s a round-robin setup, with four 12-minute games on tap, all going down at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, February 15.
With Gilgeous-Alexander hailing from Canada, it was essential that his replacement come from the international pool. Enter Şengün.
This marks Şengün’s second straight All-Star nod - and it’s well-earned. The 23-year-old center has quietly become one of the league’s most well-rounded bigs, averaging 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 6.3 assists a night.
That stat line puts him in rare company. Only two other players - Nikola Jokić of the Nuggets and Jalen Johnson of the Hawks - are matching or exceeding those numbers across the board this season.
All three are All-Stars, and rightfully so.
Şengün’s skill set has always hinted at something special, but this season, it’s all coming together. His passing vision from the post, ability to stretch the floor, and touch around the rim have made him a cornerstone for a Rockets team that’s turning heads in the West. He’s not just putting up numbers - he’s impacting winning.
And he’s not the only Rocket headed to the All-Star stage.
Kevin Durant, in his first season with Houston, will represent Team USA Stripes. Durant’s averaging 25.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, and has brought a steady veteran presence to a young Rockets squad that’s sitting at 32-19. That record is no accident - the Rockets are one of just a handful of teams sending multiple players to the All-Star Game, joining the likes of the Pistons, Lakers, Knicks, and Nuggets.
Earlier in the week, the league also added Kawhi Leonard as an injury replacement, ensuring the U.S. side would have enough depth under the new format. Leonard’s inclusion helped push the American player count to the required 16, balancing out the international roster led by stars like Jokić and now, Şengün.
The new format is a bold experiment, but one that’s already generating buzz. It’s a chance to see international stars like Şengün go toe-to-toe with the best of the U.S., in a structure that could bring fresh energy to the midseason classic. And for Şengün, it’s another step in what’s shaping up to be a breakout campaign - not just as a stat-sheet stuffer, but as a player commanding league-wide respect.