Alperen Sengun was named as an injury replacement to the All-Star Game on Sunday.
NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2026 – Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun has been selected by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to fill the vacancy created by injured Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Team World for the upcoming 2026 NBA All-Star Game.
This year’s 75th NBA All-Star Game is set for Sunday, Feb. 15, at 5 p.m. ET at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and will be broadcasted on NBC and Peacock.
Sengun, hailing from Turkey, celebrates his second consecutive NBA All-Star selection after making waves during his first appearance last season. Currently, in his fifth year in the league, he’s putting up impressive numbers: 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and a career-high 6.3 assists per game across 44 appearances. Notably, he sits 30th in the league for points, 10th in rebounds, and 16th in assists, achieving career highs in both steals (1.41) and blocks (1.0). Sengun has significantly contributed to the Rockets’ solid performance this season, helping lead them to a 32-19 record, tying them for fourth place in the Western Conference.
Standing tall at 6-foot-11, Sengun is joining a rare group of players this season—only three are averaging at least 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. He shares this distinction with 2026 NBA All-Stars Jalen Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks and Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets.
Gilgeous-Alexander is sidelined due to an abdominal strain, marking a disappointing turn for the eight-year veteran from Canada, who was selected as a starter and is celebrating his fourth consecutive All-Star selection.
The 75th NBA All-Star Game is anticipated to showcase a unique format, featuring two teams composed of U.S. players (USA Stars and USA Stripes) and one international team (Team World), all competing in a round-robin mini-tournament of four 12-minute games.
