NBC Sports Considers Rockets' Alperen Sengun Biggest All-Star Snub

He's up there.

Feb 5, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) on the bench during a timeout against the Charlotte Hornets during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets’ first half of the 2025-26 season has been a bit of a disappointment. The team is loaded with talent and is even ranked fourth in the Western Conference, as of this writing, with a 31-18 record.

They are a bit top-heavy, which was a little expected, but oftentimes find themselves bailed out on offensive possessions by Kevin Durant.

And searching for offense, outside of Durant, who has more than quelled all concerns about any semblance of regression after he was traded to Clutch City.

There hasn’t been any whatsoever. In fact, Durant just missed his first game due to injury.

Unsurprisingly, Durant made the All-Star team, returning to the star-studded exhibition for his sixth consecutive season.

And 16th total of his career.

The previous ten were separated by injury in 2019-20, as a result of a torn Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals.

Durant is averaging 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, a hair under two stocks, 50.8 percent from the field, 39.9 percent from three, 57.2 percent effective shooting, 88.9 percent from the foul line and 62.9 percent true shooting.

Again, him making the All-Star team wasn’t a surprise.

The surprise was his teammate, Rockets center Alperen Sengun being omitted from the game.

The 23-year-old made the team last season with a worse statistical campaign.

Sengun was considered the biggest omission of the season by NBC Sports’ NBA writer Kurt Helin.

“For my money, Alperen Sengun was the biggest snub out there. He deserved a spot more than LeBron, going just on play the past year.”

Let’s first note that James wasn’t going to miss the All-Star game, even if he has had a significant drop-off this season (by his own standards).

He’s in year 23.

He will basically be a life-time achievement automatic addition every year, from here on out, until he retires.

(Which figures to be soon, even though he’s fought Father Time harder than anyone else, to date).

Sengun could still find himself in the All-Star game, however, as an injury replacement.

(I know, but it still counts).

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokoumpo will likely sit for the game, while Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be out, due to a strained abdominal, creating two spots and/or vacancies.